SENATOR Risa Hontiveros is pushing for a measure providing for the Magna Carta of Children.

In her Senate Bill No. 2612, Hontiveros stated that at least 129 children were killed in various drug operations during the previous administration’s war on drugs.

“More than six years after witnesses heard Kian delos Santos’s last words, Tama na po! May exam pa ako bukas, before he was brutally gunned down by police operatives, it remains a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by our young,” Hontiveros said.

The senator explained that the Magna Carta of Children is a comprehensive children’s human rights law that seeks to advocate for all children in the Philippines and all Filipino children, through the recognition, protection, fulfillment, and promotion of their rights, especially those belonging to the marginalized sectors of the society.

“It is the singular, most comprehensive, and cohesive legal framework for children’s right to protection and development,” she added.

The lawmaker added that the Magna Carta of Children shall adopt a child’s rights approach and shall group the articles under themes of the Right to Life and Survival, the Right to Development, the Right to be Protected, and the Right to Participate.

The measure also mandates all government offices including local government units to adopt a comprehensive and integrated strategy through the development and implementation of laws, policies, regulatory instruments, administrative guidelines, and other appropriate measures.