OLONGAPO: Most Child-Friendly City

Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. has received for Olongapo City the Presidential Trophy from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the 2009 Child-Friendly Municipalities and Cities in the Highly Urbanized City category.

At the ceremonies held at the Rizal Hall, Malacañang Palace on April 22, 2010, Mayor Bong Gordon received a plaque as Most Child-Friendly National Finalist.

‘’The City of Olongapo believes that the welfare of children is the true measure of success as a society. It is for this reason that the city persistently enhances its programs for children aimed at improving their social and physical environment at home, in school and in the community,’’ said Mayor Bong Gordon.

It can be recalled that Olongapo City went through rigorous screening, review/validation and selection conducted by the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC). CWC used the standard evaluation tools that determined the city’s policy and planning, resource allocation, service delivery on health and nutrition, education and special protection, institution building, child participation, community and resource mobilization accomplishments for the welfare of the children.

Olongapo City ranked way ahead its tight competition, namely, Puerto Princesa City, Bacolod City, Cebu City, Makati City and Butuan City, all vying for the top spot.

Apart from the Presidential Trophy and plaque, Mayor Bong Gordon also received a P300,000.00 cash prize, ‘’Gagamitin natin ang halagang ito sa mga proyekto at programa ng Child-Friendly,’’ Mayor Gordon said.

Olongapo boasts of fifty-five (55) Day Care Centers located all over the seventeen (17) barangays in the city. These Day Care Centers serve as venue for the children’s preparation for school and can be a tremendous opportunity for children to learn new things and interact with different types of people.

‘’Eight of the city’s 17 health centers are now upgraded into Basic Emergency Obstetric and New Born Care facility for birth deliveries with trained and competent health workers,’’ City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) head Gene Eclarino proudly said. The CSWDO is the agency responsible for the city’s programs and projects for the youth.

CWC commended the city’s numerous programs for the welfare of the youth in Olongapo. The Local Government has heightened its waste segregation campaign through the CR3 Program or Compost, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycling and waste containerization project. And, in addition to that, the city also launched a Search for the Cleanest and Greenest Barangay in Olongapo.

Olongapo City has also introduced ALIVE or Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education as peace building strategy where Muslim Filipino children are taught Arabic language and culture. The city scored big time when CWC gave their approval to the Total Ban of Firecrackers, 24-hour saturation drive, curfew siren signals and the implementation of Community-Based Monitoring System programs of the City Government.

The aforementioned, are just few of the many other programs of Mayor Bong Gordon and Olongapo First Lady and Zambales Vice Gov. Anne Gordon for the children of Olongapo.