Project Implementation Report Dec. 2007-Oct. 2008

Executive Summary

This report covers the implementation of the project from December 2007 to October 30, 2008. It is unfortunate that only a few activities were held in the early part of the year because the fund for the project was released in September 2008 only. Moreover, there was a twist in the project because Kabataan Consortium was requested by UNICEF to act as conduit of funds for eight CNSP projects of NGOs in Davao City in the middle of the year. Before, such projects went through the local government unit of Davao City. As such, the Project Cooperation Agreement between UNICEF and Kabataan was amended to download the sum of Php 596,500 for these projects of four NGOs, namely: Tambayan Center, Talikala, UCCP Pag-ugmad sa Kabataan and Kaugmaon Foundation. Incidentally, three of these NGOs are members of the consortium and the protection committee of the Council for the Welfare of Children of Davao City.

The campaign on anti-child pornography is initially for two years and carries two main components, namely: Prevention-Advocacy Action, and Intervention-Protection Action. With the addition of Davao-NGOs’ CNSP projects for 2008, this report therefore covers also the results of the implementation of these projects.

In summary, the project main anti-child pornography component was only about 40 percent implemented due basically to the late release of funds. Those projects being implemented by members using their own funds for the period included: education seminars for the education and LGU sectors; and, monitoring/assessment and evaluations. When funds for the project were available another education seminars were conducted for CNSP and education sectors.

On the other hand, the CNSP component of the project garnered a 50 percent accomplishment rate during the period. Only three of the six projects due for implementation were carried out because also of the delay and the heavy schedule during the Children’s Month celebration. Activities had to be postponed to later dates as a result to this.

Aside from the usual inputs on the situation and content of child pornography, the education seminars also delved into the discussion of the proposed pending anti-child pornography bill in congress that was furnished by UNICEF. About 700 participants composed of barangay officials and functionaries, teachers, students and school workers attended these seminars during the period. Scheduled for future implementation are area forums in cities, education seminars for barangays, CNSP, church and FBOs and with the business sector.

These seminars had provided them insights into the ongoing campaign and the seriousness of the problem of child pornography in the country and in the whole world. It also raised their interest in supporting the passage of anti-child pornography law in congress as a new protection issue of children. On the other hand, it was discovered in the course of studying the situation of pornography in the city, that Davao City had an ordinance against pornographic materials way back in 2000. Consequently, an amendment of such ordinance was even introduced in 2002 to include other offenses to be penalized under it. This ordinance will be integrated also in the future education activities for various sectors not only in Davao but to other cities in Mindanao as well. It is most likely that the Anti-Child Pornography Group-Davao will continue implementing the project until the first quarter of 2009. It may also be supporting the summit of internet service providers and establishments and the Internet Café Association of Davao (ICAD) that is scheduled in November.

Moreover, the CNSP projects also provided better prevention and protection services and initiatives to children from further abuse and exploitation. A total of 80 participants composed of barangay officials, and prostituted youth and children attended the BCPC-related activities such as awareness and commitment building, community leadership, etc., and the life skills education seminars conducted by Tambayan and Talikala, respectively.

Main Achievements

A. Prevention Advocacy Action

1. Area Forums and Meetings - Two (2) sets of area forums were conducted in Davao City during the period in October 2008 attended by 50 participants from various barangays and officials. Most of the participants were from women-parents and health sectors with the aim raising their interest on the issue of child pornography in the country and in their respective communities. Such forums were a sort of waking call for them because practically most of the participants were not aware of the issue. Some of them thought that going to internet cafes was safe for their children as well as the usual practice of exchanging pictures of their children in scantily clothing or in the nude with their Kumares, relatives and friends. Not only after these forums that they realized to be careful for letting their children to internet café. In short, they have become more responsible and we hope that they will share their learning to other parents and women. One set of forum will be implemented in November to meet the target of the project for 2008.

2. Education Seminars

During the period, three (3) LGU-Barangay education seminars were conducted in Davao City with a total of 330 participants mostly barangay officials and functionaries. This is about 60 percent achievement considering that the target for the year is five seminars. Participants came from various identified disparity barangays of the city as well as those in far-flung barangays of District 2 of Davao City whose children either study or migrate to the city to find work and become at risk from various forms of violence. They fled their barangays because of poverty, lack of job opportunities and to escape from poor peace and order situation. Just like in forums, the seminars also discussed more lengthily on the proposed anti-child pornography bill now pending in congress. All barangay officials who joined the seminars promised to pass their own local resolutions in support to the said bill. They also expressed appreciation to the organizers and to UNICEF for giving them materials and rare opportunity to help in curbing this once “hidden” protection issue of children. They are now aware also of the risk of their children being abused in the cyberspace and vowed to monitor the operations of internet café within their juridical boundaries. Only a few days ago, the city government of Tagum also made a move to dismantle the cubicles of internet café because of reported cases of abuse inside these establishments. This is what we call ripple effect of our advocacy against child pornography because some officials and NGO workers of that city and adjoining cities of Panabo and Digos attended in some of our previous forums and given some IEC materials about the issue. In retrospect, mid last year, law enforcers confiscated all lewd DVC, VCD and magazines sold in the major streets of Davao City. Until now such situation continues although we hear rumors every now and then about x-rated CDs, DVDs being sold discreetly all over the city.

On the other hand, two (2) education seminars were conducted for the education sector participated in by about 275, principals, teaching and non-teaching staff in the city. One was in December 10 in time for the celebration of the international human rights day and the other in August 2008. Such seminars for the education sector are very important because the teachers, aside from being an effective communicator on the issue, are the ones giving research assignments to their students that require the use of the internet. After the seminars, teachers have become more careful in giving instructions for the use of the internet and have given inputs as to the dangers of abuse in the internet. In fact, some schools with IT department encouraged their students to use their schools’ computers for research work. They also warned the parents to be vigilant of the actuations of their children to prevent them from being victimized in the net. Some teachers even mentioned of updating their school manuals to include the issue of the dangers of the use of new technologies, not only computers but also digital cameras, cell phones, etc., as well as the issue on corporal punishment in school as mentioned in the UN global study on VAC.

3. CNSP projects

Three (3) out of six (6) projects for implementation until October 30, 2008 were implemented. These were:

a) Awareness and Commitment Building Session – This was the first of a series of three-phase training to raise the capability of selected BCPC and to become effective tool to protect the rights of children in the barangay. This was held on August 2008 and attended by 30 barangay officials and functionaries in five (5) disparity barangays in Davao City. This was conducted by Tambayan Center and the module being used was the Child Hope Curriculum. Tambayan and Kabataan Consortium attended the trainer’s training sponsored by Child Hope in 2006. Such curriculum was also proposed to the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) in Davao City as a strategy to strengthen BCPC.

b) Community and Leadership Enhancement Skills Training – This was the second of the series of the training for BCPC members of five (5) disparity barangays attended by 30 participants. This was held in the early part of October 2008. This particular phase helped in enhancing the skills of BCPC members in various work and initiatives for children so that they would be ready to handle cases of children in their own barangays. The training was conducted by Tambayan Center.

c) Life Skills Education for Prostituted Youth and Children – This was held in the end of October 2008 and participated by 20 children in the situation of prostitution in Davao City and members of Lawig Bubai. Some of them were daughters of survivors of prostitution while the others came from other provinces of Davao region. The participants who were all females learned techniques and ways to be active participants for their own protection, avoiding and responding to risks and promotion of their rights. This was conducted by Talikala.
4. Network Building

ACP Group-Davao was intact until the middle of 2008 when the Executive Director of Balay Pasilungan (BAPAS) was recalled by his superior in Canada. Because of this, the direction of BAPAS seemed to return back to its residential services for orphan-boys in Davao City. However, while waiting for the funds from UNICEF for various anti-pornography activities, the group has been active in the formation of the Mindanao Convenor’s Against Corporal Punishment (MCCoP) which also carries a similar important and emerging protection issue of children. The group also tries to link with the Internet Café Association of Davao (ICAD) and the ICA Board that have special roles in the proposed anti-child pornography bill. An Internet Café Summit is scheduled in November 14 and hopefully, the said bill would be discussed in this forum or other gathering of internet providers and establishments.

5. Monitoring and Evaluation

The group was able to conduct a year-end evaluation in February 2008, one assessment and evaluation in March-April and mid-year evaluation when the new Agreement was about to be signed in July. Such activities enabled the group to discuss its strengths and weaknesses and to revise its plans for the year. Aside from these, informal meetings with members of the group were done every now and them especially with regard to the status of the project with the UNICEF and in other campaigns and activities for the year that members were involved in.


Constraints and Opportunities

As what was observed during the first quarter of implementation of the project, the main constraint was the delay in the release of funds. The delay was more pronounced during the period under review because of various reasons at the national level which were beyond the control of the ACP Group-Davao. Such delays caused the postponement of the original timetable of the project and even choice of areas, schools and sectors covered by the same. Furthermore, some local partners who participated in the previous year’s activities were not already there or were busy with their own advocacy agenda on children and other sectors. The group failed also to monitor them so there may be a need to conduct a TOT again, to integrate other new findings and strategies, for the future campaign plans.

Another constraint was the dissociation of Balay Pasilungan to the ACP Group-Davao because of the recall of Bro. Richard. All their activities would be shared to other members thus the need to re-schedule and to re-enforce themselves to cover the areas assigned to BAPAS.

On the other hand, an opportunity that cropped up was the passage of a bill against child pornography that guided the group and other stakeholders in the better understanding of the issue on child pornography. The passage of local ordinances or resolutions in support to the national law is a visible indicator of their participation in the campaign. The delay of the release of funds also helped the group in giving attention to the anti-corporal punishment campaign in Mindanao which based its action also from the UN global study on VAC by Prof. Paulo Pinhiero.

Lessons Learned

The group could not identify substantial lessons learned from the activities conducted during the period. The activities went well as planned, albeit with constraints, due to the skills, dedication and active network of the implementing members.

Future Activities

The following are yet to be implemented until the end of the year and/or early next year:


Activities**
Concerned Member
Proposed Schedule*
CNSP Projects


Project Dev’t/Project Proposal Preparation Skills Enhancement
Tambayan
Nov. 2008
Life Skills Education for Prostituted Youth and Children
Talikala
Nov. 19-20, 2008
Life Skills Module Training for CAR and CNSP
UCCP-PKC
Nov. end
Life Skills Education among Child Laborer
Kaugmaon
Nov. 3-5
Community Education on Anti-Child Trafficking
Talikala
Nov. end
ACP Projects


Area Forums and Meetings (1)
Kabataan

Education Seminar-LGU Cities and Municipalities
Kabataan

Education Seminar-LGU Barangays
Kabataan, Tambayan, Talikala

Education Seminar-Education Sector
Talikala

Education Seminar-CNSP (1)
Kabataan (BAPAS)

Education Seminar-Church Sector (1)
Tambayan (BAPAS)

Education Seminar-Business Sector (1)
Kabataan


* to be planned
** to be further verified

Prepared and submitted by:



EMMANUEL C. ROLDAN Date: 30 October 2008
Executive DirectorKabataan Consortium, Inc.

If you are interested to help the campaign, please contact acporno@gmail.com