Children under the SALINLAHI Alliance for Children's Concerns took time out from school to show their support to Mr. Jun Lozada, "for courageously exposing the anomalous ZTE-NBN deal and in seeking accountability from the corruption-filled Arroyo administration."

Members of the Children's Collective, a group of children advocates, trooped to the Senate and gave white roses to Mr. Lozada and red roses to the senators involved in the hearing. They also gave a letter to Mr. Lozada that encouraged him to continue telling the truth about the deal because their future will be affected in the long run. "Do not be afraid to tell the truth. Do not be afraid of the government because it is just the government. We are part of the people in supporting you," the children's letter read.

Reacting to Mr. Lozada's statement, Kaye Martinez, 13 years old and member of the Children's Collective said that the courageous act of Mr. Lozada is a lesson for children like them. "It's true that we, the children will inherit this society, but we like to inherit a society that encourages the truth and not lies."

Martinez said that the children's presence in the Senate to show their support is part of their learning about lessons in life beyond the four walls of our classroom. "We admire Mr. Jun Lozada for his openness to admit his own faults. Like our teachers in school, he has taught us the value of truth and accepting accountability for whatever mistake we've done."

For their part, child rights advocates also showed their support for Lozada. "He is neither hero nor saint, but his act is an anti-thesis of what leaders of this present administration are doing. Mr. Lozada's act should be well-emulated by our children especially at this time when truthfulness and transparency among government officials are but empty words," declared Alphonse Rivera, Spokesperson of the alliance.

Rivera also offered the services of the Children's Rehabilitation Center, one of its member organizations that provide psycho-social help for children-victims and children of victims of human rights violations, for Lozada's children. "The CRC can help Mr. Lozada's children in processing their traumatic experience and at the same time contextualize these experiences vis-à-vis the current conditions in our society. We are more than willing to give this form of support for Mr. Lozada. This can serve as our small way of helping him."

Salinlahi urged all other child rights group and individuals to stand for the country's future and against the corrupt Arroyo government. "Through its brazen corruption, the Arroyo government officials steal not only funds but the children's future as well. Let us hold the Arroyo government accountable for its corruption. Let us stop this government from denying our future generation their rights," Rivera concluded. ###