The Mandaluyong City local government announced Friday, June 24, that it has achieved another milestone after getting the highest passing mark in the 2019 Child Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA).
According to the city government, the city has garnered a total score of 95.5 percent in the audit given by the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC).
The two-time presidential awardee bested 16 other eligible local government units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region (NCR) for the honor and is set to represent the region in another national distinction for championing children’s rights.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary for Mindanao Affairs and Special Concerns Marjorie Jalosjos said the score given to the city will serve as one of the bases of DILG regional and field officers and the CWC in providing technical assistance to LGUs in planning and programming services for the protection and welfare of their children.
"We're very thankful to the CWC and DILG for recognizing our efforts to make Mandaluyong one of the safest cities for children in the country. This also serves as a challenge for us to come up with better laws, more innovative programs, and services that children will benefit from," Mandaluyong City Mayor Carmelita Abalos said.
In 2011 and 2017, Mandaluyong City was conferred the Presidential Award for the Most Child-Friendly City in the Philippines under the Highly Urbanized City category.
On June 20, the city government was also duly recognized by the Commission on Audit (COA) after it recorded the highest audit mark in the year 2021.
In a Facebook post, it said that COA gave the city an Unmodified/Unqualified Opinion based on the city’s Annual Audit Report for Calendar Year 2021, which means that the financial statements for the year 2021 the agency obtained from the city government “is sufficient and appropriate to a basis for our unmodified/unqualified opinion.”
An unmodified/unqualified opinion is the highest mark issued by the COA after its auditors conclude that the financial statements submitted by a local government unit or agency is in accordance with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).
This meant that Mandaluyong City’s financial statements pertaining to the implemented strategic programs, services and policies covered in the independent audit report were free from material misstatements.