Davao City – Following the Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA), 15 local government units in the region were conferred with the Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance (CFLG) by the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC).

According to Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Regional Director Priscilla N. Razon, recipient LGUs are the cities of Davao, Mati, Panabo, Tagum, Samal and the municipalities of Maco, Maragusan, Laak, Boston, San Isidro –Davao Oriental, Lupon, Hagonoy, Kiblawan, Malalag and Sulop.

Conducted by the Child-Friendly Local Governance Interagency Monitoring Team which is composed of representatives from the Department of Interior and Local Government, DSWD and Department of Education, the CFLGA is a mandatory audit and recognition system on LGUs in producing positive results for children’s well-being based on verifiable and quantifiable criteria and indicators.

It aims to ensure child-friendly local governance for effective care and protection of children through functional Local Councils for the Protection of Children (LCPC) at all levels.

Launched in 2013 by CWC in support to the realization of the Philippine commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the CFLG is a pre-requisite for a municipality or city to qualify for the Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Municipalities and Cities.

“At the regional level, it is the Regional Sub-Committee for the Welfare of Children (RSCWC) that endorses eligible LGUs to CWC for the Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance as well as for the prestigious Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Cities and Municipalities. We are very pleased that in 2014, 15 LGUs in the region were conferred the Seal. This is an affirmation of our select LGUs’ effective and efficient implementation of programs for the children sector in their respective areas,” Director Razon said.

Assessment of LGUs were based on: 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 (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; 9] An ordinance establishing Barangay Violence Against Women and their Children (VAWC) Desks; 10] 2013 PhilHealth Accreditation in its main health facility or rural health unit for Maternal Care Services and Primary Care; 11] A Local School Board (LSB) Plan for CY 2013 that is aligned with the School Improvement Plan (SIP); and 12] Completed at least 70% of its LSB Plan for 2013. DSWD