World Vision's Project Against Child Exploitation presented Mayor Joy Belmonte of Quezon City (QC) with a Plaque of Recognition to express its gratitude for her contribution as one of the most active partners in the project's implementation from 2020 to 2024 on September 9, 2024.
The local government unit (LGU) is one of the two primary areas of the initiative, which is aimed at supporting the Philippine government in the eradication of child labor, as well as online sexual abuse and exploitation of children. The project has enhanced the enforcement of policies in the city by supporting the passage of local ordinances, assisting them in improving their services through enhanced monitoring and reporting mechanisms and strengthening partnerships within the LGU during its implementation.
In addition, the project has capacitated different stakeholders, not just in the local government but also in the private sector, with the goal of reaching different people and further raising awareness on the child protection issue.
During the visit, the Project ACE staff expressed their deepest gratitude to Mayor Joy for spearheading the zero-child-labor campaign in QC, which has been instrumental in the fight against child labor. The local chief executive reassured the project team that they would persist in enhancing their mechanisms and advocacy within the community. This encompasses their strategy of providing a social incentive to community members to motivate them to report or identify a case of OSAEC as part of their sustainability initiatives. She also appreciated the project team for selecting the city as one of its key areas.
Subsequently, the project team, under the leadership of its director, Daphne Culanag, handed over a satellite internet constellation known as Starlink to the QC Public Affairs and Information Services Department (PAISD) to improve its disaster resilience and expand its awareness-raising activities focused on child protection. The Starlink internet systems will guarantee the provision of essential communication equipment that will enhance the operations of PAISD, thereby ensuring the accurate and timely delivery of information to QC residents, particularly during typhoons.
Before the end of September, Project ACE will also turn over equipment to the QC Public Employment Service Office (PESO), including tablets, laptops, keypad phones, and a camera kit. This equipment will be used to enhance the operational capabilities and effectiveness of the Quezon City Child Labor Local Registry's child labor profiling and documentation.
Even after the project, QC will remain to be a strong partner of World Vision Development Foundation Inc in its fights against child exploitation and other issues concerning children in the city.
Funding for Project ACE is provided by the United States Department of Labor under cooperative agreement number IL 34007-19-75-K. 100 percent of the total cost of the project in the Philippines is financed with federal funds. This material does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the United States Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the United States Government.
Media contact:
Pauline Giselle Navarro
Project ACE, Communications Officer
World Vision
0906 455 7265
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