18/03/2026
READ | Children First: DILG Launches 2026 Child-Friendly Governance Audit for LGUs
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has launched the 2026 Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA), calling on cities and municipalities across the country to further strengthen programs and services that protect and promote the welfare of Filipino children.
The initiative supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.โs directive to prioritize the health, education, safety, and overall development of the countryโs youth as part of securing the Philippinesโ long-term development.
In a memorandum circular, the DILG said LGUs will be assessed across five key areas: survival, development, protection, participation, and governance. These cover programs supporting childrenโs health and nutrition, access to quality education, child protection systems, youth participation, and local policies that uphold childrenโs rights.
To pass the audit, LGUs must score at least 80 percent in each category and achieve an overall rating of 80 percent or higher. Evaluations will be based on programs implemented in 2025, with data submitted through the Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance Knowledge Management System from March to April 2026, followed by validation at the provincial, regional, and national levels.
Results of the audit will determine which LGUs qualify for the Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance (SCFLG), conferred by the Council for the Welfare of Children.
DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the audit reflects the governmentโs commitment to ensuring that every Filipino child grows up in a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment.
โWhen local governments invest in children, they are investing in the future of their communities. Child-friendly governance means ensuring that every child is healthy, protected, educated, and given the opportunity to participate in shaping the communities they will one day lead,โ Remulla said.
The CFLGA is a mandatory, results-based audit that evaluates how LGUs deliver programs and systems enabling children to access essential services and grow up in safe, supportive communities. It also guides LGUs in planning and implementing programs that ensure children receive inclusive services and protection from poverty through child-rights-responsive governance.
Since its inception, the CFLGA has yielded strong results and public approval. In 2025, a total of 1,090 LGUs passed the audit, a 21.9 percent increase from the 895 passers recorded in 2024.
โGreat job to the LGUs! Prioritizing child-friendly governance ensures a brighter and safer future for our youth,โ one netizen commented.
โNakaka-proud makita ang commitment ng mga lokal na pamahalaan na unahin ang survival, development, protection, at participation ng mga bata,โ another netizen said.
The DILG clarified that barangays will not be independently assessed under the CFLGA, as the barangay-level evaluation is implemented through the Seal of Good Local Governance for Barangays.
