Eastern Samar champions the cause of children

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
November 8, 2006

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  In line with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s proclamation of October 2006 to October 2007 as the National Year for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, Eastern Samar leads the other provinces in Eastern Visayas when it comes to championing the rights of children.

This fact could be glimpsed from the report of the Regional Sub Committee for the Welfare of Children on the status of formulation of the Four Gifts for Children in support of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and in the mainstreaming of the Child Friendly Movement.

Of the six provinces and four cities of Eastern Visayas, only Eastern Samar under the leadership of Governor Ben Evardone, has completed the formulation of the Four Gifts of Children. Eastern Samar has formulated the provincial development plan for children, the local investment plan for children, the local code for children and Governor Evardone has presented the local state of the children report.

DSWD 8 Director Letecia Corillo who is the chairperson of the Regional Sub Committee for the Welfare of Children, noted that the provinces of Southern Leyte under Governor Rosette Lerias, Biliran under Governor Espina and Northern Samar have completed the formulation of the three gifts and are in the process of formulating their Local Code for Children.

The Provinces of Leyte under Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla and Samar under Governor Mila Tan have also completed the formulation of the three gifts of children and has not started formulating the Local Code for Children.

Meanwhile, the City of Maasin is leading the other cities of the Region in championing the cause of children. It has completed three gifts and it is in the process of completing the fourth gift which is the Local Code for Children.

The City of Tacloban is now in the process of completing the all the four gifts except the local state of the children report. The City of Ormoc has not started formulating any of the four gifts, though.