COTABATO CITY -- The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) government has launched the Regional Plan of Action for Children (RPAC) on Monday, November 4, marking a significant step towards strengthening child welfare programs in areas ravaged by decades of conflict.

The symbolic launch, coinciding with the start of National Children's Month, was officiated by officials from the Ministry of Social Services and Development-BARMM (MSSD-BARMM), led by Minister Raissa Jajurie. The RPAC aims to equip social workers and cooperating communities with the necessary knowledge and tools to effectively address child welfare and rights protection concerns across the region.

 

Jajurie highlighted the importance of the RPAC, stating that it provides "adequate child welfare and rights protection insights" to guide the intensification of programs for children in BARMM. The region, encompassing three cities and five provinces, has been grappling with the aftermath of a protracted Moro struggle for self-governance, leading to widespread poverty and underdevelopment in many areas.

 

The launch of the RPAC has garnered support from various stakeholders. 

Bangsamoro Labor Minister Muslimin Sema, whose office oversees foreign-assisted projects tackling child labor and the use of children in armed conflict, pledged his support for the plan's implementation.

 

Non-governmental humanitarian organizations involved in joint anti-child labor programs with the Ministry of Labor and Employment-BARMM and the International Labour Organization have also expressed their commitment to supporting the RPAC's application across all towns and cities in the autonomous region.

 

The RPAC is a testament to the Bangsamoro government's commitment to building a brighter future for children in the region, despite the challenges posed by decades of conflict.  It represents a crucial step towards ensuring the well-being and protection of the region's most vulnerable population.