MORE than 40 Cebu local government units (LGUs) have made a remarkable achievement in Central Visayas in the area of children’s welfare.
Mandaue City stood out as the sole highly urbanized city (HUC) in Cebu to earn the recognition from the Department of the Interior and Local Government in Central Visayas (DILG 7).
The announcements were made on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
Thirty-five municipalities and six cities in Cebu attained an “ideal” functionality level for their Local Councils for the Protection of Children (LCPC) for Calendar Year 2025.
The 35 towns that achieved the distinction are the following: Alcoy, Aloguinsan, Argao, Asturias, Balamban, Bantayan, Barili, Boljoon, Borbon, Carmen, Catmon, Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Daan Bantayan, Dalaguete, Liloan, Malabuyoc, Medellin, Minglanilia, Moalboal, Oslob, Pilar, Poro, Ronda, Samboan, San Fernando, San Francisco, San Remigio, Santa Fe, Santander, Sibonga, Sogod, Tuburan and Tudela.
While the six cities are Bogo, Carcar, Danao, Naga, Talisay and Mandaue.
The functionality rating system designates “ideal” as the highest level, awarded when a council meets all functionality indicators, typically corresponding to a rating of 80 to 100 percent.
Meanwhile, the municipalities of Alcantara, Badian, Ginatilan, Madridejos, Pinamungajan and Tabogon attained a ‘mature’ functionality rating, along with Toledo City and the two other HUCs, Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu City.
Mature functionality indicates that the council has met the basic requirements for organization and meetings, as well as at least one additional key area such as policies, plans and budget, or accomplishment reports.
The following Cebu LGUs demonstrated a strong commitment to child welfare by implementing policies and programs addressing key children’s issues in their communities, said the DILG.
In Central Visayas, 87 out of 136 LGUs in the region, or 63.97 percent achieved an “ideal” rating, marking a significant increase from 55 LGUs, or 40.44 percent in 2024.
The DILG recorded 29 LGUs in Bohol with an ideal rating and 20 with a mature rating; while in Negros Oriental 13 LGUs got the ideal rating and five were rated mature.
Siquijor logged four ideal and three mature ratings.
Qualifications
An LGU must achieve a rating of 80 percent or higher to qualify as “ideal,” based on criteria outlined in DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2021-039. Other functionality levels include Basic (20 percent and below), Progressive (21 to 50 percent), and Mature (51 to 79 percent).
The annual LCPC functionality audit, conducted in the first quarter, evaluates how efficiently LGUs implement policies, programs and projects addressing major concerns affecting children. / DPC, Yvon Maratas, Benedicto College Intern