The City of Taguig bagged its 6th Seal of Child-Friendly award for its efficient and continuing program to protect the rights and promote the well being of children.
Councilor Marisse Balina-Eron and City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) chief Nikki Rose Operario received the 2019 Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance during the awarding ceremony at the Axxia Hotel in Quezon City over the weekend.
The Regional Committee for the Welfare of Children (RCWC) led the ceremony in time for this year’s celebration of the Regional Children’s Month.
The RCWC acts as a liaison between national agencies and local government units in order to promote and strengthen coordination and harmonization efforts toward achieving a child-friendly and child-sensitive society.
Taguig has been comprehensive in its efforts to provide services and programs that respond to the four fundamental rights of children: survival, development, protection, and participation.
Among the city’s programs for children include the Free Daycare services, which provides learning materials, school supplies, uniforms, and supplementary feeding; Alternative Parental Care Services, where the city facilitates adoption and foster care cases; Operation of Taguig Lingap Center, which helps children in need of special protection; Bahay PAG-ASA, which assists children in conflict with the law; and Sentro Kalinga, a learning center for children with disabilities; Diversion and Aftercare Program for Children in Conflict with the Law and Children at Risk, which prepares children for their reintegration to their families and community; Community Based Program for Street Children, which keeps these children away from the dangerous life on the streets and reintegrate them with their families or get them into institutions; Taguig CARES (Community Awareness towards Resilient and Empowered Students) and its sub-programs all designed to protect children against drug abuse, violence, bullying, and exploitation while giving them opportunities to pursue their interests and develop their potential.
In 2014, Taguig was awarded the seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance as one of the top local government units in Metro Manila for its protection of children. The following year, 2015, it was honored the “Most Child Sensitive City” after being recognized for its child-friendly governance.
The city got its third Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance in 2016 and its fourth seal in 2017 for providing continuous protection for children with the goal of raising them into productive and value-driven citizens.
Taguig also received the same award in 2018 for its programs with objective of raising children to be productive and values-oriented individuals.