LGUs told to give equal priority to children's rights

CEBU, Philippines - To ensure that every child fully enjoys his/her rights, The Department of Interior and Local Government is urging local government units to include children’s rights as a priority item in their Comprehensive Development Plan.

In a memorandum, DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno said LGU’s must protect the right of every Filipino child, including the right of survival, development, protection and participation. He said the children hold the key to a continued development and growth of the country.

In the first semester of 2009, DILG has helped set up the Local Council for the Protection of Children in 24,093 barangays, 54 provinces, 101 cities and 963 municipalities across the country.

Article 87 of Presidential Decree No. 603 or the Child and Youth Welfare Code, as well as Section 15 of Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, provide for the establishment and strengthening of the LCPCs down to the barangay level.

Besides facilitating the establishment of LCPCs, DILG also pushed for local chief executives to support training initiatives on barangay human rights program. The program seeks to empower vulnerable sectors like women and children to pursue justice through heightened awareness about their basic rights and the country’s judicial system.

Likewise, DILG likewise ordered the establishment of Women and Children Protection Desks in every Philippine National Police municipal station in the country to help victims of exploitation and abuse, particularly children and women.

There are now 1,830 WCPDs in police stations nationwide. – Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JMO   (FREEMAN NEWS)