Children play outdoors at a neighborhood inside the Baseco Compound in Tondo, Manila on July 10, 2021. The inter-agency task force on COVID-19 partially lifted stay-at-home restrictions for children aged 5 and up in areas under the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) and General Community Quarantine (GCQ), except those under heightened restrictions. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File
MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called for unity in protecting the youth from violence as he urged parents to also take a proactive role in their children’s lives.
Marcos Jr. said this during his visit to Patul Elementary School in Santiago City in Isabela on Friday, October 2 where he met with parents participating in a session of the Kaagapay Program as part of Department of Education’s School Safety Campaign.
The chief executive reiterated that his administration is doing its best to ensure the safety of learners as he took note of the school shooting incidents in Tacloban, Zamboanga, and South Cotabato that claimed the lives of several minors and injured others. But the government cannot do it alone, the President emphasized.
Some children won’t ask for help; experts say adults must learn to notice
“Kaya po naging kasama sa ating programa ang pagturo kung papaano ‘yung mga kailangan bantayan para ang ating mga kabataan ay hindi nadadala sa ganyang klaseng mga ginagawa na nananakit ng kanilang mga classmates, nananakit ng kanilang mga teacher,” Marcos Jr. said in his speech.
“Kailangan po magkasama tayong lahat. Hindi po lamang ang pulis, hindi lamang ang mga teacher, hindi lamang po ang mga magulang, hindi lamang po ang pamahalaan. Kailangan po lahat tayo ay magkaisa tayo at magsama-sama tayo. Bantayan po natin nang mabuti ang ating mga kabataan,” he added.
Marcos Jr. also called on parents to look after their children including their emotional development.
“Bantayan po natin nang mabuti ang ating mga bata, ang ating mga anak. Bantayan po natin na hindi sila nasasama sa mga ganyang klaseng kagagawan. At ito po ay hindi madaling gawin, kailangan po nakabantay tayong lahat at sabay-sabay tayong lahat,” the chief executive stated.
“Sabay-sabay, kasama ang mga magulang – siyempre kayo ang una na kailangan tingnan ninyo ‘yung mga kabataan kung nagbabago, nagiging masyadong malungkot o masyadong galit o lahat na, basta kailangan bantayan,” he noted.
Earlier in the day, Marcos Jr. led the oath taking of 4,125 newly-promoted and newly-hired education personnel of the Department of Education in Cagayan Valley Region.
There, he reiterated his promise during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) that no teacher will retire as Teacher 1 as the government strengthens its expanded career progression system.
Estudyante sinaksak umano ng schoolmate sa Laoag
Around 82,000 teachers and school heads have been promoted as of September, according to Marcos.
“Dahil sa aming pananaw, hindi naman tama na ibinibigay ninyo ang napakalaking bahagi ng inyong buhay sa pagtuturo, tapos hindi kayo uunlad sa inyong propesyon,” the President noted.
Marcos Jr. also recognized the hard work and dedication of teachers and school personnel as he vowed his administration’s continued support.
“Patuloy po rin ang suporta namin sa inyo. Binawasan natin ang administrative work at pinabuti ang benepisyo ng ating mga guro,” he added.
RELATED VIDEO