State of children in the city presented by Mayor Magalong during the 31st National Children’s Monty culmination program, Dec. 3
Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Sunday focused on the four pillars of childrens rights in his closing day message, with appreciation for presentations from the month-long youngsters’ talent shows.
Aside from talents, our youth should be allowed to develop leadership skills, present ideas to the city council and established groups, and sustain our being a child-friendly city, the mayor said.
The four pillars; survival, development, protection and presentation brought out data and facts on various programs as implemented by the local government.
As of Oct 2023, the Local Civil Registry recorded 6,110 live births; where 5,871 were born this year with 239 late registrants. The number is compared to data in 2022 where there were 6,919 live births; with 4,652 (67%) Baguio residents and 2,267 (33%) non-Baguio residents which shows that the city’s health care is not limited to those within its boundaries.
Of the 5,809 eligible population for the 0 to 12 months old; 2,697 (46.43%) were fully immunized in the 16 health centers and the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center Under Five Clinic (UFC).
Of the 266 recorded pregnant teen-agers, 32 (12.06%) had two shots of Tetanus Toxoid before giving birth, for maximum health protection of the infants. The teen-age mothers were given appropriate antenatal management for less health risks, Mayor Magalong said in his presentation.
The local government unit also assures that investment and development of the basic education system for 3 to 4-year-old children is implemented, in 114 LGU-managed child development centers where 4,691 and 4,893 children were served in SY 2022-23, and SY 2023-24, respectively. Supplementary feeding program is done in the venues costing the LGU P6,545,000.
For the said projects, the city is given the PaNaTa ko sa Bayan Award; Gawad Paglilingkod sa Sambayanan (GaPaS).
For the city’s elementary pupils and high school students, the recorded population is at 92,869; with 3,856 from other neighboring municipalities. This gives assurance that education is for all, and not limited only to Baguio residents.
Children with disabilities are catered to by the Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) of the City Mayor’s Office (CMO) in partnership with other agencies.
For the pillar of protection, the Local Council for the Protection of Children (LCPC) and barangay counterparts are partnering with various agencies including the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for child-related policies, programs and projects at grassroots level. Cases of child abuse, Children in conflict with the law (CICL), and Children at Risk (CAR) are brought into the attention of the proper offices. Interventions such as residential care, counselling, life skill sessions, and other forms of holistic rehabilitation including parenting sessions with capacity building are done.
Victims of abuse by family, strangers and acquaintances are now being prioritized to establish responsive mechanisms through intensified online awareness and a hotline.
With this, the mayor together with Special Services Division head Michelle Agbuya, PDAO head Dr. Samuel Aquino, DILG City head Millicent Carino, Helping Hands, Healing Hearts Ministries head Gina Claire Henderson, Committee chair on social services, women and urban poor Councilor Elmer Datuin, City Social Welfare and Development Office Officer-in-Charge Cynthia Langagan, proceeded to honor the winners of the Batalympics and Children Got Talent contests.
The theme for the celebration is “Healthy, Nourished, Sheltered; Ensuring the Right to Life for All.” – JGF
