KCFI and PSSC Partner for the 11th National Social Science Congress: Highlighting Shared Goals on Children’s Rights and Early Childhood Development
By Janna Kyla Dela Cruz
The Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC), in partnership with the Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. (KCFI), proudly announces the 11th National Social Science Congress (NSSC11) with the theme, “Munting Tinig: Amplifying Children’s Voices through Social Science Research in the Philippines” to be held at the Crown Legacy Hotel, Baguio City, this September 18 to 20, 2025.
As the flagship program of PSSC held every two years, the NSSC serves as a premier platform for interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration among social scientists, policymakers, development workers, and researchers. Now in its 11th year, the NSSC will showcase research focused on children, using social science lenses and methods to explore key areas like education, health, rights, and protection. These studies align with the four sub-themes based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: the rights to life and survival, development, protection, and participation.
This year’s NSSC is organized in partnership with UNICEF Philippines, Kalinga State University, the UP Department of Family Life and Child Development, and KCFI. As the country’s first and only educational media foundation, KCFI has long championed early childhood development (ECD) through research, capacity-building programs, and accessible educational content. From producing well-loved video lessons such as Heroes of Zero, ILY1000: Batang #Laking1000, and TalkED: Early Childhood Series with Bianca Gonzalez, to equipping child development workers and teachers with portable media libraries and training programs like KCARE, KCFI continues to empower educators, parents, and caregivers nationwide. It also supports groundbreaking research, including a study led by the Asia Philanthropy Circle on parenting and early childhood, which sheds light on barriers to ECD policy implementation, nutrition, and child health.
By joining hands, PSSC and KCFI emphasize their shared advocacy of promoting children’s rights and advancing inclusive policies and programs that respond to the unique challenges faced by children and youth in the Philippines. Their partnership ensures that social science research and innovative educational initiatives come together to create stronger foundations for lifelong learning and holistic child development.
With insights from esteemed speakers—including UNICEF Deputy Representative for Programmes, Mr. Xavier Foulquier; Commission on Population and Development Executive Director Usec. Lisa S. Bersales; and researchers from UNICEF Philippines and World Vision—the event aims to foster critical discourse, promote intersectoral collaboration, and strengthen advocacy for the realization of children’s rights.
A recent comprehensive analysis of the situation of children in the Philippines revealed significant gaps in evidence and knowledge, pointing to the need for stronger collaboration and targeted research to support child rights monitoring and research-based interventions. Through this partnership, PSSC and KCFI seek to amplify children’s voices and ensure that research translates into action for their survival, development, protection, and participation.
This national event is sponsored by the Office of the President–Dangerous Drugs Board, REX Education, World Vision Development Foundation Inc., Unilab Foundation, Provincial Government of Kalinga, and PSSC regular member-organizations namely, the Philippines Communication Society (PCS), Philippine Association of Social Workers, Inc. (PASWI), Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP), and the Philippine Political Science Association (PPSA).
Register now and be part of amplifying children’s voices through social science research!