Quezon City and their child-friendly status

The Vice Mayor of Quezon City Joy Belmonte seeks to ensure the city is child-friendly. Part of her plan involves discussions with other stakeholders to make certain the rights of children are being protected in the Filipino city. 

Synchronizing programs and services

The Quezon City Government took the initiative of promoting a Child-Friendly Quezon City when they first enacted  “The Quezon City Children’s Code of 2012”. This landmark legislation concerning children and youth also lead to the creation of The Quezon City Council for the Protection of Children (QCCPC). The QCCP was mandated to formulate the City’s Local Development Plan for Children.

Joy Belmonte, Vice Mayor of Quezon City said: “with the goal of crafting Quezon City’s children’s agenda, with the help of our partner organizations, child-focused NGOs, UNICEF, community leaders, and children, we were able to create a rights-based plan of action for our children.” Continuing she explained how this made it possible for the “synchronization of all programs and services” for children in the city all the way from the city council down to each and every neighbourhood. 

Belmonte explained “despite challenges in implementing education reform of K-12 in a city with a student population of more than half a million enrolled in public schools”, the municipal government has redesigned and upgraded school facilities, built more classrooms, and provided technical support and other assistance to teachers.

The Vice Mayor is hoping to be elected as Mayor in 2019 and education will be the center of her platform.