Marking the culmination of National Children’s Month, GMA Network and Save the Children Philippines renewed their partnership on November 24 to strengthen collaborative efforts promoting the rights, protection, and participation of Filipino children through responsible and inclusive media. The event, held at the GMA Network Center, brought together GMA Senior Vice President Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes, Save the Children Philippines CEO Atty. Alberto Muyot, Kapuso Primetime Princess and Save the Children Ambassador Barbie Forteza, and child representatives from partner communities.
Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes highlighted the importance of ensuring that children’s perspectives are recognized in public discourse. “Ang kabataan, they are the hope of our nation, they are the hope of the world, and we need to really listen to their voice kasi they are very empowered,” she said. “We at GMA, we are here to make your voice heard, papakinggan namin kayo at talagang gagawa kami ng paraan para marinig kayo ng buong bansa.”
During the child-led engagement, Barbie Forteza delivered a message emphasizing the responsibility of adults and institutions to listen to children and act on their concerns. “Lahat ng boses natin, lahat ’yan nagma-matter, lahat ’yan importante. And again, kayo na po ang aming future leaders, kaya most definitely, nagma-matter talaga ang boses ninyo,” she said. “Lahat ng concerns ninyo dapat pinapakinggan naming matatanda, ino-honor natin, nirerespeto natin, at isinasaaksyon naming matatanda; dahil sa inyo nakalaan ang future namin at future ng magiging mga pamilya namin.”
The program included a Speakers’ Bureau session led by Mike Rivera, Creative Consultant of GMA’s Entertainment Group, and Mariz Umali, a Kapuso reporter and anchor. The session introduced children to principles of effective communication, safe self-expression, and the use of storytelling in advancing their rights, supporting children’s participation as outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The day was capped with a guided tour of GMA Network’s newsroom, studios, and broadcast facilities, where children saw how information is gathered, produced, and shared with the public. The visit created a learning space beyond the classroom—allowing them to observe how creativity, innovation, and reporting come together in responsible media production.
