Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan delivered her State of the Children’s Address on Monday, 4 November, during the celebration of the 32nd National Children’s Month, themed “Break the Prevalence, End the Violence: Protecting Children, Creating a Safe Philippines.”

In her speech, the mayor highlighted key initiatives by the Manila Office to protect and ensure the safety of Manila’s children, including monthly monetary allowances for children with disabilities, enrollment of 26,500 children in 474 childhood development centers, and support for 1,800 child abuse victims who have been rescued and are continuously receiving guidance from the Manila Department of Social Welfare.

On 28 October, Manila was recognized as the city with an ideal functionality of the Local Council for the Protection of Children—an institutional mechanism across Local Government Units advocating for child rights, providing interventions, and monitoring children’s programs and projects in the Philippines.

“Pangatlong taon na tayong binibigyan ng pinakamataas na pagkilala para sa Local Council for the Protection of Children audit,” Lacuna-Pangan said.

According to Lacuna-Pangan, this recognition should inspire further expansion of the Manila Office’s programs and projects and reinforce its commitment to protecting Manila’s children.

“Ang mga bata ang pag-asa ng bayan, kaya’t sama-sama tayong magbigay inspirasyon at suporta sa kanilang mga pangarap,” she wrote in a Facebook post, encouraging the public to celebrate National Children’s Month.