CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga (PIA) — The National Authority for Child Care (NACC) and 18 local government units (LGUs) in Central Luzon have strengthened their commitment to protect children and support families through the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA).
The participating LGUs are Abucay, Mariveles, Orani, Orion, and Pilar in Bataan; Balagtas and Pulilan in Bulacan; City of San Fernando, Arayat, Floridablanca, Guagua, Magalang, and Porac in Pampanga; Concepcion, Moncada, and San Manuel in Tarlac; and Iba and Subic in Zambales.
NACC Undersecretary Gaby Concepcion said that the agreement brings government partners together in a shared effort to ensure that children who need protection, care, and a stable family environment are provided with appropriate support and opportunities to thrive.
She likewise stressed that the partnership carries responsibilities that participating LGUs must sustain beyond the signing ceremony.
“Wala na po kayong chance na mag-backout kasi nandito na kayo, commitment na lang ang kailangan namin,” Concepcion said.
She acknowledged that the operational commitments required of LGUs are substantial, but expressed appreciation for local officials who took the time to understand and stand by the agreements they signed.
Meanwhile, Concepcion said the partnership should translate into concrete gains for children and families, including progress in foster care.
“Mag-monitor, kahit isang foster parent lang na ma-consider, achievement [na ito] to all of us,” she said.
For her part, NACC Deputy Director for Services Atty. Madeline Arezu Ty Jam reminded participants that the partnership is ultimately about children who need love, care, protection, and a family and place to call home.
“At the heart of every people is a child. A child who wants to get saved. A child who wants to be loved. And a child who simply wants to have a family and a place to call home,” Jam said.
She stressed that stronger cooperation among the NACC, LGUs, social workers, partners, and advocates would enable stakeholders to do more for children and families.
“Hindi na natin kaya gawin ang lahat ng mga isa, but when we work together, we do more for our children and families,” she said.
Regional Alternative Child Care Office (RACCO) Officer-in-Charge Sheila Sicat noted that the MOA signing should not be viewed as an accomplishment in itself but as the beginning of the work.
“Signing the agreement is not about achievement itself, it is the beginning of the work and goal,” Sicat said.
She said the partnership should ultimately be measured by the results and changes it brings to the children being served, particularly those hoping for a family that will love, care for, and look after them every day.
Sicat said that through the partnership, the NACC, RACCO, and participating LGUs reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening child care systems and expanding opportunities for children to grow in safe, nurturing, and permanent family environments. (Marie Joy S. Carbungco )
