April 12-13, 2023 | With the leadership of the Department of the Interior and Local Government IX and with the support of the Department of Social Welfare and Development IX, the Regional Inter-Agency Monitoring Task Force (RIMTF) oversaw the preliminary assessment of the 2022 Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA) Means of Verifications (MOVs) submitted by the Local Government Units (LGUs).

The evaluation panel was made up of representatives from a range of National Government Organizations and Civil Society Organizations to include as Kalambu-an Project, Department of Social Welfare and Development IX – Council for the Welfare of Children, National Economic Development Authority IX, Department of Education IX, National Nutrition Council IX, and the Department of Health IX.

The fundamental aim of this undertaking is to scrutinize how well cities and municipalities are implementing policies, programs, projects, and services that cater to the welfare of children.

The CFLGA is an annual evaluation mechanism to gauge the competence of LGUs in implementing child-friendly measures, and the results are instrumental in guiding LGUs’ future planning and programming. Additionally, the data and outcomes of the CFLGA may assist in identifying areas where technical and/or financial support may be necessary.

In order to guarantee a smooth and productive execution of the obligatory audit, the Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance Knowledge Management System (SCFLG-KMS) was employed for the 2022 CFLGA. This cutting-edge system acts as a storage unit for information and data gathered from the CFLGA, enabling clients to acquire access to child-centered information. Additionally, it functioned as a virtual hub where LGUs uploaded their MOVs for validation.

The CFLGA assessment tool is all-encompassing and covers various aspects of child rights governance, such as child survival, development, protection, and participation. This mechanism enables LGUs to evaluate their effectiveness in implementing child-friendly policies and programs and highlight areas where they can enhance their practices.

The preliminary assessment of the LGUs’ MOVs is a pivotal phase of the CFLGA undertaking. It ensures that the information provided by LGUs is precise and comprehensive, which is indispensable in generating a dependable and valid outcome of the audit. The RIMTF, composed of diverse governmental and non-governmental organizations, assures that the CFLGA process abides by the set of standards and protocols for auditing and monitoring.