Sta. Cruz conferred Seal of Child-friendly Local Governance

The Municipality of Sta. Cruz has been conferred with the 2015 Seal of Child-friendly by the Council for Welfare of Children (CWC) for its commitment in promoting child rights to survival, development, protection and participation towards a Child-friendly Philippines: A Caring and Protective Society For, By and With the Children.

The municipality received the seal on February 16, 2016 at the Apo View Hotel, Davao City and was received by Social Welfare Officer Adelaida S. Badilla and Administrative Officer Mary Grace A. Balingan who came in behalf of Mayor Joel Ray L. Lopez. The seal was signed by CWC chairperson Corazon Juliano-Soliman and DILG Secretary Mel Senen S. Sarmiento.

With the citation, Badilla said it does not follow that the municipality’s implementation of child welfare programs has no flaws at all. “It is all about the interventions we initiated that really counted. For one, we have strictly allocated on an annual basis a 1% fund coming from the Internal Revenue Allotment for child-welfare program. We have also made sure to integrate the four United Nation standards in promoting child rights to survival, development, protection and participation.”
Badilla further disclosed that one obvious indicator for the success of this program is the municipality’s high literacy rate. (Julius R. Paner | CDIO, Sugid Team Correspondent)