Himamaylan, San Carlos, La Carlota, Hinoba-an, Silay get child-friendly seal

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) conferred the seal of the Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA) award to 25 local government units (LGUs) in Western Visayas with the regional kick-off of the 31st National Children’s Month (NCM) on Wednesday.

From Negros Occidental, the cities of Himamaylan, San Carlos, La Carlota and Silay and the Municipality of Hinoba-an were awarded the seal.

(Other Child-Friendly LGU audit passers from the province include La Castellana, Cadiz City, Murcia, Bago City, Victorias City, Talisay City, and Manapla per the latest dispatch of the regional DILG.)

“This audit is included in the Seal of Good Local Governance, wherein if you cannot pass, you cannot enter the top award in local governance. The child-friendly is more on social protection,” DILG Western Visayas Regional Director Juan Jovian Ingeniero said in an interview.

The recipients of the CFLGA seal included the towns of Anilao, Dingle, Lambunao, Oton, Pavia, Dumangas, Concepcion, Tigbauan, Tubungan, Pototan, Santa Barbara, Igbaras, and Passi City from Iloilo province; Buenavista and Nueva Valencia in Guimaras province; Dao, Sapian, Jamindan, and Tapaz in Capiz; and the cities of Himamaylan, Silay, San Carlos, and La Carlota, and Hinoba-an, all in Negros Occidental province.

During the kick-off ceremony, the DSWD and the Regional Sub-Committee for the Welfare of Children (RSCWC) introduced the Mahalin at Kalingain ang ating mga Bata (Makabata) helpline 1383, which is expected to be operational next year.

“The Makabata helpline primarily aims to develop a mechanism that will provide quick response, monitoring, and feedback through calls, electronic mail, and different social media platforms,” said RSCWC regional coordinator Franz Hermocillas in his presentation.

It provides services to all children, parents, and adolescents with varied needs relating to child rights and concerns.

Meantime, concerns and issues can be reported using the smart number 0919-3541383, globe line 0915-8022375, or by emailing makabatahelpline@cwc.gov.ph.

This year’s NCM celebration has its theme, “Healthy, nourished, sheltered: Ensuring the right to life for all.”

Other events to highlight the celebration are the children’s congress on Nov. 24-25 and the children’s contest with child development learners as participants on Dec. 6.

The kick-off ceremony started with the participants reciting the Hiligaynon version of the “Panatang Makabata.”* (with Perla Lena, PNA)