The plethora of festivals that have been held, currently being celebrated and are about to be conducted in our beautiful archipelago seems to be a welcome sign that the worst is over when it comes to the Covid-19.
Despite the seeming normality we are enjoying nowadays, our health and local officials often remind us to not let our guards down and continue practicing minimum public health standards and have ourselves vaccinated and bolstered especially if we belong to vulnerable groups like senior citizens and those with comorbidities.
Obviously, this near-sighted Ibaloy writer supports this appeal for caution being a strong believer in the dictum that “It is better to be safe than sorry”. So, while we participate and immerse ourselves in joyful events like festivals, concerts, sports events, and the like, let us not forget that Covid-19 is still lurking out there and we should not be complacent and continue to protect ourselves from its deadly embrace.
The Local Council for the Protection of Children (LCPC) chaired by Mayor Benjamin Magalong will establish a hotline/helpline through social media to be operational by April.
In a meeting last Feb. 17, presided by co-chair, Councilor Elmer Datuin, who heads the city council’s committee on social services, women and urban poor, said he will sponsor an ordinance to strengthen an earlier executive order creating the LCPC to finalize its membership, ensure their commitment, have additional funds, and more.
The Helping Hands, Healing Hearts Ministries, a non-government organization, also co-chairs the LCPC
Social Welfare Officer 3 Ellen Dayag, the LCPC’s secretariat, said the mayor issued Executive Order 139, s. 2019, reconstituting the Council for the Protection of Children in Baguio (CCPC).
Dayag said the creation of an LCPC is in line with Republic Act 7610 that calls for the stronger deterrence and special protection of children against child abuse, exploitation and discrimination and provisions of the Civil Code of the Philippines that the government shall establish councils for the protection of children.
Its functions, among others, include formulating plans, programs and policies for children that are gender-fair, culturally relevant and responsive to the needs of diverse groups of children below 18 years of age.
An orientation meeting will be conducted during the first semester of the year on the roles of LCPC members and also an information and education campaign through a media forum conducted by the City Mayor’s Office Public Information Division.
May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to bless and keep us all safe.
