KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) -- The regional assessment team led by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) concluded the four-day review of documents substantiating the functionality of local children’s council especially in drawing and implementing plans for the promotion of child and youth welfare in their respective localities.

Resuming the face-to-face mode from the virtual assessment done during the early stages of COVID-19 pandemic, the monitoring panel visited the provincial councils in Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, Cotabato, and Sarangani from May 24-31, 2022 which also included General Santos City being assessed for the “highly urbanized city” category.

“Establishment of local councils for the protection of children (LCPC) is mandated by statutes taking into account the fact that children are the ones who are most vulnerable to neglect, abuse and exploitation,” DILG 12 regional focal person Kimberly T. Tuanzon said in reference to Republic Act Nos. 9344 and 10630.

The local council for the protection of children is organized at the provincial, city, municipal and barangay levels and serves as the umbrella organization for all children’s concerns.

Citing various laws and DILG directives, Tuanzon also emphasized to local council members present during the assessment that the LGUs are mandated to allocate at least 1% of their internal revenue allotment (IRA) for strengthening of their LCPCs, in terms of functionality, relevance and effectiveness.

The council is rated based on their Organizational Stability (20%); Policies and Plans for Children (30%); Budget Allocation and Utilization (20%); and Service Delivery Monitoring and Management for Children (30%).

The level of LCPC functionality is Basic, when attaining a rating of 20% below; Progressive when it scores 21-50% rating; Mature-51-79%; and Ideal with 80-100% rating.

For 2020, the LCPCs of Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, Cotabato provinces and the city of General Santos got a rating of Ideal while the province of Sarangani scored a Mature rating.

The Regional Inter-Agency Monitoring Team (RIMTF) chaired by the DILG is composed of representatives from the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), National Nutrition Council (NNC) and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

The team is also assisted by child-focused institutions and non-government organizations like Save the Children and Notre Dame of Marbel University.

For the 2021 assessment, the RIMTF has found common problems encountered by the LCPCs such as inadequate number of meetings, decreased interactions among council members, unable to have a quorum, as well as limitations for a child representations during meetings-- all because of the restrictions during the pandemic.

Results of this year’s assessment will be submitted by the DILG to the National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO) and the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC). (AC Agad/PIA 12)