Good Neighbors International Philippines Global Child Rights Day Celebration
Good Neighbors International Philippines-
Every November 20, Good Neighbors International Philippines (GNIP), a child focused non-governmental organization, celebrates with many other countries the international day of children’s rights. This celebration is in response to a 1954 resolution of the United Nations General Assembly that recommends every country to initiate a Universal Children’s Day as a day to focus on children’s well-being. The day also marks the anniversary of the assembly’s adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Since 2009, Good Neighbors International Philippines (GNIP) has been conducting various activities to promote children’s rights, starting in Rodriguez, Rizal—GNIP’s first project area. These include puppet shows, poster-making contests, signature campaigns, a funrun, forums, and concerts. In 2011, the brand I LIKE (I Live, Inform, Educate: Karapatan para sa kabataan) was launched and has been used since then to push for Good Neighbors International Philippines (GNIP)’s advocacy to promote the rights of the children.
For this year, the following are the activities:
- Mural Painting Contest
Conducted in four project areas of Good Neighbors International Philippines (GNIP), namely, Prieto-Diaz(Sorsogon), Gigmoto (Catanduanes), Tingloy (Batangas), and Laak (Compostela Valley) from November 6-8. This activity was in partnership with the Department of Education and selected high schools of each of the project area mentioned. The activity aims to encourage a communal participation in upholding the rights of the children through public art, which will also serve as a reminder to the communities about their role in the protection of children’s rights.
- Fansign Contest
Launched last October 7, 2013, the fansign aims to be able to deliver a message that advocates children’s rights as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Ten of these rights, from which the participants can choose, are as follows:
1. Right to be born, to have a name, and a nationality
2. Right to be free
3. Right to have a caring family
4. Right to have a good education
5. Right to have enough food, shelter, and a healthy and active body
6. Right to be given opportunity for play and leisure
7. Right to be given protection against abuse, danger, and violence brought by war and conflict
8. Right to live in a peaceful community
9. Right to be defended and assisted by the government
10. Right to be able to express own views
Mechanics:
1. The contest is open to all Philippine residents of any age who have access to the internet. Good Neighbors International Philippines (GNIP) employees and their relatives up to the third degree of relationship are not qualified to join.
2. Each participant is entitled to one entry only. For multiple entries, only one entry would qualify. Only one entry per participant will be accepted and subjected for assessment by the judges. However, there can be more than one participant for each fansign. The fansign project can be a creation of a group.
3. The fansign should be as creative as possible, which means that there won’t be a limit as to the kind of materials to use. It can be handwritten or printed. Letter cutouts and photo collage can be used as long as the sign relates to the theme and is visible. There won’t be a limit as to the size of the fansign as long as it can be carried by the maker/s.
4. A photograph or video with the participant/s has to be taken. Any statement written on sensitive body parts will not be accepted. Fansigns that are deemed offensive and inappropriate will not be considered.
5. Winners will be announced through Good Neighbors International Philippines (GNIP)’s Facebook page. Winners will also be notified via a personal message on Facebook.
6. The contest runs from October 7 through November 18, 2013. The official announcement of the winners will be on November 20, 2013.
Submission of entry:
1. Visit and “like” Good Neighbors Philippines’ official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/GNI.Phils).
2. “Like” the event: I LIKE 2013 FANSIGN CONTEST https://www.facebook.com/events/1411158649101668/permalink/1411434022407464/.
3. Upload the fansign on the event wall with the caption #ilike2013 (Please note that the hashtag is in small letters).
4. Share the photo and invite others to “like” the fansign entry. The more “likes” the fansign entry gathers, the higher the chance to win.
Criteria for judging:
Creativity and presentation 25%
Originality 25%
Social media appeal 25%
Relevance to the theme 25%
TOTAL 100%
- Photowalk
The activity aims to gather potential advocates who can capture random situations with their cameras in a given area and within a specified time frame, and use the photographs to inform and educate the society about the rights of the children. The photowalk is open to professional and amateur photographers and hobbyists of all ages. Only fifty participants will get listed through a pre-registration on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/set=a.588287267900766.1073741851.164383173624513&type=3) that started last October 14 and will end on November 8. Official registration will be done on the day of the walk, which is on November 23, 2013 at 2:00 in the afternoon. Participants will gather first at a designated booth located at the Liwasang Aurora Quezon Memorial Circle before they walk-and-shoot along a specified route within the Quezon Memorial Circle.
The walk will be led by Mr. Romeo “Romy” Mariano, a veteran photojournalist and the current chief photographer of Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, who gained prominence as a photographer because of his powerful images of EDSA Revolution during the Marcos regime. The best photo will be selected by the photowalk leader and will be used as the cover of the organization’s 2013 Annual Report, which is distributed throughout the Philippines and in different field countries of Good Neighbors International.
- Forum
The forum, entitled “Towards Achieving Universal Birth Registration in the Philippines–A Forum on Proposed Amendments of the 1930 Civil Registration Act”, will cover discussions on the existing civil registration laws in the Philippines and the proposed amendments of the civil registration act, which include the elimination of fees for civil registration, particularly birth registration. This forum also aims to emphasize one of the rights of the children, that is, the right to a name and nationality (Article 7 of the UN CRC).
This will be held on November 21 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, at the Sulo Riviera, Matalino Road, Diliman, Quezon City. Participants include representatives (committees and staff) from the Senate and House of Representatives, national government agencies, local government units, government organizations, and nongovernment organizations. This is in partnership with the Child Rights Network and WhenInManila.com.
- Preconcert activities
- C2c: Children talk to children in partnership with the Save the Children organization
- Traditional Filipino games
- Photowalk
- Advocacy/ Signature Campaign
- Photo exhibit
- Face painting
- Photobooth
- Fansign Contest
- Yolanda Campaign
Date: November 23, 2013 from 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Partners: Quezon City government, Child Rights Network, UP Music Circle, and WhenInManila.com
Performer: Jhocson Tribe (drum beaters)
- Concert
Title – I LIKE Concert: Upholding Children’s Rights Through Music
Performers: Ebe Dancel, Kitchie Nadal, Brownman Revival, Talahib, UP Music Circle bands, Karl Ramirez w/ Plagpul, Suitcase 101, Jhocson Tribe
Hosts: Patricia Ann Roque and Vince Golangco
Date: November 23, 2013 from 6:00 PM to 10:30 PM
Partners: Quezon City government, Child Rights Network, UP Music Circle, and
WhenInManila.com
- Yolanda Campaign
Part of Good Neighbors International’s programs is disaster/ emergency relief. This child rights campaign is done back-to-back with the campaign to “extend a helping hand” to the victims of super typhoon Yolanda. A donation booth will be set up on November 23 at the Liwasang Aurora Quezon Memorial Circle. Cash donations are highly encouraged as transportation of goods from Manila to Samar/Leyte is very difficult. A souvenir booth will also be set up on the same day and in the same place. Proceeds of the sale will go to the victims of Yolanda.
As of this writing, STI College-Quezon Avenue and Philippine Women’s University-Quezon City campus have volunteered to help sell the items through a booth that will be set up in their campuses from November 18-22.
About Good Neighbors International
Good Neighbors International (GNI) is a nonprofit, humanitarian, and development nongovernmental organization that plans, implements, and raises funds for the provision of services in child education, community development, health, sanitation, and disaster relief projects, which was established in Seoul, South Korea in 1991. In 1996, GN obtained a General Consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). And in 2007, it was granted with a Millennium Development Goals (MDG) award from United Nations for its achievements in universal primary education. GN currently operates in thirty countries across the globe.
Good Neighbors International Philippines
In 2008, Good Neighbors International Philippines (GNIP) was established with the goal of improving the lives of Filipinos, especially of the children, through child sponsorship and community development programs.
At present, GNIP operates in the following community development project areas:
A. Region III
- SagradaFamilia, Hagonoy, Bulacan
- Pugad-Tibaguin, Hagonoy, Bulacan
B. Region IV-A
- San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal
- Southville, Rodriguez, Rizal
- Tingloy, Batangas
C. Region V
- Prieto, Sorsogon, Bicol
- Diaz, Sorsogon, Bicol
- Gigmoto, Catanduanes, Bicol
D. Region XI
- Kilagding, Laak, Compostela Valley
- Aguinaldo, Laak, Compostela Valley
- Longanapan, Laak, Compostela Valley
