Safeguarding the Country’s Future
Maitum, Sarangani

There is a rhyme and reason why children are one of the main target beneficiaries under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). No less than Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal articulated this when he said more than a century ago that “the youth are the hope of our nation.” This is the reason why five out of the eight major goals under the MDGs directly addresses a host of problems (i.e. education, health and poverty) beleaguering children.

In Maitum, Sarangani, Mayor George Yabes has taken both the challenge of the MDGs and Dr. Jose Rizal’s message to heart and has invested substantially in securing Maitum’s future by taking care of its children. While Mayor Yabes does not have a child of his own, this did not deter him from pursuing programs that could help the children of Maitum. Thus in Maitum, Yabes is the “adoptive father” who ensures that babies are born healthy, kids are provided sufficient medical services, and that children of school age are educated, allotted play time, and are allowed to express their ideas. The children are well taken care of and are protected from any harm or abuse. Mothers are taken care of as well.

From Deprivation …

But this was not always the situation in Maitum. Prior to the launching of the “promoting child rights” program in 2002, nearly 20% of Maitum’s children were malnourished. Live birth registration was low while maternal mortality rate was high. Only a few have access to maternal child health care services and reproductive health services due to inefficient delivery.

Access to education is limited too due to poor site of school and the peace and order situation. Maitum is adjacent to Sultan Kudarat and was therefore affected by gun battles between Muslim separatists and government forces. Those who were lucky enough to be sent to school recorded low academic performance because their families could not afford to eat three meals daily. School facilities, equipment, textbooks and school supplies were insufficient. For example, due to the scarcity of classrooms, teachers were forced to handle multi-level classes in one classroom. Some of the children were also deprived of their right to rest, play, cultivate their God-given talents and express their views. Worse, some of the children were victims of physical and sexual abuse. A lot of these cases were not officially reported due to fear and the stigma that usually accompany such cases.

There too is the problem of limited resources. Categorized as a third class municipality, Maitum’s resources are highly limited making the implementation of any program difficult.

... To Protection and Nourishment

But all these did not hinder Mayor Yabes nor the peoples of Maitum. Guided by the clear vision of their chief executive officer in making Maitum a “child friendly municipality" with healthy happy, educated and responsible children living in a peaceful and ecologically sound community” the “promoting child rights” program was launched with the cooperation and participation of the different sectors in the community.

Civil society organizations were tapped as partners for the implementation of the different components of the program. Likewise, the participation of the different social institutions—family, community, schools, and local government— in the program was also encouraged with their roles defined from the outset of the program. Everybody in Maitum was consciously included in the program that was designed to pursue a holistic approach in the development of the town’s children.
Mayor Yabes started the program by ensuring that functional structures at all levels of governance do not only exist but work as well. A Local Council for the Protection of Children was organized within existing structures like the Local Sanggunians, Local Development Council, Katarungang Pambarangay, Local Health Board, Local School Board, Municipal Peace and Order Councils, and the Municipal Disaster Coordinating Councils. These mechanisms were maximized and the participation of other mandated members from civil society, private, business, and religious sectors were encouraged.

In Mayor Yabes’ mind, the active participation of the other mandated sectors in the local councils meant additional talents, expertise and technical and financial services for the program. Likewise, he believed that the process facilitates acceptance, accountability, ownership and innovations for the program.

Capability building trainings were given to key implementers and other entities involved to enable them to effectively and meaningfully participate in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the program. The municipality conducted trainings that tackled the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Functional Literacy Programs were also provided for illiterate parents and caregivers to empower and equip them with basic skills in maternal and childcare. The barangay health workers, BNNs, mother support groups were also trained in Enhanced Child Growth (ECG). There were also orientations about diseases such as AIDS/HIV.

By encouraging community participation and ownership of the whole program, Mayor Yabes solved a basic problem of his municipality, i.e. limited resources. This encouraged counterpart contributions. For example, the resources of the community were used to build up health and nutrition posts that serve as education and information centers for health, nutrition and sanitation. The Bayanihan System facilitated the construction of a primary school and day care centers for two barangays. The cultural program SAYAWIT is documented and aired for free by Blackstone Cable. Parents of day care children help subsidize the payment of day care teachers while the Parent- Teachers-Community Association (PTCA) is responsible for improving the school’s façade and facilities.

Other innovative processes were undertaken to facilitate resource mobilization. For example, people were encouraged to pay their community taxes since the community tax certificate is needed to access the health and social services provided by the barangay. The Dumanon Kailian (or reaching the villagers) program was also used to institute efficient tax collection. Although the program was an attempt of the local government to get closer to its constituents through once a month visitations of chosen barangays, the Dumanon Kailian is also used by the municipal government for mobile birth registration, mass wedding, medical and agricultural services and collection of taxes. The thrusts and programs of the municipal government are presented during these meetings to ensure that the people know where their taxes were being spent.

As a proof of their seriousness in pursuing the shared vision of Maitum as a child friendly community, the children of Maitum were given “four gifts.” These “gifts” include: (1) the Municipal Development Plan for Children (2002 to 2025), a comprehensive program to promote and safeguard the rights of Maitum children and to provide government an operational perspective in addressing children’s rights and issues; (2) Annual Investment Plan for Children; (3) a Local Code for Children; and, (4) a Monitoring System.

All of these programs combine into a comprehensive project that addresses “all the rights” of children. In the process, these programs also addressed the needs of women, children and local communities in a holistic, efficient and organized manner.

As mentioned above, although the program was initially children-centric, the local government also implemented other programs to ensure that a host of other issues like poverty, gender inequality, reproductive health, etc. were also tackled.

Major gains

Based on the monitoring system implemented by the community from 2000 to 2005, there was a 21% reduction in the number of people living in extreme poverty in the municipality; a 73% reduction of people with no access to safe drinking water; and a 65.5% reduction of households with no sanitary toilets.
Malnutrition dropped from 27% in 2000 to only 13% in 2005. A 22% decrease in maternal mortality rate and a 69% decrease in under-five mortality rate were recorded. A 52% increase in access to reproductive health services was likewise recorded.

Schools, day care centers, hospitals and especially homes have been transformed into child friendly locations. The State of Children report delivered every October during children month’s celebration give people an overview of what has been done and what needs to be done to achieve their common vision of Maitum.

Women also became a very strong sector in Maitum with the establishment in all barangays of the Women in Nation Development (WINDS). The Knowledge Centers benefited the children as well as the women. As a repository of information exclusively for women and children, the Knowledge Centers improved women’s access to equipment, reading materials and technical training.

A State of Women Report is delivered during Women’s day celebration while a situationer on women is reported regularly during barangay assemblies.

The different programs and projects mentioned above have transformed Maitum into a child friendly municipality and helped attain significant gains for the MDGs. In 2003, a mere year after the “promoting child rights” program was implemented, Mayor Yabes and the whole of Maitum was given the ultimate recognition—Maitum was awarded the National Award for Most Child Friendly Municipality.