IN THE first three months of his administration, Talisay City, Cebu Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas Jr. said 3,813 babies were immunized in 22 barangay health centers.
The local executive reported this during his State of the Children’s Address on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019.
November is observed as the National Children’s Month. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted on Nov. 20, 1989.
Gullas stressed the importance of immunization as it would help protect the children’s well-being.
He said one of the Talisay City Health Office’s best practices is the issuance of call cards to mothers. A mother who missed their immunization would receive a call from a barangay health worker to remind her about it.
The City recorded 538 teenage pregnancies. These young mothers, said Gullas, received prenatal and postnatal care from health clinics.
In the past 10 months, the number of malnourished kids dropped to 1,255. This showed a decrease of 3.56 percent from 3,404 in the same period in 2018.
Gullas, in his speech, said children have the right to live and be protected.
He reported that the City was awarded with the Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance. It was conferred by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)–Council for the Welfare of Children.
The City was also awarded for protecting children from becoming victims of sex tourism.
About abused children: Gullas said the City shelters them in a facility, which is open for 24 hours every day. The facility assisted 58 persons in the past months—25 children, 10 adult women, 15 sexually abused children, four physically abused minors and four rescued victims of human trafficking.
The facility was allocated with a budget of P3 million.
A home was also opened for children in conflict with the law.
Gullas said he has several program for the children and youth, including scholarship and free tuition at the Talisay City College. (FMD, RSR)