Davao de Oro, Philippines – As the 31st National Children’s Month concludes this November, the Davao de Oro provincial government has announced its commitment to bolstering child protection programs for the upcoming year. Governor Dorothy Gonzaga, in a statement released on Wednesday, outlined several key initiatives set to be implemented in 2024 to improve child welfare in the province.
According to Philippines News Agency, the enhanced child protection agenda for 2024 will focus on several critical areas. These include strengthening advocacy for facility-based delivery and breastfeeding of infants, enhancing health and nutrition services, and addressing the widespread issue of malnutrition among children in the province. Gonzaga emphasized the importance of realizing and fulfilling children’s rights to ensure their full potential and development, highlighting children as the future human capital of Davao de Oro.
The governor’s plans also involve the potential establishment of a child protection unit in hospitals, expanding scholarship programs, improving residential care facilities, and intensifying the dissemination of information about various laws and ordinances related to child welfare. She noted that despite budgetary and resource limitations, the province has successfully implemented child-friendly and youth-centered programs and activities.
Davao de Oro’s commitment to child protection was recognized earlier this year when the Department of the Interior and Local Government awarded the province as the most ideal in the 2022 Provincial Council for the Protection of Children Functionality Assessment. The province received the highest functionality score of 90.74 percent among all six provinces in the region, reflecting its dedication to safeguarding and promoting the rights and welfare of children.
