Chairperson of the National Council for Children’s Television, Dr. Luis P. Gatmaitan, the members of the Advisory Committee, the Secretariat led by Executive Director Desideria Atienza, ladies and gentlemen, good day to all.

Let me begin with the words of a Filipino author with the pen name Bob Ong–“Nakayanan n'yang bumangon, hindi ko pagdududahan ang kakayahan n'yang lumipad.”

I think this is a timely quote considering the challenges that young Filipinos experienced during the pandemic. The unprecedented shift to online learning resulted in a lack of play and diminished socialization, all amidst a continuing global health crisis. Despite these, we see our youth’s capacity to adapt and push through.

With the opening of face-to-face classes, we see revitalized schools, streets, and homes. And we, as adults, are given a new chance to recalibrate how we will reinforce learning, discipline, and growth among our youth.

This is why I want to impart a message of faith today. Our children, again and again, show strength and perseverance. Some of them go to schools without baon. Many grow up in impoverished or broken families. Only a few have all that they need, but even those well-provided children encounter challenges such as an absent parent. Still, they show up.

We have a lot of reasons to believe that they can and will succeed. Kami, sa Kagawaran ng Budget at Pamamahala, ay naniniwala sa kakayanang lumipad ng bawat batang Pilipino. And we are intent to contribute to making this a reality. We will invest in our youth and ensure that they are included in our agenda for prosperity.

As such, we have allocated Php710.7 billion for the Department of Education in the 2023 Proposed National Budget. This will cover the implementation of programs and operations of its various offices, including the NCCT. Through this, we hope to improve the delivery of quality education and make schools accessible to every child.

We all know that we have a huge role to play in the success of our children. And we have a very powerful platform at our disposal—the television. Broadcast communication, in general, allows us to reach millions of homes whose ways of life could be influenced by the content that we air.

Thankfully, we have the NCCT to formulate plans and policies that will ensure that our broadcast platforms have child-friendly programming.

Through your work for the past 25 years, you have managed to onboard producers, broadcast companies, and teachers to join your pursuit. Your success in fostering a child-friendly media environment has helped parents and schools inculcate Filipino values among our children: maka-Diyos, maka-kalikasan, maka-tao, at maka-bansa.

With our youth’s understanding of these core values, we can hope for the next generations that will not only perpetuate our culture, but also develop a new set of practices, beliefs, and traditions that will bring about positive change for the Philippines.

Let us all be united in achieving holistic development for our children. Let us take responsibility for helping them become conscious, emphatic, and patriotic human beings. Let’s do it with love and compassion for every child. After all, they are the hope of our future.

From Dr. Jose Rizal to contemporary writers, we can find inspiration to have faith. Have faith in our ability to empower our children. Have faith in collective action. Have faith in the next generation.

Congratulations, NCCT. Continue your service to the people with excellence and fulfillment.

Assalamu Alaikum. Mabuhay po tayong lahat!