Trinidad top contender for nat’l child-friendly award

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -This capital town is vying for the “Presidential Award for Most Child Friendly Towns and Cities” in the whole country.

Being Cordillera’s lone finalist in the 2012 Presidential Award, La Trinidad is a top contender in the first to third class municipality category alongside the towns of Mariveles in Bataan, Agoo in La Union, Labo in Camarines Norte, and Tubigon in Bohol.

In a welcome banquet for members of the national awards committee, La Trinidad Mayor Gregorio Abalos said he was thrilled that his town was shortlisted for the award.

This recognition, he said, “will give an identity for the municipality.”

Leonardo Reynoso, Regional Council for the Welfare of Children chairperson and DSWD-Cordillera Director,said the highland region needs a model child-friendly local government unit.

“There should be a national awardee (from us),” the director said.

In 2011, Baguio, which was the region’s national finalist in the highly urbanized city category, failed to make it in this year’s list of national contenders.

Kiangan town in Ifugao, which is Cordillera’s nominee in the fourth to sixth class municipality category, also failed to make it to the national shortlist this year.

Meanwhile, a team from the national awards committee is set to do on-site validation and assessment in La Trinidad on September 10-13 to look into the town’s programs and services for children.

The validation will determine La Trinidad’s chance of clinching the Presidential Award that will be presented in a national awards ceremony set tentatively on December 10, 2012 at the Malacañan Palace.

The nominees from the Cordillera will automatically be proclaimed as regional winners and will receive a plaque of recognition and P50,000 cash prize.

The Presidential Award for Child Friendly Municipalities and Cities was established in 1999 and is conferred to deserving local government units in recognition of their l role in the sustained promotion of children’s rights to survival, development, protection and participation as well as in ensuring child-friendly governance.