KIDAPAWAN CITY (December 1) — Children are at the heart of North Cotabato’s development agenda, Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza declared in her 2025 State of the Children Report on Friday, underscoring the province’s push for stronger health, education, and protection systems.
Speaking before hundreds of children and local officials at the culmination of the National Children’s Month celebration, Mendoza said the provincial government envisions a child-friendly Cotabato by 2034, anchored on the commitment to keep “every child healthy, protected, and empowered.”
P45.5-M Investment Centers on Children’s Needs
Mendoza reported that the province poured P45.5 million in 2025 into child-focused programs—from nutrition and healthcare to education and child protection—calling it “a statement of hope and opportunity” for young Cotabateños.
Safe Spaces and Healing for Survivors
The Home for Women and Children remained a critical refuge for victims of abuse. From January to October, it assisted 30 client-survivors, including girls as young as two.
Of these:
- 11 reunited with their families
- 29 returned to school
- 5 testified in court, with 4 placed under Witness Protection
Supported by a P3.07-million budget, the program aims to transform victims into “empowered survivors.”
Nutrition Gains: Malnutrition Drops Sharply
The province posted major strides in children’s nutrition from 2021–2025:
- Stunting: 9.25% → 2.89%
- Wasting: 2.73% → 0.60%
- Overweight/obesity: 2.42% → 0.83%
In 2025 alone, more than 10,000 mothers and 4,400 children received micronutrients, 3,000 undernourished children got dietary support, and 50 barangay health stations were upgraded for improved growth monitoring.
Education: Strong Retention, But Alarming Drop in Completion
Retention rates remain high across all levels—97.82% in elementary, 91.63% in junior high, and 95.54% in senior high.
But completion rates dipped, particularly in Junior High, where numbers sank to 74.95%. Mendoza said the province is expanding academic and psychosocial support “to ensure no learner is left behind.”
Investing in Learning, Leadership & Safe Schools
The provincial government allocated P75 million for programs boosting literacy, sports, leadership, and safe school environments. This includes:
- P10.5 million for campus journalism
- P9.5 million for athletics (SRAA & Palarong Pambansa)
- P10 million worth of reading materials for 164 schools
- P45.5 million for new school buildings and covered courts in six towns
- P14 million to support 1,077 Child Development Workers
