DAVAO CITY – Elated by Davao City’s victory in the 2016 Child-Friendly City and the Kalasag award,
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said these awards are the city’s contribution to the country.
“Dabawenyos are committed to nation-building,” the city mayor said in a short press statement released Tuesday by Chief Information Officer Jefry Tupas.
Duterte-Carpio said, “These awards are Davao City’s contribution to our country.”
The mayor issued the statement after the city was announced the winner in the 2016 Presidential Child-Friendly Municipalities and Cities (PACFMC), besting contenders Baguio, Bacolod and Mandaluyong.
With the win, Davao City is elevated to the Hall of Fame.
The city was 2015’s Most Child-Friendly for highly-urbanized category over competing cities of Baguio, Mandaluyong and Bacolod. In 1998, 1999, 2013 and 2014, Davao bagged the same award.
In the guidelines, national awardees for three consecutive years with consistently increasing final score shall be conferred the “Hall of Fame Award”.
The city was validated for the Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance (SCFLG) along with 30 other local government units in Davao region PACFMC in July.
Other Davao region’s conferees are: (Davao Oriental) Baganga, Banaybanay, San Isidro, Manay, Mati City, Tarragona; (Compostela Valley) Compostela, Laak, Mabini, Maco, Maragusan, Mawab, Monkayo, Montevista, New Bataan; (Davao Del Norte) Asuncion, Braulio E. Dujali, Carmen, IGaCoS, Panabo City, San Isidro, Tagum, Talaingod; and, (Davao Del Sur) Digos City, Hagonoy, Magsaysay, Malalag, Matanao, Padada, and Santa Cruz.
City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO) chief Ma Luisa Bermudo earlier said Davao had always been at the forefront when it comes to establishing programs for children.
Among the city’s programs are the Quick Response Team for Children’s Concern (QRTCC) designed to rescue, investigate and document cases of sexual, exploitation, and atrocities committed against children; the establishment, operation and maintenance and the upgrading and standardization of residential facilities to satisfactorily meet the accreditation requirements of the DSWD Standards Bureau; the Crisis Intervention Center (CIC) Balay Dangupan, a shelter care institution for physically and abused children, was accredited First Level Standards last year; the Davao City Children’s Village or Bahay Pag-asa, which continues to serve as a temporary shelter for Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL); the Paginhawaan Drop-In Center for street children who need temporary shelter and protection and the Lingap Center for Mentally-Challenged Children; and the city government’s Child Minding Center which provides day care services for the children of city employees under five years of age.
This year, Duterte-Carpio initiated the Kean Gabriel Hotline 09088184444, a child abuse reporting number. Since it was established, the Kean Gabriel already rescued 483 abused children.
The Presidential Child-Friendly Award was conceptualized with the goal of encouraging local government units to be “child-friendly”.
This is to support the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) adopted by the United Nations General Assembly which highlights the rights of children on survival, development, protection and participation in governance.
The award is conferred to deserving local government units in recognition of their vital role in the sustained promotion of children’s rights to survival, development, protection and participation as well as in ensuring child-friendly governance. (Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)
