Around fifty children from the seventeen (17) regions nationwide attended this year’s National Children’s Congress at Sequoia Hotel, Quezon City last October 22-26 in line with the annual Children’s Month Celebration
The Top 3 Regional winners namely: Denzer Tuague (Zamboanga City); Lovely Rose Hechanova (Zamboanga Sibugay) and Diana Rose Gasque (Zamboanga del Sur) were the delegates of Region 9 and were sent to Manila to participate in the congress. They were chosen after being hailed as Provincial winners and pronounced as top winners during the Regional Desk Validation search conducted earlier this month. The delegates are Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program beneficiaries who manifested good scholastic ratings, compliance in the program especially in attendance to school and active community involvements and extra-curricular participation.
The highlights of congress focused mainly on their role in their family, community and how it generated positive changes in their lives. There were series of fun-filled workshops and cluster presentations conducted to jive this year’s NCC theme which is “Bata, kaya mo ang Pagbabago!”
As part of the congress, DSWD also awarded Jemuel Mago of Region IV-B as this year’s National winner of the 2014 Exemplary Pantawid Pamilya Children Search. The award is given to a child-beneficiary who showed admirable accomplishments in his /her home, school and community. This year’s national top winners are the following: Region XII (1st Runner up); Region IV-A (2nd Runner up); Region VIII (3rd Runner up) and Region VII (4th runner up).
The congress was also graced by Senator Bam Aquino who gave an inspiring message before the participants. Other artists who also joined the kids are: Tropang potchi artists who facilitated a workshop and fun-filled games to the children; Batang Yagit stars of GMA-7; Jairus Aquino of ABS-CBN and National Youth Commissioner Dingdong Dantes who expressed his gratitude for having been invited to witness the children’s celebration. He further encouraged the participants to really pursue their education amid their difficult situation. The children performed a one-act skit presentation during the awarding ceremony as an output of the congress.
A Press conference followed after the awarding ceremony led by DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman together with Council for Welfare of Children Executive Director Patricia Luna and Exemplary Children National Winner Jemuel Mago. The congress capped off with a study tour at the Mind Museum in Taguig City.
The National Children’s Congress is an annual activity conducted by DSWD to gather model kids in one fitting venue to celebrate childhood, positive changes and dreams in a form of talks, workshops and interactions.
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is a human development program of the national government that invests in health and education of children. The expansion of age coverage from 0-14 to 0-18 will ensure that school-aged children will be given financial assistance until they reach 18 years old or finish high school, whichever comes first. ##
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