Hopefully, in the next few years, with our concerted and sustained efforts, there will no longer be streetchildren. We would want to see them back in schools, back with their families and leading more rewarding lives. In those happier days, the culture of poverty which strips them of their right to dignity and instills the sense of powerlessness will finally be overcome. Public order will be restored, homes will be secured and streets will be safe. There will be less criminality because streetchildren who used to grow up as snatchers, extortionists and hatchetmen of syndicates will have become productive and respectable citizens.
Every child has a right to a better future.
We, as government officials, as parents, as concerned citizens, and above all, as human beings, have in us the power to provide a conducive social environment for the Filipino child. The present status of Filipino children will determine not only their future but also the future of this nation. Thank you and a good day to all.