A radio show that deals with children’s and women’s rights is not necessarily unusual. The big difference with Kaya Natin To Kids (We Can Do This, Kids,) which aired for the first time last Sunday morning, is that it is hosted entirely by young people from Manila's slums. The one-hour show is sponsored by ARCSEA - the Association for the Rights of Children in Southeast Asia – with additional funding from Gabriela, a Philippine women’s group. The first edition addressed topics from breastfeeding to the lowering of the age of criminal liability. News, interviews, music and drama are also part of the mix. On the debut broadcast, hosting duties were performed by Aprilyn Gerodias, Tricia Cabatingan and Sarilaya Cartagena, who described themselves as “nervous but excited”. For 14-year-old Sarilaya especially, it was a “dream job come true,” as she hopes to become a full-time broadcast journalist. "It was impossible for us kids to go on air. Now we have this chance to express our thoughts and feelings," she said. To prepare for the show, 50 children from five poor neighborhoods in Metro Manila took part in a wide-ranging workshop that covered children’s rights, theater, broadcasting and scriptwriting. Between them they now make the editorial decisions on what issues to highlight, then write and produce the script. “The show aims to be a forum for children to have a say on the issues that affect them and their community,” said Madella Santiago, ARCSEA executive director. "Radio is an effective means for children to know what’s happening in our society. We know that they are not immune from the issues of poverty and hunger.”
