Poe pushes bill giving protection to children on first 1,000 days

Senator Grace Poe. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

Abandoned by her own parents, Senator Grace Poe is now using her own experience to push the passage of a bill that will provide full protection and support to children on their first 1,000 days, when they are most vulnerable.

Poe has filed the “First 1,000 days” bill seeking to provide Filipino children full protection and support, especially from day one in the womb until they reach the age of two.

“At least sa barangay level, bigyan ng tamang maternal care ang mga nanay na buntis at saka pagkakataon din malaman ang mga nanay na nagdadalantao sa isang barangay, para pag nanganak sila sabihin agad o iprehistro nyo ang anak ninyo,” she told reporters on Wednesday.

(Let’s give pregnant women, at least in the barangay level, the maternal care that they need. And this is also an opportunity to know the pregnant women in a village so that when they give birth, they can register their babies)

“Huwag nyong kalilimutan pagkat nakapahalaga ng birth certificate na yan, hanggang sa pagtanda nila ay kikestyunin kung saan sila nanggaling,” the senator added.

(You should not forget (to register) because the birth certificate is very important. Your identity can be questioned up to the time you’ve grown old.)

Poe’s remark was an apparent reference to those who have questioned her nationality and eligibility should she decide to run for president in 2016.

The senator was abandoned by her parents in a church in Iloilo when she was still a baby. She ended up under the care of movie star couple Susan Roces and the late Fernando Poe Jr.

READ: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/696544/grace-poe-goes-back-to-her-roots

The bill, she said, was close to her heart because she could be one of the many children who could have not gotten the full care and protection after birth.

But thanks to her biological mother, who despite the circumstances, had taken care of her while she was on her womb.

“Lahat naman tayo naging karanasan natin ay nagdidikta sa mga adbokasiya natin dahil nakita nga natin malaki ang naging oportunidad. Akalain nyo kung isang batang nakita at napulot nakarating sa prebilihiyo na manilbihan sa pwestong ito, malaking bagay iyun,” Poe added.

(All of us have experienced pushing for our advocacy because we’ve seen the opportunity. If there’s one child found or picked up and was able to reach this position to serve, it’s really a big thing.) AU