Iloilo City tops Child-Friendly Governance in Western Visayas

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Through its continuous effort in promoting children’s right to survival, development, protection and participation, Iloilo City Government was declared a recipient of 2017 Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance with the highest score of 98% among cities in Western Visayas.

Iloilo City will then compete for Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Municipalities and Cities (PACFMC) in the country.

“Garnering a total score of 98% means the city was able to provide quality education, shelter, health and protection to children. I commend the Iloilo City Council for the Protection of Children and the hardworking Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC). They’re the ones who worked for implementation and compliance,” Mayor Jose Espinosa III said.

Espinosa said the city will work on the construction of halfway house for homeless street children and Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL).

Merlyn Gison, focal person for Children and Youth of City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), said during the validation, programs which are based on category of children’s rights were verified.

“We’re glad that the city complied with the proper utilization of 1% fund for daycare services, health and nutrition; provided shelter facilities for abused children and those under rehabilitation; training for BCPC, and financial and educational aid for indigent students. These are the factors which brought us to the top,” Gison stressed.

The annual validation conducted by Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), with Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of Health (DOH), aimed to ensure that Local Government Units (LGUs) do their responsibilities in delivering welfare services and programs for children. (Thessalonia Ordales/Iloilo City PIO)

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