Legazpi City-The Regional Sub-Committee for the Welfare of Children (RSCWC)-Region V awarded the Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance (SCFLG) to 96 of the total 114 local government units (LGUs) in the region last November 9, 2018 at La Edley, Legazpi City.
“The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) prioritizes the vulnerable sectors specially the children. The SCFLG is not only for recognition and gratitude; our aim is to showcase LGUs as models for replication in terms of promoting programs and services for the children,” Dir. Arnel B. Garcia, the RSCWC Chairperson said.
Moreover, Ligao City, Albay and Castilla, Sorsogon were both honored as the 2016 Regional Awardees qualifying for the Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Municipalities and Cities.
Special awards were also given to the following LGUs:
- Naga City-LGU with Remarkable Investment for Children for 2016 (independent city category), Most Innovative LGU on Children’s Welfare Programs
- Canaman-First Place: LGU with Highest Investment for Children for 2016 (4th-6th income class category)
- Sagnay-Second Place: LGU with Highest Investment for Children for 2016 (4th-6th income class category)
- Daet-First Place: LGU with Highest Investment for Children for 2016 (1st-3rd income class category)
- Labo-Second Place: LGU with Highest Investment for Children for 2016 (1st-3rd income class category)
- Legazpi City-First Place: LGU with Highest Investment for Children for 2016 (component City category)
- Ligao City-Second Place: LGU with Highest Investment for Children for 2016 (component city category), Regional Winner for three consecutive years (2015-2017) as regional winner under Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Municipalities and Cities
The Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) launched the Child-Friendly Philippines framework last 2014 that included the SCFLG which is a recognition system for LGUs that deliver positive results for children’s through planning, budgeting, legislation and delivery of services.
The SCFLG is complemented by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular of 2014-80 endorsing the Child Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA) to all Provincial Governors, City and Municipal Mayors, the ARMM Regional Governor, DILG Regional Directors, and other concerned parties.
Likewise, the DSWD and the Department of Education (DepEd) are member of the CFLG Audit Team.
LGUs that will pass the CFLGA will be conferred the Seal of Child Friendly Local Governance by the CWC. The LGUs shall be audited based on the following twelve (12) criteria:
1. Percentage reduction in the deaths among children below five years old or under-five mortality rate.
2. Percentage reduction in the number of children under-six with below normal weight.
3. Percentage increase in the number of 3-4 year-old children attending center-based day care services.
4. Completion rate for elementary schooling.
5. Absence of child labor or percentage reduction in child labor cases.
6. Percentage reduction in the number of children victims of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation (all forms, including physical violence, sexual abuse and exploitation, and trafficking in persons).
7. Safety measures for children in the community and schools.
8. Extent of mainstreaming of children’s rights to survival, development, protection and participation in the core development agenda of LGUs (this includes LCPC functionality and child participation).
9. An ordinance establishing Barangay Violence Against Women and their Children (VAWC) Desks.
10. Philhealth accreditation in its main health facility or rural health unit for the Maternal Care Services and Primary Care.
11. A Local School Board (LSB) Plan that is aligned with the School Improvement Plan (SIP).
12. Completed at least 70% of its LSB Plan.
Conferees of the SCFLG are shortlisted and validated for the Presidential Award for Child Friendly Municipalities and Cities.
Furthermore, Ms. Conifer Codia, the focal person of the CFLG from the DILG Region V, said that the all cities and municipalities in the provinces of Albay and Camarines Norte received the Seal of CFLG. Furthermore, the town of Libon will vie for the Presidential Award next year.
Codia was also honored by Dir. Garcia during the event for her invaluable efforts in the successful activity.(with reports from cwc.gov.ph)