City to prioritize welfare of kids

CEBU, Philippines - The welfare of children will be among the priorities of Mayor Michael Rama’s administration because he believes they play a big role in the future of Cebu City, the mayor said during his State of the Children’s Report yesterday.

Rama said he will make sure that programs on drug prevention, education, sports and other youth development will be given focus.

He added that it is essential for children to be paid attention to by their families, their immediate community and the government because he said if they feel that someone cares for them, they become less self-destructive. 

This goes especially for street children.

Rama said that all efforts for the protection and enhancement of the welfare of children must be concentrated in the barangay levels because the barangays are in the frontline in the delivery of services.

He said he is glad that 95 percent of the city’s Barangay Council for the Protection of Children is functional, which is one of the contributing factors why the city has been adjudged several times as Most Child-Friendly City in Central Visayas.

The top 10 most child-friendly barangays in Cebu City are Binaliw, Budlaan, Duljo-Fatima, Guba, Lorega-San Miguel, Pamutan, Sambag 2, Sudlon 2, Talamban and Tinago.

The city also commends the efforts of barangays Adlawon, Bacayan, Kasambagan, Kinasang-an, Malubog, Pahina Central, Pulangbato, San Roque, Santo Niño and Sudlon 1.

The city government has enrolled so far some 33,460 beneficiaries to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. to ensure that urban poor families will get proper healthcare, especially the children who are more vulnerable to diseases than adults.

To further enhance the city’s health services, they are about to hire 119 more barangay health workers in addition to the existing 500.

In the area of education, the city has added three more day-care centers this year from only 153 last year. There are also 84 Home-based Early Childhood Care and Development Program which only numbered 57 last year.

Since the summer pre-school classes were introduced in 2009, the enrollment has increased from 3,357 in 2009 to 12,317 in 2010 —an increase of 8,960.

The Operation Second Chance Center where students are taught under the Alternative Learning System Program continues to accept enrollees.

Rama also vowed to continue the Scholarship Program for high school graduates where scholars get to enjoy P10,000 worth of scholarship up to P20,000 for scholars from the mountain barangays.

Since 2009, the city has almost 10,000 scholars.

Some 1,558 children were also given assistance by the Cebu City Task Force on Street children to enroll in school this academic year.

The city government also continues to empower the Sangguniang Kabataan who are the primary advocates for the protection of children in their barangays. —(FREEMAN)