WHEREAS , the Child Friendly Movement is a worldwide movement to operationalize the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC);

WHEREAS , the Search for the Child Friendly Municipalities and Cities was launched to support the Child Friendly Movement;

WHEREAS , the Search aims to give recognition to the important role of local government units in promoting and protecting children ™s rights to survival, development, protection and participation;

WHEREAS , the Search is an effective mechanism to assure that the children ™s issues and concerns are given importance at the local level;

WHEREAS , a National Technical Working Group was organized to develop the Search guidelines and criteria by virtue of CWC Circular No. 7.2, series of 1999;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA , President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Creation of the Awards - The following Presidential Awards are hereby created:

Child Friendly Municipalities of the Philippines

Category A: 1 st to 3 rd class municipalities
Category B: 4 th to 6 th class municipalities

b.    Child Friendly Cities of the Philippines

Category A: Highly urbanized cities
Category B: Component cities

SEC. 2. Selection of Awardees - The parameters to be used in selecting the Presidential Awardees shall be determined by the National Technical Working Group organized by the Council for the Welfare of Children.

SEC. 3. Frequency of Award - The Search shall be an annual award to be spearheaded by the Council for the Welfare of the Children (CWC).

SEC. 4. Awards and Prizes - The Presidential Award shall be conferred on each national awardee as indicated in Section 1 hereof, through the local chief executive concerned in the form of a Presidential trophy, citation and a cash prize of not less than One Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (P150,000.00) to be utilized for projects for children, to be sourced from the President ™s Fund.

Likewise, each national nominee for the four (4) categories shall be conferred a Presidential Plaque of Commendation.

SEC. 5. Recording and Evaluation - The National Historical Institute (NHI) of the Presidential Commission for Culture and Arts shall evaluate the design of the Presidential trophy and citation as to precedence, design, customs and traditions and shall recommend final approval of the Office of the President. The approved design shall be returned to the NHI for proper recording in the National Registry of Heraldic Devices and shall transmit the approved design to the requesting party.

SEC. 6. Effectivity - This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 13th day of December in the year of our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety Nine.

(SGD.) JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(SGD.) RONALDO B. ZAMORA
Executive Secretary