Koronadal City—Governor Reynaldo Tamayo, Jr. laid down the accomplishments of the Provincial Government of South Cotabato in ensuring the future of the children of the province. The Governor’s plan prioritizes stronger, accessible education for all, protects children’s health— all without shelling out-of-pocket money.
“As your governor, I urge you not only take this as your advocacy but as your responsibility to protect, develop and mold your children to be better citizens of the province,” the governor said when he delivered his State of the Children’s Address in his hometown of Tupi.
His administration adopted certain measures with an emphasis on health and education, upgrading health facilities particularly on the procurement of 10 dialysis machines and allocating P100M for free education at all levels.
The Free Education for All program of his administration has allocated at least P22M to 500 public schools to free parents from the burden of extra fees.
However, Governor Tamayo acknowledged that there is a 3. 51 percent decrease of enrolment in elementary but he believed that with the “Free Education for All,” enrolees would pile up next school year.
This program would easily contain the problems of enrolment at all levels that provide easy access to education for all children.
Meanwhile, the malnutrition rate is declining in South Cotabato because of various interventions to address wasted children among pre-schoolers.
A nutrition report indicates a 3.39 percent prevalence rate of undernutrition for 0-59 months old or there are 2, 532 children out of the 75, 914 weighed pre-schoolers.
The provincial health services provided full immunization to 10, 791 children below one-year-old and at least 11, 000 pregnant women were given a complete iron supplement to ensure that both mother and child are healthy.
Tamayo said there were 10 barangays that underwent capability seminar organized in partnership with local police since data revealed that 45 inmates were detained at the Provincial Jail because of child abuse.
“We work hand in hand and prepare our children as our future leaders,” the governor added.
