Innovative programs for kids implemented in Bataan

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

MARIVELES, Bataan -- To create an environment where children could grow to their full potential at every stage of their development, the Municipal Council on the Protection of Children (MCPC) here has been implementing innovative projects for children.

The MCPC’s “child strategies” include the legislation of ordinances to ensure the rights of children, the allotment of a budget for children’s activities, and the setting up of interventions where the interest of the child is given first priority.

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These are being implemented by the 18 barangays of Mariveles, which have functioning Barangay Councils for the Protection of Children (BCPC).

The “TB in Children Program” had 200 children, below 10 years old, who are at risk of having tuberculosis as its beneficiaries.

The free newborn screening has for its theme “Agap sa Kinabukasan at Kalusugan, Laya ng bagong silang” where the first 30 children born on October 1, 2010 and onwards availed of free newborn screening.

The nutritional status of severely malnourished children is checked through the daily feeding of nutritious snacks and fortified foods, under the “Tutok Malnoris Program,” which has rehabilitated 23 pupils from being severely underweight to having normal weight, and 11 kids from being severely underweight to being underweight.

To emphasize that caring for the unborn also means caring for its mother, the Buntis Congress conducted activities relevant to pregnant and reproductive women. This included the buntis beauty pageant, buntis galaw-sayaw, buntis fun festival, buntis exhibit and buntis package counter.

Through the “Serbisyong Abot-Kamay hanggang Barangay,” residents of Mariveles availed of free medical and dental check-ups, while children underwent birth registration. An orientation on family health was also conducted.

Nine Aeta children go to school now because of the Children’s Welfare Fund, which was raised from coin banks placed at the PNB Mariveles Branch.

The municipality also sponsored the scholarships of 351 high school and college students under its Iskolar ng Bayan program.

Mayor and concurrent MCPC chair Jesse Concepcion said Mariveles was a regional winner of the Search for the Most Child-Friendly Municipality last April 19, 2010 and went on to win third place in the National Level last April 22 held at Malacañang.

This year, they aim to join the Hall of Fame.