March 29, 2024

The city government in coordination with concerned agencies is doubling efforts to achieve a child-friendly status for Baguio.
In a report to fellow department heads last week, City Health Officer Rowena Galpo said better results will be seen in the next Child Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA).
Categories and scores for the LGU CFLGA are survival, 15 points; development, 15 points; protection, 15 points; participation, 15 points; and governance, 40 points.
The passing score for the first four categories is 12 points each, and 32 points for governance, with the favorable score at 80.
However, failure to acquire the passing level in one category, even if the overall score of 80 is reached, is reason for an LGU’s failure. 
In the report, the city got seven in survival which is below the passing score of 12; development – 13; protection – 15; participation – 14.41; and governance – 32.90; for a total of 82.31.
In the survival category, the city scored less than the highest possible score and would have needed five points for the passing score.
The city fared well in children’s immunization, hurdled the numbers in the prevalence of children’s malnutrition, but barely made it in with data needed in the adolescents’ prenatal and postpartum services.
Data for 571 pregnant adolescents age 10 to 14 and 15 to 19; show 233 were recorded with at least four prenatal visits; with only 40.81 percent coverage.
Of the 350 pregnant adolescents who gave birth, 224 had at least two postpartum visits – a 64 percent coverage. Both composite scores do not reach the lowest rung for a point, thus only seven points were collated from indicators other than the pregnant adolescents’ data.
For the succeeding CFLGA, confidential information from public and private health care professionals for pregnant adolescents would be collated for a clearer view on statistics.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong said records would be exclusive for CFLGA.      
In other categories, the city scored well, specifically in governance: the database and annual children’s report; implemented local plans; and local code for children.
In budgeting for children’s plans, programs and activities (PPAs), the city accomplished much more than needed.
An allocation of P215,245,498 out of P1,961,500,000 had the city a 10.97 percent allocation rate, with four points at the 10 percent cap.
For budget allocation (P215,246,498) and utilization (P281,557,603.46) for children’s PPAs, 130.81 percent was achieved, breaching the 100 percent cap.
Functional LCPCs; child-friendly facilities in the barangays; early childhood care and development (ECCD) services in public and private; and accredited or recognized center, home or community-based, also scored well in the CFLGA.
Out-of-school children and youth assisted for enrollment and re-enrollment to school and alternative learning system or other flexible learning options also found perfect marks in the CFLGA, with pupils and students from the surrounding municipalities enrolling in the city’s educational institutions.
The CFLGA is a DILG-led, result-based assessment tool, annual mandatory audit for cities and municipalities.
The LGU’s performance in implementing children-friendly policies, plans, programs, and services serves as basis for plans and programs for children and also recognize good LGU practices.  
A seal of CFLGA is conferred to LGUs which passed the annual assessment and which can qualify the LGU for a presidential award for child-friendly municipality/ies and city/ies.
The seal is also a requirement for the Seal of Local Governance of the DILG. – Julie G. Fianza