Center for women, children opened

COTABATO CITY --- The city government opened Tuesday last week the Center for Women and Children which will serve as the "run to" place of women and children who are being abused in their homes and communities.

The center will also provide support to the activities of the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children as the city is currently spending a quarter of its annual budget for programs and projects for this sector.

This year alone, the city has been recognized for its efforts in eradicating child labor and implementation of key programs that focus on children and youth development.

The city government has received the Seal of Child-friendly Governance that later resulted in Cotabato City being second placer in the Presidential Search for the Most Child Friendly Cities and Municipalities (in the Independent Component Cities category) in the whole country.

"The city government's commitment to the welfare and protection of children has always been our priority agenda of governance," Mayor Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi said.

This developed as 16 of 37 barangays here identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development have participated in the November 21-28 Seminar on Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Person, Child Labor, and Kasambahay Law.

The activity, spearheaded by the Office of the City Mayor-Public Employment Services Office with the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Trade and Industry, aims to educate the village officials, health workers, street educators, and village watchmen on the importance of protecting their constituents against illegal recruiters and upholding the rights of the house helpers.

The seminar, held at the huge function room of the city’s Negosyo Center, also updated participants on laws concerning vulnerable sectors like the youth and women.

City Administrator Dr. Danda Juanday told the participants that the city government would be expecting them to be its “arm” in preventing the people from engaging in illegal activities.

"You are the ones who are in touch with the grassroots so we depend on you to be the front liners in our fight against all forms of illegal activities in the city", he said. (PNA - Cotabato)