LGUs cited for child-friendly governance

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CITY OF MALOLOS — Several cities and municipalities in the province of Bulacan have been included on the list of 2023 Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA) passers during the Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance Conferment Ceremony in San Fernando, Pampanga, on Feb. 18.

Among the local government units (LGUs) in Central Luzon that successfully passed the audit are Bulakan, which recorded a score of 94.49; Balagtas with 93; Pulilan with 92.48; Guiguinto, 92; San Miguel, 90.60; City of San Jose del Monte, 90.27; City of Baliwag, 89.90; City of Meycauayan, 89.50; Obando, 89.47; Paombong, 89.40; Plaridel, 87.95; City of Malolos, 87.25; Doña Remedios Trinidad, 87; San Ildefonso, 86.84; and Bustos with 81.36.

The results for this audit are according to the Inter-Agency Monitoring Task Force in the provincial level consisting of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Bulacan, Provincial Health Office-Public Health, Provincial Planning and Development Office, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, and Department of Education (DepEd).

In the regional level, the monitoring task force is composed of DILG Regional Office, Department of Social Welfare and Development, DepEd, Department of Health, and the National Economic and Development Authority.

Gov. Daniel Fernando commended the Bulacan LGUs for their dedication in fostering a safe and nurturing a safe environment for children.

"These LGUs have shown excellence in implementing child-sensitive governance and policies that support the holistic development of the youth," said Fernando.

"We will continue to ensure that Bulacan remains a province where every child has the opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive," the governor added.

The CFLGA is a results-driven evaluation conducted annually to measure the effectiveness of cities and municipalities in implementing child welfare programs which examines the performance of LGUs in promoting a child-friendly environment.

LGUs that successfully meet the audit's criteria are awarded the Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance.

In Malolos, City Mayor Christian Natividad, together with City Social Welfare and Development Office chief Lolita Santos, personally received the award.

Natividad confirmed that the Regional Subcommittee for the Welfare of Children (RSCWC) in Central Luzon has awarded a total of 99 LGUs out of 137 (72 percent) in the region.

Mayor Jocell Vistan-Casaje of Plaridel, Mayor Maritz Ochoa-Montejo of Pulilan, Mayor Vergel Meneses of Bulakan, Mayor Agay Cruz of Guiguinto and Mayor Leonardo Valeda of Obando also received similar awards.

The CFLGA was launched in 2014 by the DILG and CWC in response to a 2012 study titled "Toward More Effective Local Councils for the Protection of Children in Child Rights-Responsive Governance in the Philippines."

The program serves as a results-based assessment tool conducted annually to evaluate the efforts of LGUs in implementing child welfare programs.

During the ceremony, DILG Regional Director Anthony Nuyda, CESO III, commended the LGUs for their dedication in promoting the welfare of children.

He encouraged them to continue developing programs that will improve the welfare of youth.

DSWD Assistant Regional Director Maribel Blanco, vice chairman of RSCWC III, emphasized the importance of child welfare, saying, "There is no sharper revelation of the soul of a society than the way it treats its children."

She reaffirmed the CFLGA's role in prioritizing the well-being of children through innovative programs and responsible governance.

"No child should be left behind," said Blanco.

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