SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
485 
S.No. __ _ 
Introduced by Sen. 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 all forms 
of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation and other conditions prejudicial to their development. 
Moreover, the Philippines is signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of 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 malnourished. 2 
Evidently, there is a dire need to instill consciousness among our people of the necessity to 
uphold the rights and welfare of our children. 
In this light, this measure proposes that the second Sunday of November 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. I 
~~I~ 
SEN. 
10 "SO 
Y" F. TRILLANES IV 
Senator 
1 Infonnation retrieved from: httn;lIwww.stolenchildhoQd.netientrylunicef-2000QO-filipino-chiIdren-victims-of-human-rights-
violation (accessed on 16 March 2009). 
2 Infonnation retrieved from http://newsinfo.inquirer,netlbreakingnewsination/viewl20080705-t46662/4M-maloQurished-
FilipinQ-children (accessed on 16 March 2009). 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. 
485 
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JUL -4 1\11:13 
Introduced by Sen. Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
DECLARING NOVEMBER 20 OF EVERY YEAR AS NATIONAL CHILDREN'S DAY 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the "National Children's Day Act." 
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SEC. 2. November 20 of every year is hereby declared as the "National Children's Day" 
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to promote consciousness over the protection of the rights of Filipino children and the 
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importance offostering their well-being to secure the growth and development of society. 
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This declaration shall likewise commemorate the United Nations General Assembly 
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Ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and in recognition of the United 
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Nations celebration of Universal Children's Day. 
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SEC. 3. Pursuant to the observance of the National Children's Day, an annual program of 
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activities shall be prepared and implemented with the Department of Education (DepEd), 
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Department of Social Welfare and I Development (DSWD), the National Youth Commission 
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(NYC) and the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) as lead agencies. 
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The Department of Education (DepEd) shall facilitate and encourage the commemoration 
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of this day in all schools, public and private, nationwide. The Philippine Information Agency 
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(PIA), in coordination with the DSWD, DepEd, CRED, NYC and ewe shall ensure the effective 
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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) 
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newspapers of general circulation or in the Official Gazette. 
Approved, 
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