Quezon City barangays allow children to sit in councils

By Alexandria San Juan

The Quezon City will be allowing children, 10 to 15 years of age, to sit as members of the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC).

In an amended ordinance approved by Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, child representatives will be allowed to sit in the BCPC as long as he or she is also a member of an accredited children’s organization in his or her barangay.

The accredited children’s organization will hold an election to pick the child representative it will nominate to the BCPC.

“It is the policy of the City government that the rights of the children for survival, protection, participation, and development of their potentials must be given priority,” said Councilor Julienne Alyson Rae Medalla, who authored the 2018 ordinance.

Under the ordinance, the child representative should serve as the delegate of the children’s sector in the BCPC, which will also convene a children’s association within the barangay to deliberate on and prioritize children’s issues that will be brought to the council for deliberation.

Children representatives will also be tasked to get evidence-based data and information that will substantiate the priority issues of children, and develop children’s agenda folder for each issue.

Aside from their tasks in the government council, the children representatives should also seek support from child-focused non-government organizations for children agenda to be presented to the BCPC for appropriate legislative action.

Based on the ordinance, the barangay council will also be tasked to accredit and recognize the children’s associations and clubs.

(Reposted from Manila Bulletin. Original title: Kids to sit in QC brgy councils for children. Photo credit: Michael Varcas/Manila Bulletin file photo.)