New Lucena receives Presidential Award as Child-Friendly Municipality
The Municipality of New Lucena once again brought honor to the Province of Iloilo as it garnered the Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Municipality for 2006 in the 4th-6th class municipalities category in an awarding ceremony held at the Malacañang Palace on February 7, 2007.
The award was personally received by New Lucena Mayor June S. Mondejar with Mrs. Agnes Germo, Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer and Dr. Ma. Cristina S. Reala, Municipal Health Officer from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Provincial Government Department Head and Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Neneth Q. Pador said New Lucena was chosen among the seven municipalities nominated for validation and evaluation.
These municipalities include Janiuay, Concepcion, New Lucena, Guimbal, Calinog, Miagao and Dumangas.
Out of seven nominees, the municipalities of Concepcion and New Lucena were nominated to the regional level after a thorough validation of the Provincial Technical Working Group last June 21, 2006, she added.
Pador said New Lucena was nominated to the national level after further validation and evaluation of the Regional Awards Committee.
She said the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) launched this yearly search for Child-Friendly Municipalities and Cities last November 13, 1999 and it was elevated to a Presidential Award through Executive Order No. 184 Series of 1999.
The search is open to all cities and municipalities that meet the minimum requirements which include Local Development and Investment for Children (can be separated or integrated in Local Development Plan), Local Ordinances supporting children’s rights, and Data bank system on children.
New Lucena received a Presidential Child-Friendly trophy and P300,000 in cash to be used for further development of the Child-friendly programs in the said municipality.
Meanwhile, Gov. Niel D. Tupas, Sr. lauded Mayor Mondejar with this prestigious award and honor his municipality has given to the Province.
He said this was the first time the that a municipality has garnered this national award as a child-friendly municipality and hoping this will encourage the rest of the municipalities in the province to fully implement their advocacies on children.
(IEspada with Ma. Janice B. Gancero)