A total of 48 local government units out of the 57 in the Negros Island Region each received on Thursday the Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance award in ceremonies held in Dumaguete.
The Department of Social Welfare & Development and the Department of Interior & Local Government spearheaded the awarding at a local hotel here, attended by local chief executives and other LGU representatives, among others.
The 20 LGU-awardees for Negros Oriental are Ayungon, Bacong, Bais City, Basay, Bayawan City, Bindoy, Canlaon City, Dauin, Dumaguete City, Guihulngan City, La Libertad, Mabinay, Manjuyod, Pamplona, San Jose, Sta. Catalina, Sibulan, Tanjay City, Valencia, and Zamboanguita.
For Negros Occidental, 28 LGUs received the award, namely, Bacolod City, Bago City, Binalbagan, Calatrava, Candoni, City of Victorias, Enrique B. Magallona, Escalante City, Himamaylan City, Hinigaran, Hinoba-an, Ilog, Isabela, Kabankalan City, La Carlota City, La Castellana, Manapla, Murcia, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, Sagay City, Salvador Benedicto, San Carlos City, San Enrique, Silay City, Sipalay City, Talisay City and Toboso.
Shalaine Marie Lucero, DSWD-NIR regional director, explained these are awardees for 2016 and will compete again in the next round to determine who will represent the region in the national competition.
“This is an award given to local government units that give support to children in the areas of planning, budgeting, legislation, and services,”she said.
Lucero explained there are 12 criteria for the Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance.
Out of the 48 awardees, 10 will be sent to Manila to vie for the Presidential Award for Child-Friendly municipalities and cities, Lucero added.
Although the Seal does not have financial incentive for the awardees, the Department will help promote the advocacy of the local government unit that is advocating for the protection and welfare of children, according to the DSWD-NIR director.
The Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance is also one of the many requirements for another award, the Seal of Local Good Governance, Lucero said. (Judy Flores Partlow/PNA)
