Child friendly city cash prize to fund reconstruction of minors' holding cell

After having been declared as one of the country's Most Child Friendly Cities, Cebu City moves on to implement innovative ways to promote and protect the best interest of the children especially those in conflict with the law.

Margot Osmeña, chairperson of the Cebu City Commission for the Welfare and Protection of Children, said the P50,000 prize they received will be used to reconstruct the existing holding area for minors at the Cebu City Police Office.

The proposal to improve the area making it more child friendly was already submitted and approved by the Department of Social Welfare and Development-7.

Yesterday, Cebu City received the said award being the regional winner for the highly urbanized city category. Margot, who is also the chairperson of the Cebu City Task Force on Street Children, received the award, the P50,000 cash prize, a trophy and the child friendly seal.

Cebu City was cited to have shown outstanding performance as child friendly city in Region 7 based on its score on institutional development for organized and highly functional local structures such as local school board, local health board, local nutrition committee and other children's programs. These local structures adequately respond to issues and concerns of children aside from highly functional local structures. Cebu City has also undertaken various institutional activities to increase the capacity of service providers.

The city also got a perfect score on child participation as evidenced by the number of activities undertaken by the LGU with the participation of children in planning and decision-making process. This is not only limited to the existence of the Sangguniang Kabataan which is political in nature, but also includes other children's organizations initiated by the Cebu City Task Force on Street Children as well as other non-government organizations and people's organizations that are actively collaborating and working closely with the LGU.

On community participation, Cebu city also got a perfect score as evidenced by the activities undertaken by the LGU to encourage and elicit the support and participation of the community as partners in the implementation of children's programs and services.

Annabeth Cuizon, executive officer of CCCWPC, received the award on behalf of the city government yesterday.

Cebu city is the region's bet vying in the national level for this year's Most Child Friendly City title, according to Cuizon.

The Regional Sub-Committee for the Welfare of Children declared Cebu city as the regional winner for the Highly Urbanized City category in the 2006 Search for Child Friendly Municipalities and Cities last September.

Under the guidelines, the cash prize shall be utilized by the city for capability building for service providers; repair/upgrading of infrastructure (health centers, day care centers, reading centers and rehabilitation of centers for street children or children in conflict with the law); purchase of equipment and supplies or other innovative projects approved by the Council for the Welfare of Children.

Though Cebu City received various national and international recognition for its children's programs, especially in its community-based diversion program for children in conflict with the law, this is the very first time that the city has joined the search for child friendly city. - Garry B. Lao and Jasmin R. Uy