FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
,.. 
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S.NO. 3199 
Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Children are born with fundamental freedom and inherent rights as accorded to all human beings. 
Article XV Section 3(2) of the 1987 Constitution provides that the State shall defend the right of 
children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and special protection from ail forms 
of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation and other conditions prejudicial to their development. 
Moreover, the Philippines is signatory to the IJnited Nations Convention on the Rights o f  a Child 
and adheres to its thrust of promoting and protecting the rights and welfare of children. 
Notwithstanding these international and national initiatives, cases of child rights violations 
remain unbridled. 
Based on the recent statistics of Children's Rehabilitation Center (CRC) report from 2001 to 
2006, more than 200,000 Filipino children suffered from various exploitation acts and human 
rights injustices.' Minors are coerced to work as prostitutes, combatants, and workers in other 
forms of labor especially in hazardous working environments. Furthermore, they are not 
adequately nourished and educated. Around four million Filipino children are malnourished2. 
Evidently, there is a dire need to instill comciousness among our people UT ihe wcessiiy to 
uphold the rights and welfare of our children. 
In this light, this measure proposes that the second Sunday of October be declared as National 
Children's Day. It is hoped that such celebration shall promote awareness over the protection of 
the rights of Filipino children and the importance of fostering their well-being to secure the 
growth and development of society. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought. 
Senator 
Information retrieved from: htto://www.stolenchildhood.netlentrv/unicef-200000- 
Information retrieved 
from: 
htto~//newsinfo.inauirer.net~reakinanews/natio~view/20080705-146662/4M- 
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human-ri~lits-violation/ Retrieved on 16 March 2009. 
malnourished-Filiaino-cl~ildren. Retrieved on 16 march 2009. 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
S. NO. 
w 
I 
Introduced by Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
DECLARING THE CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL CHILDREN’S DAY IN THE 
COUNTRY ON THE SECOND SUNDAY OF OCTOBER OF EVERY YEAR 
& ii enaaed by ihe Senare and iiouse of Represeniaiives 03- rhe Pklippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the “National Children’s Day Act.” 
SEC. 2. The second Sunday of October of every year shall hereby be known as the 
“National Children’s Day” to promote consciousness over the protection of the rights of Filipino 
children and the iinportance of fostering their well-being to secure the growth and development 
of society. 
SEC. 3. Pursuant to the observance of the National Children’s Day, an annual program of 
activities shall be prepared and implemented with the Department of Social Welfare and 
Development (DSWD), the National Youth Commission (NYC) and the Council for the Welfare 
of Children (CWC) as lead agencies. 
In support thereof, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher 
Education (CHED) shall facilitate and encourage the commemoration of this day in all schools, 
public and private, nationwide. The Philippine Information Agency (PIA), in coordination with 
the DSWD, DepEd, CHED, NYC and CWC shall ensure the effective information dissemination 
of this Act. 
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SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two (2) 
newspapers of general circulation or in the Oficiul Guzetfe. 
Approved, 
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