Child-Friendly Barangays Feted
VOL. XVIII NO. 4 (Nov 1-7, 2014)
BAGUIO CITY – After days of evaluation, interviews, site visit and validation of child-friendly entries of ten barangays, Loakan Proper led by PB Jesusa Viscaya topped the search with a plaque of recognition and P40,000 cash prize.
Upper Rock Quarry barangay, missing out on a third consecutive win to be a hall-of-famer, is second with P30,000 cash prize; and MRR Queen of Peace as third, with P20,000.
City Camp Proper, Greenwater Village, HolyGhost Extension, Irisan, Lualhati, Middle Rock Quarry and Quezon Hill Proper received plaques of recognition and cash awards of P5,000 each, for their participation.
The search is done as part of the National Children’s Month celebration with the theme, “Bata, Kasali ka, Ikaw ay Mahalaga,” spearheaded by the Social Welfare Department Office and Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda, as head of the committee for Social Services, Women and Urban Poor.
Judges for the contest were Department of Interior and Local Government Officer Amor Lapastora, City Planning and Development Officers Nellie de la Cerna and Raul Ocasion, Baguio City Youth Association representative Marlene Baltazar de Castro, Special Services Division Officer Alberto Tomas, Sangguniang Panlungsod representative Carmelita Bayquen, Health Services Office representatives Purificacion Serna and Zenaida Quijana.
The contest was judged as to youth development programs, documentation, the use of the development fund for children, trainings attended by members, and most important is the barangay resolution mandating the plan of action, Marlene de Castro of BCYA announced.
Councilor Tabanda urged for more barangay participation next year, as she handed out certificates to judges and winners of the Children Got Talent contests, which shared the program’s limelight.
Presidential Proclamation 267 in 1993 by then President Fidel Ramos stated that the government “recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being.”
Events for the children’s month were: a Juvenile Justice Administration Forum; talent contests for day care and elementary age children; vaccination for BCG, Hepa B, Penta, OPV, MMR and Anti-Measles; Personal Care, Guidance Service and Anti-Bullying and child-protection lectures; spiritual counseling; feeding program; medical and dental mission; musical concert; parade of International Costumes; and childrens’ health fair and advocacy on the rights of the child/Julie G. Fianza
