Dagupan schools urged to carry out anti-abuse program
A resolution was passed by the Dagupan Sangguniang Panlungsod urging the City Schools Division to support and implement the “Good Touch, Bad Touch” information and awareness program, a globally recognized educational tool that aims to prevent child abuse and inappropriate advances.
The program is recommended for implementation in all public elementary schools from Grades 1 to 4.
Authored by Councilor Christel Hilary Paras, the youngest elected city official, the resolution also enjoins the City Schools Division, headed by Superintendent Rowena Banzon, to coordinate with the Dagupan Women Center and the Dagupan Teens Center in implementing the program as well as in addressing related concerns.
Both the women and teens centers have the technical expertise, experience, and institutional commitment to provide valuable support, counseling and intervention programs to complement the initiative, said Paras, former chair of the Sangguniang Kabataan chapter in Barangay Bonuan Gueset.
She said that studies and reports have shown that children aged 6 to 10 are especially vulnerable to various forms of abuse, exploitation, and inappropriate advances, oftentimes because of their lack of knowledge and awareness in distinguishing “acceptable” from “unacceptable” physical contact.
The “Good Touch, Bad Touch” program provides children with age-appropriate information, instills body safety skills, and empowers them to identify, resist, and report abuse in a manner they can understand and remember.
The local ordinance complements Republic Act No. 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, which mandates all government institutions to take proactive measures to protect and respond to child abuse, Paras said. (Leonardo Micua)
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