As part of the efforts of the Philippine government in promoting and institutionalizing a “Child-sensitive” and “Child-friendly” society, the Regional Committee for the Welfare of Children (RCWC) recognizes and awards the Seal of Child-friendly Local Governance to 15 LGUs in Metro Manila today in Mandaluyong City.

This activity is an annual event jointly spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) which was started in 2014 with its awarding on November 28, 2014.

With the use of the Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA) conducted at the City/ Municipal level by Inter-Agency Monitoring Task Force (IMTF) as reviewed, validated and endorsed by RCWC being chaired by DSWD-NCR, which composed of the National Government Agencies and NGOs that are involved in implementing the programs and services for the survival, development, protection and participation of children, LGUs were rated and identified as child-friendly based on the following:

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 weights;

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;

7. Safety measures for children in community and schools;

8. Extent of mainstreaming of Children’s rights to survival, development, protection and participation in the core development agenda of LGUs;

9. An ordinance establishing Barangay Violence Against Women and their Children (VAW/C) desks;

10. 2013 Philhealth accreditation in its maintain health facility or rural health unit for the Maternal Care Services and Primary case;

11. A Local School Board (LSB) Plan that is aligned with the School Improvement Plan (SIP); and

12. Completed atleast 70% of its LSB Plan.

Currently, as result of CFLGA conducted in the 3^rd quarter of 2015 and as conferred by the Seal of Child-friendly Local Governance (SCFLG) as approved by CWC Board, Mandaluyong City acquired the highest rating among the cities of Manila, Quezon, Malabon, Valenzuela, Caloocaan, Taguig, Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Makati, San Juan, Pasig, Marikina, Pasay and Municipality of Pateros.

Meanwhile, in recognition of the initiatives in implementing programs and services that uphold the rights of children, all the above-mentioned 15 LGUs are certified conferees of SCFLG.

For the Presidential Award for the Most Child-Friendly Municipality and City (PAMC), Mandaluyong City represented NCR as national finalist and is among the top 4 highly urbanized cities nationwide. The validation for the national finalists was started in December 2015 to February 2016.

DSWD-NCR Regional Director Mr. Vincent Andrew T. Leyson in his welcome message expressed gratitude to the team who unselfishly conducted and finished the validation of the 17 LGUs until this regional level awarding day. He also challenged the participants for the 100% recognition of child-friendly to all the 17 LGUs in Metro Manila.

Dir. Leyson also reminded the participants on the prominent statement from Kofi Annan, a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1997 to December 2006 saying “there is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children. There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and want and that they can grow up in peace.”###