COTABATO CITY (PIA) – The Bangsamoro government has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting and upholding the rights of children in the region with the launch of the Regional Plan of Action (RPAC) 2024–2028. This five-year plan aims to address the unique needs and challenges faced by children in the Bangsamoro region, ensuring their well-being and development.
During the launch, BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim emphasized that the RPAC represents a collective effort and unwavering dedication from stakeholders within and beyond the Bangsamoro communities.
“It is a five-year strategic plan that aims to ensure that all Bangsamoro children, particularly the socially excluded, marginalized, and disadvantaged, fully enjoy their survival, development, protection, and participation rights and live in a safe and climate-resilient environment,” he stated.
The Regional Sub-Committee for the Welfare of Children (RSCWC) approved the comprehensive framework on June 18, 2024, followed by endorsement from the Social Development Committee (SD Com) on September 16, 2024, and final approval from the Bangsamoro Economic and Development Council (BEDC) on October 9, 2024.
Chief Minister Ebrahim urged various ministries, offices, agencies, and stakeholders, including children themselves, to collaborate in the realization and implementation of the programs, projects, and activities outlined in the RPAC.
Social Services and Development Minister Raissa Jajurie highlighted the RPAC’s comprehensive approach, stating, “It contains the Bangsamoro government’s account of the state of the children in the region, providing strategies that would address issues that impinge on the children’s rights to survival, protection, development, participation, and living in a safe and climate-resilient environment.”
Minister Jajurie emphasized the government’s commitment to delivering a package of programs, projects, and activities that align with their respective agency mandates, addressing the multifaceted child protection issues identified in the RPAC.
The launch of the RPAC signals a significant step towards creating a safer and more equitable environment for children in the Bangsamoro region. The plan’s comprehensive approach and commitment to collaboration among stakeholders offer hope for a brighter future for all children in the region.
The Bangsamoro ministries, offices, agencies, and stakeholders signed a pledge of commitment at the RPAC launch.
The launch of RAPC was also aligned with the celebration of Bangsamoro Children’s Month, which bannered the theme, “Break the Prevalence, End the Violence: Protecting Children, Creating a Safe Bangsamoro!” (LTB – PIA Cotabato City)
