Interior and Local Government Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento is calling on all local government units (LGUs) to open their daycare centers on election day to ensure that mothers with small children would be able to vote.
Sarmiento, in a memorandum circular addressed all provincial governors, city and municipal mayors and punong barangays, strongly urged them to keep open the Daycare Centers in their areas of coverage during Election Day from 6 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon.
The DILG Secretary issued the directive in compliance to the resolution unanimously passed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc requiring all LGUs to ensure the participation of mothers with small children in the electoral exercise.
“We are one with the Comelec in encouraging women from all walks of life to be involved in choosing the country’s next set of leaders, by casting their vote on Monday without having to worry about their children and whether they will tag them along in the polling precincts,” he said.
In his memorandum, the DILG Secretary also said LGUs should make sure that Daycare Centers observe standard operations as well as perform their regular functions, including the provision of healthy food and drinks for the children left under their care during Election Day.
Sarmiento likewise instructed all DILG regional directors and ARMM regional governors to ensure that the circular is properly disseminated within their respective jurisdictions.
Republic Act 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women provides that women have the right to take part in and access information relating to the decision-making processes that affect their lives and well-being. # Source – www.dilg.gov.ph
No comments:
Post a Comment