Salinlahi Alliance for Children's Concerns

21/09/2026

Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns rallies child rights advocates, children’s organizations, and other child rights groups in today’s 54th Martial Law Commemoration.

Salinlahi’s call remains the same -
KINABUKASAN NG MGA BATA, IPAGTANGGOL!
LABANAN ANG KORAPSYON!
LAHAT NG SANGKOT, DAPAT MANAGOT!

19/09/2026

𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐋𝐀𝐇𝐈 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐀 𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐋 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝐍𝐎 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐍. 𝐍𝐎 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘.

Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns extends its deepest sympathies to the families, classmates, teachers, and communities mourning the children killed and injured in the shooting at Banga National High School in South Cotabato.

The incident raises grave alarm over the continuing failure to address violence against children in schools. This is reportedly the third deadly school shooting in the country since June. Two 14-year-old students were killed in Banga, while several others were injured.

"How many more children must die before the government treats school violence as a matter of utmost urgency?” said Teacher Elle Buntag, Secretary General of Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns.

The circumstances surrounding the firearm demand serious scrutiny. Authorities have reported that the gun used in the shooting was owned by the alleged shooter's father, a Department of Education employee, and that investigators are examining how the minor gained access to it.

For Salinlahi, this raises questions that government cannot evade: How are fi****ms owned by government personnel monitored and secured? Who is held accountable when a minor gains access to one? And are existing mechanisms actually capable of preventing fi****ms from reaching children?

“The question is not only who pulled the trigger. We must also ask who and what systems failed to prevent a child from gaining access to a firearm and bringing it into a school. Accountability must extend beyond the immediate perpetrator,” Buntag added.

The tragedy must also be viewed against the broader crisis confronting Philippine schools. DepEd has identified a 165,000-classroom backlog, while its proposed 2027 budget leaves ₱145.19 billion in identified critical funding requirements unfunded while the department previously reported around 4,000 guidance counselor vacancies.

For Salinlahi, school safety cannot be reduced to reactive security measures. Safe schools require functioning child-protection mechanisms, adequate guidance and psychosocial services, trained school personnel, sufficient support staff, and systems capable of identifying and responding to risks before violence occurs.

“We cannot keep waiting for children to die before government decides that prevention is urgent,”Buntag said.

“A school does not become safe simply because we respond after a shooting. Safety is built through the systems, people, services, and resources that protect children before violence happens.”

Salinlahi therefore calls for a transparent investigation into the Banga shooting, including the circumstances surrounding the firearm's ownership, storage, access, and entry into the school. We likewise call for stronger accountability mechanisms for fi****ms accessible to government personnel and greater investment in comprehensive child-protection and school-safety systems.

The Marcos administration must confront the fundamental conditions that continue to leave children vulnerable. Our children have already paid the price of institutional failure. The question now is whether Marcos Jr. will finally confront the conditions that made these tragedies possible-or wait for another classroom to become a crime scene.

Children should be learning in classrooms—not becoming casualties inside them. The government cannot continue offering condolences while leaving the conditions that endanger children fundamentally unchanged.

No more dead children. No more empty chairs. No more condolences without accountability and concrete action.

19/09/2026

IN PHOTOS: Ngayong araw ay nagsama-sama ang mga bata upang makinig sa mga kwentong pambata na nila Ate Mika Salamanca at Tito Nelson Canlas.

Napakinggan ng mga bata ang mga kwento ng pag-asa: paano kikilos bilang bata para maabot ang mga pangarap anuman ang mga pagsubok sa buhay.

Maraming salamat sa mga nakaisa naming mga organisasyon para sa aktibidad na ito!

Parents Alternative on Early Childhood Care and Development
Children's Rehabilitation Center
Association for the Rights of Children in Southeast Asia

17/09/2026

On September 21, SALINLAHI will stand among fellow Filipinos in the continuing call for accountability and justice.

For the future of all Filipino children, we must the corruption and injustice that has drowned millions of Filipino families in hunger and poverty.

KINABUKASAN NG MGA BATA, IPAGTANGGOL!
LABANAN ANG KORAPSYON!

16/09/2026

As a national alliance of child rights organizations and advocates, Salinlahi stands with every individual, every artist, that is using their platform - big or small - to speak out against the genocide in Palestine.

Take a stand to protect our children to defend our future. ! 🇵🇸

07/09/2026

🔥 WASTE TO ENERGY INCINERATOR, HINDI SOLUSYON SA BAHA, BASURA, AT KRISIS SA KURYENTE! WAWASAKIN NITO NG KINABUKASAN NG MGA BATA NG SMOKEY MOUNTAIN! 🔥

This past August 23, Salinlahi led a children’s activity as part of the project “Leaves of Resilience: Mapping Hope and Nature in Upper Smokey Mountain, Tondo, Manila” alongside Panatang Luntian, Children’s Rehabilitation Center, Parent’s Alternative on Early Childhood Care and Development Inc. (PAECCDI), Anakbayan Smokey Mountain. The workshop utilized a psychosocial approach and nature art-based activities to support the children in processing the threat of demolition they face in their community.

Over 67,000 residents of Smokey Mountain are facing the threat of displacement due to a P26 billion Waste-to-Energy plant being pushed into the community, disguised as a flood control and waste management program by PhilEco (Philippines) and Kanadevia (Japan). Salinlahi calls for the total junking of the WTE incinerator plan, which will destroy the homes, livelihood, health, and environment of the families and children of Smokey Mountain by burning 3,000 tons of waste every day.

To truly address the causes and impacts of flooding, waste, and energy crises, the children of Smokey Mountain need basic infrastructures in their community that genuinely serves their needs and access to social services and support such as education, healthcare, and disaster prevention and relief. Defend Smokey Mountain! Junk the WTE incinerator project now!

SIGN THE PETITION TO STOP THE SMOKEY MOUNTAIN WASTE-TO-ENERGY INCINERATOR: https://c.org/PPV7XwvwVz

PRESS RELEASE FROM MANILA ANTI-INCINERATOR ALLIANCE (MAIA): https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Bk8mCXrLb/

02/09/2026

𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗡𝗢 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟲
The Child Rights Network expresses its firm opposition to a blanket social media ban for children under 16.
Children, just like adults, have digital rights – and the government must put the best interests of the child at the heart of every decision affecting those rights.
The digital environment is no longer separate from our everyday human experience. It is an extension of our offline world, where adults learn, search for information, and communicate with their peers – a space to express ourselves and take part in what’s happening around us. 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻, 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀, 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀, 𝘁𝗼𝗼.
Protecting children online, therefore, cannot simply mean keeping them away from the internet. It must also mean 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘁.
It means shaping a digital environment that supports their full range of rights – to 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹, 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
This is also the approach reflected in General Comment No. 25 of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Adopted in 2021, 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗡𝗼. 𝟮𝟱 provides guidance on how children’s rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child apply in the digital environment. The Philippines is a State Party to the Convention.
The General Comment makes clear that State Parties, such as the Philippines, have a responsibility to shape digital environments that are not only safe, but are also 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 for children.
𝗪𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.
We teach children how to recognize risks, seek help, and talk to trusted adults.
We support parents in building family environments where open communication thrives – where their children can ask questions and be heard without fear of being judged, shamed, or dismissed.
We create school and online environments where children can navigate their daily lives with their physical and mental well-being intact, ready to face life’s challenges and free from bullying and other forms of abuse.
We build communities where children can speak up and report wrongdoing, and where everyone shares responsibility for keeping them safe – so they are not left isolated or pushed toward communities that may exploit, groom, or lead them down toward harmful life paths.
And we hold platforms and adults accountable for creating, enabling, or exploiting unsafe environments for children – including business models, platform designs, harmful content, grooming, exploitation, or other conditions that put children at risk.
𝗔 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲-𝗼𝗳-𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵.
It risks placing the burden of navigating online harms on children and their families, while leaving the underlying systems that create those harms largely untouched.
The Child Rights Network believes that a blanket social media ban mistakes restriction for resolution. It is a simplistic answer to a complex issue that deserves more thought and consultation.
It sidelines the responsibility of legislators to consult in a meaningful way the very sector that it seeks to protect – the children. We ask, in all these debates and proposed resolutions about a social media ban: 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻?
As one child representative from the Batang Juan Network, a member of the Child Rights Network, puts it:
“𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙖 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 16 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨. 𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙨, 𝙨𝙤 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙖 𝙩𝙤𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙗𝙖𝙣, 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙧 𝙖𝙨 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙜𝙤. 𝙄 𝙖𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙜𝙚-𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙨."
“𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙗𝙖𝙣, 𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥, 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚𝙩𝙮, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙘𝙮𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙗𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙚. 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙨, 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙨, 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙮.”
This is what is missing from the adults’ push for a social media ban. 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 – 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗥𝗖.
Australia’s under-16 social media restriction, which was a political decision rather than based on scientific study, demonstrates that a legal ban does not necessarily mean children disappear from these platforms. In fact, as one independent study reported, nearly 86% of under-16s surveyed were still using at least one platform covered by their social media ban. In most cases, the parents themselves create the accounts for their children.
This means that our human experience – connecting with our loved ones, sharing, seeking information, expressing ourselves, and participating in the world around us – cannot simply be contained. We cannot wish away the digital environment that children have grown up in.
To our legislators proposing a social media ban: we can do better than simply taking away their access, their participation, and their rights, in the name of “protection.”
If we are to truly protect children, we need to make their environments safer and prepare them for the digital world they already are living in.
And most importantly, in all matters affecting children, we must not forget that they have a right to be consulted. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗲.
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𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗡𝗢 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟲

The Child Rights Network expresses its firm opposition to a blanket social media ban for children under 16.

Children, just like adults, have digital rights – and the government must put the best interests of the child at the heart of every decision affecting those rights.

The digital environment is no longer separate from our everyday human experience. It is an extension of our offline world, where adults learn, search for information, and communicate with their peers – a space to express ourselves and take part in what’s happening around us. 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻, 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀, 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀, 𝘁𝗼𝗼.

Protecting children online, therefore, cannot simply mean keeping them away from the internet. It must also mean 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘁.

It means shaping a digital environment that supports their full range of rights – to 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹, 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

This is also the approach reflected in General Comment No. 25 of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Adopted in 2021, 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗡𝗼. 𝟮𝟱 provides guidance on how children’s rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child apply in the digital environment. The Philippines is a State Party to the Convention.

The General Comment makes clear that State Parties, such as the Philippines, have a responsibility to shape digital environments that are not only safe, but are also 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 for children.

𝗪𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.

We teach children how to recognize risks, seek help, and talk to trusted adults.

We support parents in building family environments where open communication thrives – where their children can ask questions and be heard without fear of being judged, shamed, or dismissed.

We create school and online environments where children can navigate their daily lives with their physical and mental well-being intact, ready to face life’s challenges and free from bullying and other forms of abuse.

We build communities where children can speak up and report wrongdoing, and where everyone shares responsibility for keeping them safe – so they are not left isolated or pushed toward communities that may exploit, groom, or lead them down toward harmful life paths.

And we hold platforms and adults accountable for creating, enabling, or exploiting unsafe environments for children – including business models, platform designs, harmful content, grooming, exploitation, or other conditions that put children at risk.

𝗔 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲-𝗼𝗳-𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵.

It risks placing the burden of navigating online harms on children and their families, while leaving the underlying systems that create those harms largely untouched.

The Child Rights Network believes that a blanket social media ban mistakes restriction for resolution. It is a simplistic answer to a complex issue that deserves more thought and consultation.

It sidelines the responsibility of legislators to consult in a meaningful way the very sector that it seeks to protect – the children. We ask, in all these debates and proposed resolutions about a social media ban: 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻?

As one child representative from the Batang Juan Network, a member of the Child Rights Network, puts it:

“𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙖 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 16 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨. 𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙨, 𝙨𝙤 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙖 𝙩𝙤𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙗𝙖𝙣, 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙧 𝙖𝙨 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙜𝙤. 𝙄 𝙖𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙜𝙚-𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙨."

“𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙗𝙖𝙣, 𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥, 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚𝙩𝙮, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙘𝙮𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙗𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙚. 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙨, 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙨, 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙮.”

This is what is missing from the adults’ push for a social media ban. 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 – 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗥𝗖.

Australia’s under-16 social media restriction, which was a political decision rather than based on scientific study, demonstrates that a legal ban does not necessarily mean children disappear from these platforms. In fact, as one independent study reported, nearly 86% of under-16s surveyed were still using at least one platform covered by their social media ban. In most cases, the parents themselves create the accounts for their children.

This means that our human experience – connecting with our loved ones, sharing, seeking information, expressing ourselves, and participating in the world around us – cannot simply be contained. We cannot wish away the digital environment that children have grown up in.

To our legislators proposing a social media ban: we can do better than simply taking away their access, their participation, and their rights, in the name of “protection.”

If we are to truly protect children, we need to make their environments safer and prepare them for the digital world they already are living in.

And most importantly, in all matters affecting children, we must not forget that they have a right to be consulted. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗲.

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02/09/2026

Panaghoy at Pag-asa: Documenting Truth, Demanding Justice

This past August 27 and 28, Salinlahi Alliance for Children's Concerns alongside Children's Rehabilitation Center facilitated psychosocial workshops for victim-survivors of human rights violations. The participants were farmers and indigenous peoples, including both adults and children, from throughout Southern Tagalog region.

Salinlahi stands with the communities from Southern Tagalog facing land grabbing, displacement, harassment, militarization, and demolition! Families should not be forced out of their land and homes due to the greed and violence of corporate developers. Genuine land reform and land to the tillers are the only pathways to securing a future for the children of Southern Tagalog where they are safe to develop and thrive.

Our statement in solidarity:
Mula sa Salinlahi Alliance for Children's Concerns at Children's Rehabilitation Center, mahigpit ang aming pakikiisa sa inyong mga komunidad at mga survivor sa paglabag ng karapatang pantao sa Timog Katagalugan. Walang bata ang dapat lumaki sa takot sa harassment mula sa mga pribadong armadong gwardya o ahente ng estado. Walang batang katutubo ang dapat paalisin sa kanilang lupang ninuno. Walang bata ang dapat harapin ang militarisasyon o masaksihan ang kanilang mga magulang na sinasaktan ng militar. Walang batang dapat nagugutom o mapilitang huminto sa pag-aaral dahil sa harassment ng militar.

Karapat-dapat ang ating mga bata sa karapatang mabuhay, umunlad, maglaro, at mag-aral nang ligtas sa kanilang lupain. Ang mga bata ay karapat-dapat na lumahok sa mga isyu na nakakaapekto sa kanila.

Pagpupugay sa inyong mga nagpapatuloy sa laban! Makakaasa kayong kami ay inyong kaisa sa laban na ito at panawagan ng hustisya para sa mga biktima ng paglabag ng karapatang pantao mula sa Timog Katagalugan!

"Karapatan ng bata, protesyunan, ipagtanggol, ipaglaban!"

31/08/2026

Salinlahi Alliance for Children's Concerns joined environment defenders and indigenous leaders in saying NO TO PAX SILICA! This morning the No To Pax Silica Network launch was held earlier today in Quezon City.

The event convened an audience composed of different sectors to build the alliance to against Pax Silica, which is falsely being projected as an advancement in technology and increased employment for the Philippines. Meanwhile, the broader public recognizes the true components of Pax Silica clearly are NOT in the interests of masses of people of all ages, classes and backgrounds. Pax Silica has deep impacts on our indigenous katutubong Aeta communities, who have lived for generations on the land Pax Silica intends to "develop".

Development projects initiated by our corrupt government officials, especially those in service of the United States agenda, will always draw scrutiny from us at Salinlahi. We know these projects often displace our indigenous people and families from their land. We have seen this with the mining and logging in Mindanao, destroying the lives and education of Lumad children. We see this with the supposed flood control projects as children across the Philippines see school cancellations and their homes flooded, with family members losing their possessions or worse their lives livelihoods.

Pax Silica is no different, and is perhaps the most heinous of plans agains the interest of the Filipino people. We are for development, for technology and for industries that are for investing in the genuine improvement and progress for our children and their families.

Reject Pax Silica! Lupa sa magsasaka, hindi sa Pax Silica!
Protect Our Children! Defend Our Future! No to Pax Silica!