MANILA, Philippines – Starting this year, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) will assess the performance of local government units (LGUs) in the delivery of social services that promote the welfare of children.
Called the Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA), the audit system will measure LGUs performance in the delivery of services that would generate positive results for children, says DILG Secretary Mar Roxas.
Under the CFLGA, all cities and municipalities shall be assessed to gauge their level of performance in implementing child-friendly programs and instituting measures that promote children’s welfare.
He urged provincial governors, city and municipal mayors including local officials in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to support the CFLGA.
In a circular, Roxas ordered DILG regional directors to organize and mobilize audit teams at all levels to coordinate with the LGUs in the conduct of the CFLGA and appealed to LGUs led by provincial governors, city and municipal mayors for their support.
“Kailangan ng pakikipag-tulungan ng local na pamahalaan bilang pangunahing sandata sa pag-bibigay ng serbisyo publiko kasama na ang mga kabataan upang matagumpay na maipatupad ang programa para sa kapakanan ng mga bata” he said.
According to Roxas, the national government’s efforts in tandem with the LGUs are geared towards addressing the four broad categories of a child’s right to survival, development, protection, and participation.
“Isa itong paraan upang isulong ang pagiging child-sensitive at child-friendly ng ating mga komunidad,” Roxas said.
The Council for the Welfare of Chidren has adopted the audit and would be using the audit result as inputs in the conferment of the Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance.
The assessment criteria shall use benchmarks and a scaling system in measuring the results and performance of the LGUs consistent to national standards, averages or targets.
