Gatchalian on National Children's Month: Pandemic recovery should uphold children's welfare

Amid the nationwide celebration of National Children's Month this November, Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the government to ensure that the country's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic will uphold the welfare of children.

Gatchalian emphasized the toll of the COVID-19 pandemic on children, especially during the imposition of lockdowns. Aside from learning loss due to the lack of face-to-face classes, Gatchalian also pointed out that children became more exposed to different forms of violence and mental health issues, among others, at the height of pandemic restrictions.

While the resumption of full face-to-face classes is a significant step forward, Gatchalian pressed the need to strengthen measures that will address the pandemic's impact on children's well-being. These include the implementation of genuine learning recovery, sustained psychosocial intervention, and child protection measures.

Gatchalian's Senate Bill No. 150 or the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Act, a priority measure for the 19th Congress to address learning loss, seeks to institute a national learning intervention program that will include well-systematized tutorial sessions and well-designed remediation plans. It will focus on essential learning competencies in Language, Mathematics, and Science.

The proposed measure also seeks adequate provision of nutritional, social, and emotional health support to ensure the holistic well-being of learners, for them to prosper academically, and build resilience against adversity.

Gatchalian also filed Senate Bill No. 379 or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, which aims to institutionalize the Mental Health and Well-Being Program. The bill calls for the establishment of a Mental Health and Well-Being Center in basic education schools, which will deliver mental and well-being services to address the mental, emotional, and developmental needs of learners, as well as teachers and non-teaching personnel.

"Sa patuloy na pagbangon natin mula sa pandemya, mahalagang tutukan natin ang kapakanan ng ating mga kabataan, lalo na't kasama sila sa mga pinaka-apektado ng pinsalang dulot ng COVID-19. Mahalagang hakbang ang muling pagbabalik ng face-to-face classes, ngunit marami pa tayong maaaring gawin upang lalo pang itaguyod ang kaligtasan at kapakanan ng ating mga kabataan," said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

Mensahe ni Gatchalian sa Nat'l Children's Month: Itaguyod ang kapakanan ng mga kabataan

Sa gitna ng pagdiriwang ng National Children's Month ngayong buwan ng Nobyembre, hinimok ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang pamahalaan na tutukan ang kapakanan ng mga kabataan habang patuloy ang pagbangon ng bansa mula sa pandemya ng COVID-19.

Binigyang diin ni Gatchalian ang pinsalang dinulot ng pandemya sa mga kabataan, lalo na noong panahon ng mga lockdown. Maliban sa learning loss o pag-urong ng kaalaman dahil sa kawalan ng face-to-face classes, pinuna rin ni Gatchalian na tumaas ang banta ng karahasan sa mga kabataan. Tumaas din ang tsansang makaranas ang mga kabataan ng problema sa mental health noong kasagsagan ng mga lockdown.

Bagama't ang pagbabalik ng full face-to-face classes ay mahalagang hakbang sa pagbangon ng sektor ng edukasyon, nanindigan si Gatchalian na kailangang patatagin ang mga hakbang at programa upang tugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga kabataan. Kabilang dito ang pagpapatupad ng learning recovery, psychosocial intervention, at mga programa para sa child protection.

Sa Senate Bill No. 150 ni Gatchalian o ang Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Act na isa sa mga prayoridad ng senador ngayong 19th Congress, isinusulong ang pagkakaroon ng programa para sa national learning intervention na tutugon sa learning loss. Magiging bahagi ng panukalang programa ang mga tutorial sessions at remediation plans. Tututukan din ng naturang programa ang mga essential learning competencies sa Language, Mathematics, at Science.

Layon din ng panukala ang sapat na probisyon ng suporta sa pangangailangang nutritional, social, at emotional health ng mga kabataan upang tiyakin ang kanilang pangkalahatang kapakanan. Ito ay upang maging mas matatag ang mga kabataan at maging mas mahusay sila pagdating sa kanilang pag-aaral.

Inihain din ni Gatchalian ang Senate Bill No. 379 o ang Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act. Layon ng naturang panukala na gawing institutionalized ang Mental Health and Well-Being Program. Isinusulong ng panukalang batas ang pagkakaroon ng Mental Health and Well-Being Center sa lahat ng mga paaralan sa basic education upang maghatid ng mental at well-being services na tutugon sa pangangailangang mental, emotional, at developmental ng mga mag-aaral, guro, at non-teaching personnel.

"Sa patuloy na pagbangon natin mula sa pandemya, mahalagang tutukan natin ang kapakanan ng ating mga kabataan, lalo na't kasama sila sa mga pinaka-apektado ng pinsalang dulot ng COVID-19. Mahalagang hakbang ang muling pagbabalik ng face-to-face classes, ngunit marami pa tayong maaaring gawin upang lalo pang itaguyod ang kaligtasan at kapakanan ng ating mga kabataan," pahayag ni Gatchalian, Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education.