By: Raymond Delgado

TUBIGON.-- The municipality’s social welfare and development office is all efforts for another feat to be accomplished as it subjected itself to a provincial evaluation in some random barangays in Tubigon on June 7 hoping that it would eventually qualify the town to the regional evaluation to the Child Friendly Municipality Award. The barangays evaluated were Matabao, Panaytayon, Pooc Oriental, and Centro. The team of provincial evaluators was composed of Ms. Jesusa Comodas (Department of Social Welfare),Ms. Elizabeth Castolo (DepEd), Ms. Juliet Olalo (Department of Interior and Local Government), and Ms. Abeth Amodia (Provincial Heath Office). The aim of the evaluationwas to assess the municipality’s conduciveness and favorability to children in terms of; education, social welfare services, health conditions, and local governance. The school’s facilities, enrolment records, educational participation and completion rate were the primary concerns of the evaluation from Department of Education (DepEd). Programs, projects and activities of the academic institutions and the implementation of the Alternative Learning System were also taken into consideration.

The facilities, teaching instruction, programs, projects and activities being implemented in day care centers are the points for evaluation of the Department of Social Welfare and Development evaluator. The organization of the barangay council for the protection children, capability development initiatives for service provider, budgetary requirements and legislation supporting children’s welfare and rights are the consideration of the Department of Interior and Local Government. On the other hand, the delegation from the Provincial Health Office sees to it that nutrition related records and programs concerning children’s health are properly implemented and monitored. Various stakeholders from the respective offices and organizations were the respondents of such evaluations such as principals, teachers, day care workers, health workers, barangay captains, councillors. “We have been conferred with the award in 2009; we must not rest on our laurels but instead we should work hard in order to sustain the same award.” , Municipal Social Welfare Officer Victoria Simbajon relates. The municipality has been awarded last 2009 for being consistent in the evaluation for three consecutive years.