‘Child-friendly’ LGUs now at 1,091 – CWC

There are now more child-friendly local government units in the country, from 372 LGUs that implement programs to serve children in 2022 to 1,091 in 2025, the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) said on Monday. 

“We are part of the Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit na pinamumunuan po ng DILG. This is a yearly mandatory audit for our LGUs to ensure that they are child-friendly,” said CWC Executive Director Angelo Tapales.

(We are part of the Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit which is led by the DILG. This is a yearly mandatory audit for our LGUs to ensure that they are child-friendly.)

“...Noong 2022 noong pumasok tayo sa gobyerno nitong administration na ito, iyong child-friendly LGUs lang natin noon ay 372 out of 1,634. Ngayon naman after three years iyong 372 natin 1,091 na – so, ang laki na noong itinalon ‘no pero of course we have a long way to go.” 

(... In 2022, when we entered the government in this administration, our child-friendly LGUs were only 372 out of 1,634. Now, after three years, our 372 has become 1,091 – so, that’s a huge jump, right? But of course, we have a long way to go.)

One of the factors in the increase in “child-friendly” localities is the implementation of ordinances dealing with online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC). 

“So, ngayon po since may directive ang Pangulo, iyan po ay nakasama na doon sa 2025 guidelines and LGUs now are really mandated to have OSAEC ordinances, have OSAEC-trained people. Para kapag may nagsumbong pong bata at mga magulang and of course iyong mga referral mechanisms po nila kailangan mayroon sila at iyan po kasi tsini-check na doon sa audit,” said Tapales. 

(So, now since there is a directive from the President, that has been included in the 2025 guidelines and LGUs now are really mandated to have OSAEC ordinances, have OSAEC-trained people. So that when a child and the parents report something, and of course their referral mechanisms, they need to have them, and that is what is being checked in the audit.) 

“Maganda ang cooperation ng lahat, buhay na buhay ang National Coordination Center on OSAEC and CSAEM (Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials). And of course kasama namin ang DOJ diyan, ang PNP, NBI at iba’t ibang mga ahensiya pa po na talagang lumalaban po dito sa online sexual abuse.”

(There is good cooperation, the National Coordination Center on OSAEC and CSAEM is very much active. And of course, the DOJ, the PNP, NBI, and other agencies are with us in fighting online sexual abuse.) 

The CWC official also pointed out that children’s welfare should begin at home, adding that corporal punishment is not the proper way to discipline children.

“So, kaya’t inaabot po namin ang mga magulang. We are creating awareness because most of the violence against children reported with the PNP really are corporal punishment or being done by some. Alam mo na, misguided parents na medyo sinasaktan nang todo-todo ang mga bata in the name of discipline ‘no,” said Tapales. 

(So, that’s why we are reaching out to parents. We are creating awareness because most of the violence against children reported with the PNP are corporal punishment or being done by some, you know, misguided parents who hurt children severely in the name of discipline.) 

“So, we want to change that because child protection should really start in our homes and after that, it continues in our schools. Kaya po katrabaho rin namin ang DepEd, and it continues in our communities that’s why we want LGUs to be child-friendly,” he added. 

(So, we want to change that because child protection should really start in our homes and after that, it continues in our schools. That’s why the DepEd is also our partner, and it continues in our communities, that's why we want LGUs to be child-friendly.) — JMA, GMA Integrated News