COTABATO CITY – The Department of Interior and Local Government of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DILG-ARMM) has conducted an assessment and round-table discussion on interventions done by local government units (LGUs) in promoting children’ welfare.
Dubbed Child Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA), it refers to an audit system that assesses the delivery of social welfare services of LGUs leading to positive results in advancing the well being of children and the youth.
Atty. Anwar Malang, DILG-ARMM secretary, said the CFLGA is a results-based assessment tool and a mandatory audit designed to identify interventions made by the LGUs.
The DILG-ARMM validated the results of the assessment last September 9-11 in coordination with the region’s Department of Social Welfare and Development, Regional Planning and Development Office, Department of Education and Department of Labor and Employment.
Under the CFLGA, all cities and municipalities shall be assessed to measure their level of performance in implementing child-friendly programs and instituting measures that promote children’s welfare. Auditors will check if an LGU implements programs that satisfy 12 indicators on health and nutrition, education, protection, and child participation.
Among the indicators are: number of children attending school, reduction of deaths of children below five years old, children’s safety in the community, absence of child labor, and delivery of health services.
The Council for the Welfare of the Children uses the tool for assessing the performance of LGUs and would use the results for the conferment of the Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance.
The system applied is in accordance with the country’s commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Philippines is the 31st state to ratify the Convention.
On Tuesday, the regional team prepared the consolidated regional overall rating for the endorsement of DILG-ARMM to the DILG central office. “This is our way of promoting child-sensitive and child-friendly communities in ARMM,” Atty. Malang said. (Bureau of Public Information)
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