OPEN FORUM Dr. Aurora ParonL Exec. Director, Amnesty lnternational l'd like to ask Director Vigo if there is a program for building local councils for children, especially in areas where is armed conflict right now and areas where there are extractive and mining operations. Second, l'd really like to ask the group, can you approve this resolution, a resolution that the case of Juvy Capyon who was killed along with her two children (Bilaans) in Kiblawan, Cotabato because allegedly the Philippine Army strafed their home. That occurred just two months ago. That is the same case that Prof Harry Roque meniioned, which is related to the Tampakan project that Sagittarius Mining lnc. or SMI operates. I hope by tomorrow we will not be pointing at each othel that the civil society did not complain, that these agencies did not give me the information. I hope there will be a motu propio action for every investigation by the Philippine National Police, by the DOJ as well as the CHR in relation to Juvy Capyon and her two children. at the barangay level. We are working with World Vision, Child Fund and other NCOs to really make these councils functional. We are running a training program now and we have developed materials, especially advocacy materials to encourage all groups to make these barangay councils functional, specially in areas that really need them. ln the course of our implementation or pilot testing of the MRRS, these are the provinces that really have a high prevalence of armed conflict One of our efforts is to make the barangay councils functional. lts important that while we want to advocate for the barangay Ievel, the municipal or city under provisions should also be functional, because these are the groups monitoring the barangay councils. Thals why its a really very big task and would really like to invite everybody to work on this. I Several NCOs have really expressed interest in doing this task. Because if we think about it this law is now 63 years old. lt is in the civil code and it was also strengthened by RA 4881 in 1967 and again strengthened by presidential decrees during the time of Marcos. But until now we are still talking on how to make these councils functional. And I recall former SecretaryJess Robredo was reallytrying to make some Atty Viqo: l'm glad that question has been raised because pron0uncements to make these Iocal councils really everybody has responsibility in making sure that all functional, and he saw the potential and the critical role of these councils in protecting the rights of our these local councils are really functional and working. children atthe barangay level. Even sexual abuse in Yes, each and every barangay the family can be addressed through the barangay council for the protection of children, because these are the people who are there. should have a council for the protection of children. But sad to say that only about 30o/o of these local councils are functional Proceedings of the Second National Summit on International Humanitarian Law in the Philippines 11 December 2012 @