Gullas vows continued improvement of children’s programs

Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas in Barangay Cansojong. | Photo Courtesy of Talisay City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas renewed his commitment to uplift the welfare of his city’s youngest members during his State of the City’s Children Address (SOCCA), which he delivered during the culmination of the National Children’s Month.

The mayor delivered his SOCCA promising to improve the current projects in the city for children especially in terms of health, social development, safety against violence, and education.

“Today, I renew my commitment through challenges and crisis to the children of Talisay City. You are the guiding light of this administration. You are the future of this city,” said Gullas.

Gullas reported that as of November 2020, the city has already conducted deworming of 17,949 children under his term, which started in July 2019.

Vaccinations for various diseases such as measles, rubella, polio, and hepatitis have reached a total of 45,000 beneficiaries.

The mayor hopes to improve these services with the establishment of a Gender and Development (GAD) Center already under construction within the City Hall grounds, a mid-rise building that will house services for women and children.

Gullas also placed emphasis on the importance of education for the youth, which is why he continues to push for free tuition at the Talisay City College for all students, and the Cream of the Crop Scholarship in partnership with the Department of Education to give a chance to underprivileged achievers to study in premier universities.

The city government has also provided logistical support to all primary and secondary schools in the city so that teachers are fully equipped to facilitate modular and distance learning to pupils and students staying at home amid the pandemic.

As for the safety of the children, the city government and the city police are working on programs that would help the children of those arrested for illegal drug involvement.

“We take a proactive, preventive, and participatory stand on the child protection issues in order to give our children a safe environment,” said the mayor.

Every week, children of arrested individuals are gathered to be fed and educated on the ill-effects of illegal drugs.

As for the children who are in conflict with the law, the city’s Bahay Pag-asa “never loses hope” for the rehabilitation of over 60 children under their facilities through guided rehabilitation programs.

The Kabataan Kontra Illegal na Droga program has also been launched to provide activities for the youth to steer them away from the temptations of illegal drugs.

These programs are what Gullas hopes to continue and improve on in the remaining one and a half years of his first term as mayor.

The mayor promised that children will always be a priority in Talisay City. /rcg