MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)–World Vision in partnership with the Ministry of Interior and Local Government (MILG) and City Social Welfare and Development Office convened village leaders in a summit aimed to bolster child protection at the community level.
The Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) Learning Summit held on July 29 at the City Hall Gym provided a refresher to the different BCPCs in the city to help them in performing their functions and responsibilities in protecting the children of Marawi and make them responsive to the needs of children in their locality.
The summit tacked the legal bases of the BCPC, its framework and structure, and the indicators of its functionality.
The participants coming from the city’s 96 barangays were also familiarized with the salient features of Presidential Decree 603, DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2022-121, and guided in the formulation of a Local Action Plan for Children.
The BCPC is in charge of planning and implementing activities on child protection at the barangay level with the punong barangay (village chief) as chair.
“Ang BCPC ay isang mahalagang straktura sa isang barangay. Kailangan nating gawing functional at gumagalaw, at pag mayroong mga isyu sa bata madali lang e-convene ang council para pag usapan ito,” said World Vision Development Foundation Mindanao Field Office Manager Elizabeth Delgado.
[The BCPC is an important structure in a barangay. We need to make it functional and working, and easy to convene when there are issues about children to discuss.]
She said emphasized that having a functional BCPC will eliminate the wrong perception that the government is not working when it comes to child protection.
In his inspirational message, City Mayor Majul Gandamra conveyed his gratitude to World Vision and MILG for the support extended to the city government and the barangays.
“Ang inyong mga inputs at ang inyong patuloy na paggabay sa ating mga punong barangay ay gagamitin nilang instrumento at nang sa ganon ay mas maging maayos ang kanilang pagiging lingkod-bayan,” he said.
