Although it constantly bears the stigma of being a place for prisoners and the mentally ill, Mandaluyong City can now claim as the best place for children after recently bagging the Presidential Award for the most child-friendly city in the country.
Mandaluyong bested other cities that had won in the regional competitions under the highly urbanized city category such as Baguio, Olongapo, Bacolod and Cebu.
In a statement, Mayor Benhur Abalos attributed its programs and services for maternal and child-care to the growing business investments in the city, which have so far reached to P82.25 billion this year.
“We have successfully survived the stigma that Mandaluyong is a place only for mental and correctional institutions surrounded by thick bushes and grasslands,” Abalos said referring to the usual banter “Sa Loob o sa Labas (Do you live in or out)?” to Mandaluyong residents.
Abalos said the city government was able to bring government services closer to the people through the “Pamahalaan sa Pamayanan” held every Saturday in the 27 city barangays (villages).
Apart from this, Abalos attributed the win to the creation of the breast-feeding patrol, a group of breast-feeding mothers who can be called upon during emergencies to breast-feed hungry babies; and its program for the health care of women and their babies called the millennium baby project.
The city government also initiated a unique learning program for the poor and disabled children with the Project TEACH employing therapy education assimilation.
The direct beneficiaries of this project are at least 503 indigent children with developmental conditions. The number is expected to increase as the city expands the project and includes the evaluation and diagnosis of special and disabled children.
As for public education, the city was able to reduce the teacher-student ratio to only 1:38 in the elementary from 2008 to 2010 and 1:33 in 2008 and 1:31 in 2010 in the high school level.
While textbooks and other instructional materials have been a perennial problem in other cities, Abalos said they have maintained the 1:1 book to student ratio in all levels.
The city is also promoting its newly renovated one-stop shop cemetery with a crematorium, columbarium, and funeral service priced at lower rates to serve the indigents.
In his speeches during awarding ceremonies, Abalos kept mentioning: “We take care of our people from womb to tomb.”
Earlier, the city reaped awards consisting of the Green Banner Award for effective planning and implementation of nutrition programs; NCR’s Most Child-Friendly City for child-friendly governance; Pamamarisan Award for technical and vocational guidance and training; and first awardee of Gen. Miguel Malvar Special Award for outstanding performance in local government service, nation-building, people empowerment, and community development.
During the awarding ceremony at Malacañang on October 27, President Aquino, joined by cabinet officials, handed a trophy and P300,000 in cash to Abalos.
Four winners in the four categories of the search were also awarded trophies and cash.