San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora outlined the city government's present and future initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life of the San Juaneño youth during his "State of the Children Address" held on Monday, Nov. 23.

(Photo by Noel Pabalate)

The event was held in time for National Children’s Month at the atrium of the city hall. It was attended by Council for the Welfare of Children Executive Director USec. Angelo Tapales, Makabata Helpline Project Development Officer Meanard Ilagan, San Juan City Vice Mayor Angelo Agcaoili, and the rest of the city council members.

With the theme “Healthy, Nourished, Sheltered: Ensuring the Right to Life for All,” Mayor Zamora discussed the city’s efforts to address the needs of every Kabataang San Juaneño. 

He highlighted the City Social Welfare and Development’s (CSWD) programs and projects under the helm of the City Social Welfare and Development and other departments and offices that follow the four pillars under the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Children -- the right to life and survival, development, protection, and participation.

Zamora emphasized San Juan's dedication in giving the best quality of life and public service San Juaneño parents and their children can have, starting from conception to childbirth, providing the right nutrition, education, and encouraging the youth to engage in their community and have their voices heard.

Through all these efforts, the city was recognized as a “Child-Friendly Local Government Unit” by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the 2023 Urban Governance Exemplar Awards.

The mayor said the San Juan Local Council for the Protection of Children (LCPC) and the San Juan Local Committee on Anti-Trafficking and Violence Against Women and their Children (LCAT-VAWC) were also recognized by the DILG as "highly functional" council and committee after getting a rating of 91.37 percent and 94 percent, respectively.

The city also allotted P33,942,830.67 or 12.42 percent of the city’s annual budget to fund the programs and services for the children.

Education

This school year, students studying and living in San Juan were given school uniforms, free school supplies and materials as well as providing them with WiFi in school, including all common areas within the school vicinity, and smart TVs. At home, they were also given free fiber optic internet connection, tablets and laptops for school.

The city also regularly provides educational assistance to students through the office of San Juan City Rep. Bel Zamora.

Honor students were also given cash grants between P2,000-10,000, while student athletes were given financial incentives.

Monthly educational assistance is also available for the children of underprivileged solo parents; 100 children who need special protection, including victim-survivors of violence; children in conflict with the law, children at risk, and children under foster care.

Facilities were also founded for the benefit of the children and youth. These include basketball courts and child development centers under the Early Childhood Care and Development Program of San Juan.

San Juaneño youth are also given counseling, career guidance seminars, and job opportunities through the Public Employment and Service Office’s Special Program for Employment of Students to prepare them for the “real world” once they graduate and help augment their needs.

Child Protection

In terms of their protection, the San Juan Philippine National Police (PNP) also delivers advocacy activities such as the BIDA or “Buhay ay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan” Program and Project ViBES or “Virtual Bisita Eskwela - I am Strong” to keep them away from drugs and help them protect themselves from abuse. Women and Children’s Desk are also placed in every barangay to make reporting easier for abused women and children.

“Malayo na ang narating ng ating mga sinimulan at ng ating pagtutulungan para maitaguyod ang mga karapatan ng ating mga kabataan. Nakasisiguro po kayo na ang inyong lingkod, kasama ang lahat ng departamento, opisina at kawani ng inyong pamahalaang lungsod ng San Juan, ay patuloy na maglalaan ng pondo at magpapatupad ng mga programa at serbisyo para sa ating mga kabataan (We have come a long way since we started these advocacies and coordination to ensure the rights of our children are being given and taken cared of. You can all be assured that I, together with all departments, offices, and officials of the city government of San Juan will continue to allocate funds for the continuation of all our programs and services for the youth)," Zamora, who is also the Metro Manila Council (MMC) president, said.

For his part, Usec. Tapales stressed that all children in San Juan are lucky because of its functional local councils which ensurres the protection of children up to the barangay level. He also lauded the city government for its achievement of passing the DILG's Child-Friendly Local Governance audit and the seal of Child-Friendly Local Government Unit.

"Out of 1,634 LGUs, 782 lang ang nakakuha ng seal na 'yan, at sa NCR, 7 lang, isa po dun ang San Juan (Out of 1,634 LGUs, only 782 were awarded the said seal and in  NCR, only seven cities received the citation and one of them is San Juan)," he noted.

The city government had also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Council for the Welfare of Children and launched the Makabata 1383 Helpline, a national hotline that concerned citizens may call, text or email should they witness or experience child abuse. This supplements the existing helplines in the country. 

San Juan City is also the first city in NCR to sign an MOU with the Council for the Welfare of Children.