Save the Children Philippines raises concern on children’s welfare after twin bombings in Jolo

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Save the Children Philippines denounces the twin bombings in Jolo, Sulu that killed at least 14 and injured several others, including children, on Monday, August 24.

“It is unfortunate that at the time when the country and the world are battling against the COVID-19 pandemic, children still experience armed violence and continue to face its devastating and life-long impacts,” said Atty. Alberto Muyot, Chief Executive Officer of Save the Children Philippines.

He said the bombings which occurred in heavily populated areas could disrupt the essential services including healthcare, water and sanitation, as well as peace and security in the province.

Save the Children Philippines, through its offices in the cities of Iligan and Cotabato, work in partnership with the government and ministries of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in promoting sustainable peace through education, livelihood, and health support to deprived and marginalized children and their families.

The child rights organization, in its global campaign Stop the War on Children, emphasized that children suffer in conflict in more severe ways with lasting implications than adults. This include the indirect consequences of conflict such as displacement, breakdown of health services, water and sanitation, and school closures.

“Save the Children Philippines is deeply saddened upon hearing about the recent bombing incidents in Sulu where victims included innocent Bangsamoro children. Children in Mindanao have been subjected to immense suffering due to these ongoing armed conflicts," expressed Edwin Horca, BARMM Team Leader of Save the Children Philippines.

"These events prompt us to be more rigorous in upholding our mission in protecting the children, making sure that violence against them is no longer tolerated,” Horca added.

Save the Children Philippines, with support from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), is implementing the ReACh 2 TEACH project in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao, including Sulu, to ensure that children will continue to have access to education through the provision of temporary learning spaces (TLS) and learning materials, and at the same time, capacitate teachers to handle psychosocial first aid and psychosocial support, and equip them with adequate teaching kits.

Save the Children Philippines advocates for peace education, resiliency, and protection of children’s rights among the men, women, and youth of Marawi City. In partnership with the government of Japan, through the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the child rights organization implements the Restoring Learning and Livelihoods project for short-term emergency employment and longer-term livelihood development of adults, as well as the provision of culturally, age-appropriate, gender and conflict-sensitive learning opportunities for boys and girls.

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