Children want voters to elect candidates with track records on promoting good health of young moms and their babies

Manila - Believing that mother’s health and complete well-being are key to bringing up healthy children, a group of children and children advocates on Mother’s Day calls on voters to choose candidates whose track records show concrete legislative actions that promote the health and the protection of the rights of mothers—particularly young moms—as well as their children.

With just two days remaining before 2013 National Elections, “Bata Muna:  Bumoto para sa kapakanan ng mga Bata” campaigners remind voters that the future of children which comprise 42% of the Philippine population are in their hands.  “Generally speaking, mothers are the nurturers of the family, and their health and role in the family are so important. Healthy and happy moms bring up healthy and happy kids,” said Anna Lindenfors, Country Director of Save the Children in the Philippines. 

Save the Children recently launched its annual State of the World’s Mothers Report 2013 which states that babies born to the poorest mothers in Philippines, along with Cambodia, India, Morocco, and Mozambique, die at twice the rate of babies born to the richest mothers in Sweden and Norway—a clear disparity in access to health and nutrition services among rich and poor mothers. 

“The next leaders of this country must look and really act on that gap,” stressed Lindenfors.  “The government must invest in programs that will improve the health and well-being of mothers and children, especially of poor mothers and children and policies that will ensure these programs are carried out from the national down to the local level of governance,” she emphasized.

Two “Bata Muna” campaigners, Edilyn and Jaenine, both 17 years of Navotas City expressed their sentiments on being a young mother and hopes on the next political leaders of the country. 

Jaenine, who is now a mother of a two-year child, wants the support of the government so she could finish secondary school.  She stopped when she got pregnant in her junior year. “Gusto ko po sana na ang susunod na mga leader ng ating bansa ay magpasa ng mga batas na aakma para sa aming mga batang nanay (I want the next leaders to pass a law that will cater to my special need as a  young mother), she said.  “Gusto ko pong makatapos sa aking pag-aaral, pero kasi dahil may anak na akong inaalagan kailangan may mga kunsiderasyon na sa akin ang eskwelahan (I still want to finish my education, but special considerations should be given to me by the school, since I will also be attending to my child),” she added.

On the other hand, Edilyn, 6 months pregnant with her first baby, anticipates on the promised health care facilities by some candidates. “Sana totohanin ng mga kandidato ang pangako  nilang libreng health services  (I hope the candidates who are promising free health facilities and services will remain true to their promise if they get elected),” said Edilyn.  “Makakatulong ito nang malaki sa amin ng magiging anak ko (It would be very helpful if I could avail of health services for myself and my child),” she added.

Edilyn also said that she wants a political leader who will not look down on those who got pregnant at an early age, instead guide and provide them with basic education and health services so they still can have a better life despite getting pregnant at an early age. “Sana po magkaroon din ng family planning at sexuality education para sa katulad ko na hindi pa handang magka-anak ulit, (I hope they will provide family planning and sex education as well, since I am not yet ready to have another baby after this pregnancy),” she stressed.

Early pregnancy is one of the children’s issues identified by child-led organizations with a total membership of about 800 children aged 10-17 years old under the Children Talk to Children (C2C) About the UN CRC Project being supported by Save the Children.

The “Bata Muna” campaign launched in March this year is an effort of more than 30 international, national and local non-government and civil society organizations to put the issue of children at the heart of the 2013 National Elections. 

It hopes to reach all of the senatorial candidates and present to them children’s issues and concerns and know their positions on bills proposed by children advocacy groups. Unfortunately, only 9 candidates and partylists dialogued with “Bata Muna” children. 

“Bata Muna” will not end its campaign when the election period ends.  “We will continue with this campaign, and expand our partners so we can reach more political leaders.  We will continue pushing so that children’s issues will always be in the heart of the country’s political discussion,” said Lindenfors.

Bata Muna is a nationwide campaign aimed at advancing children’s issues in the heart of electoral discussions in the 2013 National Elections. It is jointly organized by Save the Children,  Samahan ng Mamamayan – Zone One Tondo Organization (ZOTO), Children Talk to Children (C2C) about the UN CRC Project children’s organizations AKKAP, AYM, CYO and YMETCO, Plan International, Asia ACTs, WomanHealth Philippines, ChildFund,Philippine Legislators' Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc. (PLCPD), Caraga Emergency Response Group (CERG), Mindanao Action Group for Children’s Rights and Protection (MAGCRP), Mindanao Emergency Response Network (MERN), World Vision, Intervida Philippines Foundation (Intervida), Cebu Court Appointed Special Advocates /Guardian Ad Litem (CASA/GAL)Volunteers Association Inc., Inclusive Education Network Chapter (IEN), Philippines Against Child Trafficking (PACT), Lingap Pangkabataan Inc., Angels of Peace Academy Foundation Inc., Open Heart Foundation, NGO Coalition, ERDA, ChildHope Asia Philippines, Reina Federation, Families and Children for Empowerment and Development (FCED) Foundation Inc., and Yakap sa Kaunlaran ng Bata Inc.