HOUSE Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has called on lawmakers to expedite the passage of House Bill No. 10159, the Magna Carta for Children.

Romualdez, the bill’s principal author, emphasized the need to protect children from systemic violence and neglect, fostering a supportive environment for their growth.

“Ang tema ng pagdiriwang ngayon ay hamon sa ating harapin ang reyalidad ng karahasan at kapabayaan na nararanasan ng milyun-milyong batang Pilipino,” said Romualdez. “Ang Magna Carta for Children ay isang hakbang upang wakasan ang mga kawalang-katarungan na ito at lumikha ng mas ligtas at maliwanag na kinabukasan para sa ating mga kabataan.”

House Bill No. 10159, approved by the House Committee on the Welfare of Children last May 13, is pending its second reading. Its counterpart, Senate Bill No. 2612, has been referred to the Senate Joint Committees on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, and Finance, where it awaits deliberation.

The Magna Carta for Children aims to establish a comprehensive framework for child protection, development, and empowerment. It includes provisions that align national laws with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and enshrines principles such as non-discrimination, survival, development, and child participation.