Council on Welfare of Children on Willing Willie

Thank you one and all for your immediate expressions of indignation, condemnation, disgust and disappointment over the above episode at TV5’s Willing Willie. Your statements have reached the concerned agencies and each of them have begun their respective actions based on your complaints. Allow us at CWC to inform you of the updates on actions taken on the case of this child, Jan-Jan :

1. Our Chairperson (CWC) and Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman has come up with her statement on Monday, 28 March and sent letter on the subject to Mr. Manny Pangilinan last 29 March, Sec Soliman has also indicated that DSWD-NCR social workers shall do home visits to Jan-Jan’s family for appropriate counseling/debriefing especially to Jan-Jan;

2. CHR Chairperson Loreta Ann Rosales has initiated a hearing on your complaints also on 29 March;

3. MTRCB Chairperson Grace Poe Llamansares has issued a briefer regarding the complaints on 28 March that the Board has referred the matter to the Hearing and Adjudication Committee for appropriate disposition, per NCCT Advisory Committee MTRCB representative Atty Eric Mallonga, hearings on the complaints have commenced;

4. CWC coordinated with PANA Executive Director Ms. Digna Santos and letter to PANA members was sent – this letter was also forwarded to CWC; National Council for Children’s Television (NCCT) was also informed about the needed action to take. ( both CWC and PANA sit at the NCCT Advisory Committee );and

6. The Special Committee for the Protection of Children chaired by the Department of Justice has scheduled discussion of this case and its updates in its forthcoming meeting on 18 April for the needed follow-through action/s.

The Council for the Welfare of Children shall, at an appropriate time, undertake discussions on the proposed policy implications through changes in the laws and programs to tighten our protection of children especially as they are the subject of media coverage.

Best regards.

Melen

Ma. Elena S. Caraballo

Deputy Executive Director

Council for the Welfare of Children