Bacolod City has been chosen regional winner in the search for the Most Child-Friendly City in the Philippines under the highly-urbanized cities category.

Bacolod will represent Western Visayas in the national search, which may be held in November, Councilor Ana Marie Palermo, chairman of the Committee on Family and Child Care and Development said yesterday. She also said the annual search is a commitment of the national government to make the Philippines a child-friendly country.

Palermo said the evaluation for the national search will be held from September to October.

Acting head Sally Abelarde of the Social Service and Development office said that, in selecting the winner, the regional sub-committee for the Welfare of Children considered six areas concerning children like the city's planning and policy formulation, service delivery regarding maternal and child care, social services, education program for children - community participation, children's involvement in various organizations, institutional bodies implemented by the city.

Among these is the Local Council for the Protection of Children chaired by the Mayor Evelio Leonardia. Abelarde said only Bacolod City has installed the "Balay Bata Corner" at the City Health Office, the "Kahon ng Kalusugan" in every barangay health center, has conducted two city-wide children's congress and implemented the search for the most child-friendly barangay.

The city has provided nurses at the Balay Bata Corner with scrub suits that have child-friendly designs and colors instead of dressing them up in their white uniforms in order to make children more comfortable, Palermo also said.

Abelarde said the Kahon ng Kalusugan, that is being implemented in every health center, is provided a pouch or bag that contains notes or reminders for barangay health workers, nurses or midwives regarding the children's schedule for their medication or immunization.*CGS

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