Once again, the city government of Biñan, Laguna has been recognized for its efforts to ensure that no Biñanense – most especially its youth – will be left behind.
Recently, the city was recognized by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) as among the 12 local government units (LGUs) in Laguna province who successfully passed its 2022 Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA).
This meant that the LGU was eligible to receive the Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance (SCFLG) award.
“We’re proud to say that the City of Biñan ang Top 1 sa Laguna pagdating sa Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit,” Olay Casbadillo, head of the Biñan City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), told OpinYon Laguna.
From the womb
How did the City of Biñan able to maintain its status as a “child-friendly” city?
This achievement, according to Casbadillo, was primarily due to the many programs the CSWDO (in cooperation with other local and national government agencies) spearheaded “from the womb,” so to speak.
“Ang pag-a-audit kasi ng DILG ay binabase sa limang categories based on the so-called ‘children’s rights’: survival, development, protection, participation, and governance,” the CSWDO head said in an interview with OpinYon Laguna.
“Sa ‘survival’ aspect po, kalimitan ay tinitignan dito yung percentage ilan ba yung nababakunahan na mga bata at the age of 12 months. Sa programang ito, naka-tie up naming ang City Health Office, gayundin sa pagsugpo sa malnutrisyon sa mga batang edad 0 to 59 months,” she explained.
The city government also provides assistance to pregnant Biñanense women, including teenage mothers, in the form of pre-natal check-ups and other services.
However, the CSWDO believes their main goal should be the prevention of early pregnancies, something that could only be achieved through a massive information campaign with the involvement of parents of teens.
“Pagdating naman po sa isyu ng teenage pregnancies, may advocacy program po tayo diyan. Dati po, halos CSWDO po ang gumaganap lahat ng programs under that, ngayon po ay katuwang na po natin ang City Population Office at ang City Health Office. Bumababa po kami sa mga komunidad, sa mga paaralan, para sa ating adbokasiya na maiwasan ang early pregnancy,” Casbadillo related.
“Sa pananaw po kasi namin, dapat na pong baguhin ang kultura, dapat mga magulang na po ang unang gumagabay sa ating mga kabataan. Alam naman natin na sa kultura natin, hindi pwedeng pag-usapan ang ganitong mga bagay, pero iba na po ang trend ngayon lalo na sa mga kabataan,” she explained.
Child development
“Pagdating naman po sa ‘child development,’ ang focus po natin dito ay sa education, so ang laging hinahanap dito ay yung ating mga bat ana edad 3 to 4 years old, kung nabibigyan ba sila ng Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) programs and services,” Casbadillo continued.
This is where the city’s child development centers (formerly known as day-care centers) come into play, she explained, adding that Biñan City now has 50 child development centers serving its 24 barangays.
The CSWDO also mentioned that aside from the various programs the LGU has in support of Biñan City’s education sector, it has also focused on ensuring that its “out-of-school youth” will still be given the chance for a better life.
“Confident naman kami na tumataas ang porsyiento ng mga out-of-school youth na nase-serve namin, lalo na’t hindi lang naman tayo ang nakatutok diyan. Nandyan na kasi ang ating YASDO [Youth and Sports Development Office], kaya masyadong very particular na tayo don sa programa ng out-of-school youth. And of course, dahil na rin sa iba pang mga programa natin gaya ng cash vouchers for our senior high school students at ang ‘Iskolar ng Biñan,’ marami tayong tumigil o napatigil sa pag-aaral na bumabalik sa pag-aaral,” Casbadillo added.
Public involvement
Casbadillo also acknowledged the vital role of non-government organizations (NGOs), individual and group volunteers, and the private sector in the success of their programs.
“Lagi nga pong sinasabi ng ating Mayor Arman Dimaguila, ‘sa lungsod ng Biñan, mamamayan ay maaasahan,’ di po ba? Ang gusto po kasi natin dito ay lahat ng mga Biñanense ay mai-involve sa mga programa ng LGU, dahil sila rin naman po ang makikinabang dito. So sa award po na ito, pinatunayan natin to di lang tayong LGU ang gumagalaw kundi ang mga volunteers, the parents, and kahit po mga bata na involved sa projects natin. Sa paniniwala po kasi namin, hindi kami magiging successful sa implementation nyan kung hindi nag-participate ang lahat,” she explained.
But more than this latest award, Casbadillo said they get their satisfaction the most from the Biñanenses, especially the children, who express their gratitude for their programs.
“Lalo po tayong nagpupursigi, hindi lamang po sa award na ito, kundi dahil nais nating maiparating sa ating mga Biñanense, lalo na sa mga kabataan, na karamay nila ang LGU para mapabuti pa ang buhay nila. Gusto rin po nating makita nila na ginagawa ito ng LGU pinahahalagahan ng LGU ang bawat isang Biñanense, at siyempre, yung iba naman na malalaki yung taxes, ay mare-realize nila na sa simpleng pagbabayad nila ng buwis ay nakakatulong din pala don sa mga kapus-palad nating kababayan,” she said.
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