On 15 January 2025, the University of the Philippines Open University Foundation, Inc. (UPOUFI), through the University of the Philippines Open University – Faculty of Management and Development Studies (UPOU-FMDS), in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Philippines, held a meeting as part of project on the development of the Executive Course on Child Protection and Child-Rights-Based Public Finance Online Learning Modules. The meeting was hosted by UPOU-FMDS and focused on updates regarding module development for both the Child Protection and Social Policy components. These modules aimed at helping local chief executives and and social welfare officers in the LGU in the Philippines improve their competencies in child protection and public finance for children.
The meeting attendees included Dr. Augusto Rodriguez (Module Developer and Social Policy Component Leader), Dr. Maria Lourdes Jarabe (Module Developer), Dr. Finaflor F. Taylan (Project Leader), Ms.Lea Marasigan (UNICEF Philippines Social Policy Specialist), Ms. Maricris Cabural (UNICEF Philippines Child Protection Specialist), Asst. Prof. Regina Mendoza-Armiendo, Asst. Prof. Lloyd Lyndel Simporios (Module Developer), Ms. Sydney Rovin Macahiya (Research Associate), Ms. Eunice Laarnie Simon (Program Assistant) and Ms. Carolyn Rodriguez.
Dr. Finaflor Taylan, the program leader, began the session by briefly introducing the UPOU and the programs offered by the University. She then shared that the modules for the Child Protection and Social Policy components already have been drafted. Dr. Taylan also discussed the timeline of activities for the project, including video production plans such as interviews with LGUs, documentation, and animations to be incorporated into the modules.
The UPOU team presented and explained the contents of the draft modules to UNICEF Philippines specialists. The Social Policy modules, presented by Dr. Augusto Rodriguez and Asst. Prof. Regina Mendoza-Armiendo, covers topics such as Child-Rights Public Finance, Social Sector Public Finance Management, Fiscal Space, and Public Finance Management Systems, which focus on aligning financial systems with the realization of child rights.
For the Child Protection modules, Asst. Prof. Lloyd Lyndel Simporios and Dr. Taylan explained the first module focused on the foundational concepts, goals, legal frameworks, and systems of child protection within local government contexts. Dr. Maria Lourdes Jarabe discussed the second module, titled Child Protection Ecosystem, which emphasizes the importance of strengthening child protection systems. The third module, Recognizing, Reporting, Recording, and Responding (4Rs) to Violence Against Children, was led by Dr. Augusto Rodriguez. This module is aimed to empower Local Government Units (LGUs) to effectively address violence against children by equipping participants with the knowledge and skills to apply the “4Rs” framework.
For a clearer view of the modules’ content on Child Protection, the UPOU team worked with UNICEF Philippines specialists in an active discussion and brainstorming session. This helped make sure that the modules would fit well together and support each other to address the competency needs of target participants. Dr. Rodriguez and Dr. Taylan took the lead in organizing the details and content for each module.
This collaborative project is aligned with UPOU’s mission to democratize access to education and training. This initiative supports several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
Written by Eunice Laarnie Simon ♦ Edited by Larry N. Cruz ♦ Cross-posted from UPOU FMDS
#UPOpenUniversity
