MANILA, Dec. 6 – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has underscored the need for local government units (LGUs) to continue best practices and programs for children towards good governance.
“Children are the most affected of economic problems in the Philippines particularly with the persistent rates of malnutrition which calls the need for our LGUs to craft adaptive and innovative programs to address this pressing concern,” said DILG Undersecretary Austere A. Panadero during his speech at the GalingPook Fair 2016 at Novotel Manila in Quezon City recently.
Panadero cited the research made by the Save the Children and the Food and Nutrition Research Institute that 21.5% of Filipinos under five years of age are underweight, 33% are stunted and 7.1% are obese.
“It is a challenge on how the children can focus on studies when their stomachs are empty. As a parent and public servant, this is unacceptable,” he said. “Clearly, we have to work together to give love and serve them better. We should start in our own houses and capacitate our people and encourage them to have a critical mind,” he added.
(DILG) During the activity, best practices and proven programs of LGUs for children were presented by Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian (Education 360), San Felipe Mayor Carolyn Farinas (Community Health) and former Mandaluyong City Mayor BenhurAbalos (Children with Special Needs).
“The best practices of our LGUs can be replicated in accordance to its community’s concerns to enable them to participate not only in the country’s improvement but also to their personal capacities,”Panadero said.
Apart from the DILG and the Local Government Academy (LGA), other collaborators and partners present were LGUs, LGU Leagues, Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), SEAOIL Foundation, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), Synergeia Foundation, Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) and Caucus of Development NGO (CODE NGO).
The said event carried the theme “Adapt+Innovate” which focuses on the welfare, protection and development of children. The GalingPook Fair 2016 was organized by the GalingPook Foundation in partnership with the DILG and LGA. (DILG)
