BACOLOD City – The Municipality of Enrique B. Magalona has been recognized as a Child-Friendly Municipality for 2024, earning one of the year’s most notable distinctions from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The award highlights the town’s steadfast commitment to child protection, welfare, and rights-based governance.
Mayor Matthew Louis Malacon said the recognition affirms the administration’s dedication to ensuring a safe and nurturing environment for children.
He emphasized that the municipality’s programs, policies, and services are consistently geared toward advancing the welfare of its young population.
“This Child-Friendly recognition validates how we ensure and nurture a safe space for children in our town,” Malacon said. “With so many challenges now confronting children—whether physical or online abuse—we have no choice but to protect them at all costs. Strengthening child protection is central to my administration.”
EB Magalona was among 17 local government units in Negros Occidental and 79 localities in Western Visayas that qualified for the 2024 Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance (SCFLG), a DILG award given to LGUs that uphold transparency, accountability, and inclusive development centered on children’s rights.
Malacon added that receiving the SCFLG serves as a testament to the town’s responsive and child-focused governance. He noted that the municipality’s initiatives reflect its broader commitment to uphold high standards of public service.
“This recognition truly shows how our child-centered governance bore fruit,” the mayor said, adding that the SCFLG will further inspire the municipality to sustain and enhance programs that benefit the youth of EB Magalona.
The award reinforces EB Magalona’s growing reputation as a community that prioritizes the safety, development, and well-being of its children./PN
