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http://www.gov.ph/2012/07/19/dilg-to-lgus-allocate-1-of-your-irafor-local-councils-for-children/

DILG to LGUs: Allocate 1% of your IRA for local councils for children
A July 19, 2012 press release f rom t he Depart ment of Int erior and Local Government Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo is urging all local chief executives to put childrens concerns on top of their agenda by allocating one percent of their Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) for programs and projects of the local councils for the protection of children (LCPC) pursuant to Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006. Citing Section 15 of RA 9344, Robredo said the law does not only mandate local government units (LGUs) to establish their LCPCs at the city, municipal and barangay levels, but calls on them to allocate one percent of their IRA for the strengthening and implementation of programs, projects, and activities of LCPCs as well. While this (one-percent IRA allocation) is required under the law, it is incumbent upon our LGUs to continuously promote and protect the rights and welfare of the young members of our society by supporting the LCPCs, he said. The LCPC is an institutional mechanism in all levels of LGUs that advocates rights, plans and initiates/ recommends interventions, and monitors childrens programs and projects in the locality. Projects and activities that can be funded by the one-percent IRA for LCPCs are the following: preparation of the Local Development Plan for Children, Local Investment Plan for Children, Local Code for Children and Local State of Childrens Report; assistance to children in need of special protection; development of advocacy materials on children; installation of a local information system on childrens situation; documentation of good practices on children; and monitoring of the enforcement of national and local laws on children by LGUs, among others. The DILG Secretary pointed out that local governments may even increase allocation for LCPCs beyond the one-percent requirement of the law to ensure that all plans for children are provided with funds and implemented. We also encourage LGUs to outsource funds or to engage in partnership with private and civil society organizations that provide financial assistance for the implementation of LCPC programs, projects and activities, he added. Robredo said such LCPC activities may also be charged against the 20-percent development fund of the LGUs as mandated by Section 287 of the Local Government Code, particularly in the realization of the goals for social development of the community.

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