CWC, DSWD exceed ‘1 Million Lapis’ target, set sights on world record

The Department of Social Welfare and Development is kicking off the 24th National Children's Month celebration with the culmination of the "1 Million Lapis" project, launched in May 2016 by the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) 

"1 Million Lapis" seeks to promote "writing as a basic right" for the youth. The pencils collected from the project will be given to under privileged elementary students in 4th to 5th class municipalities. 

"Matuto lang po ang batang sumulat ng kaniyang pangalan at alam niya ang kaniyang birthday at pangalan ng kaniyang magulang—malaking bagay na po 'yun upang malayo sila sa krimen," CWC executive director Patricia Luna told the press on Friday. 

The project exceeded expectations and Luna reports that they have received over three million pencils through the efforts of different government agencies and the involvement of businesses in the private sector. 

Before being handed out to children who benefit from them most, the pencils will be used on November 5 to set a world record. 

DSWD and CWC will host an attempt to make the "Longest Line of Pencils" for the Guinness Book of World Records at SM MOA, Pasay City with the help of 2,500 children aged 14 to 17. 

"1 Million Lapis" is in line with the theme of this year's National Children's Month, "Isulong: Kalidad na Edukasyon Para sa Lahat ng Bata!" 

The DSWD, CWC, and the National Youth Commission (NYC) are focusing on making quality education accessible to every single child in the Philippines to combat poverty, child exploitation and abuse, and even early pregnancy. 

A recent report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said the Philippines loses P33 billion annually for failing to address teenage pregnancy, which the agency says can be addressed by investing in 10-year-old girls. 

The CWC will be releasing their own data in a National Baseline Survey in December 2016.  — RSJ, GMA News