Labo, Camaligan named Bicol's Best Child Friendly Towns

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, Albay, June 11 (PIA) -- The towns of Labo in Camarines Norte and Camaligan in Camarines Sur were declared regional winners for the Best Child Friendly Municipality 2011.

In the awarding ceremony held at Naga City Science Centrum on June 5, Labo mayor Dindo Pardo and Camaligan mayor Emmanuel Prado each received a cash prize of P50,000 and certificate of recognition.

The awards were conferred by Elino Bordelon of the Regional Council for the Welfare of Children (RCWC) and Nilsa Matamorosa of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Bicol.

Camaligan is the 2011 regional winner for the Best Child Friendly Municipality in the fifth class municipality category while Labo bagged the same award for the first class municipality category.

Mayor Pardo said the award is the second citation that the town of Labo received in the same category.

Prado meanwhile said that it is not the cash prize that counts but the award will serve as a challenge for them to see what more they could do for the benefit of the children especially the disadvantaged one.

DSWD-5 regional director Remia Tapispisan, chairman of the Regional Council for the Welfare of Children, explained that the Presidential Award for the Child Friendly Municipalities and Cities was initiated by the Council for the Welfare of Children pursuant to Executive No.184 series of 1999 entitled “Establishing the Presidential Award for the Child Friendly Municipalities and Cities.”

The award is considered as a self-assessment mechanism of the level of child friendliness of a particular city or municipality and at the same time gives recognition to LGUs that put in place a “child-friendly” environment and upholds the rights of Filipino children to survival, development, protection, and participation. (DSWD5/MAL/EEJ-PIA5)