1 million budget for childrens protection not enough - Recto

Senator Ralph Recto has called on government to put importance to the drive to end child trafficking and exploitation of minors by increasing the puny P1 million budget appropriated for the Special Committee for the Protection of Children (SCPC).

Recto said the amount is completely incompatible with policy of abiding by international covenants on the protection of children, considering the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of Filipino children now working instead of attending school.

The annual budget enjoyed by the SCPC could not even sustain a decent media campaign for a month to inform our people that it is illegal to employ children.

"To defeat the beast that is abuse of children, we have to have a serious budget and P1 million annually is considered by many stakeholders in the campaign to protect children as a joke," he added.

Moreover, the SCPC is tasked to coordinate the general campaign to promote juvenile justice as well, with Recto noting that there are practically thousands of children in jails nationwide.

"The amount is so small and is not enough to show that we are serious in confronting the problem of child trafficking, the employment of thousands of children in fireworks factories in Luzon and in the Visayas, in muro-ami fleets, mines in Diwalwal and other places and the beerhouses that abound in many cities," the senator stressed.

Recto noted that recent studies have shown that millions of children are also working in family enterprises or as domestics, in sweatshops that produce processed food, kapis products and a host of other commodities.

"Their employment under dangerous conditions is banned under international covenants and our very own laws that protect children and other disadvantaged people. These children cannot be protected using funds that are loose change in comparison to the money allotted for other activities," he added.

Recto also asked that the SCPC, established under Republic Act 7610, be given a budget infinitely much higher than the P1 million appropriated for it.

This committee, according to the senator, mandated to accelerate its information dissemination program and intensify the campaign against child trafficking, exploitation and other forms of abuse, will certainly welcome additional funding for its noble purpose.

SCPC plays a crucial role in inspecting factories, entertainment joints and other establishments where minors are employed illegally or were compelled to work through threats, intimidation and blackmail, Recto said.