ENHANCING LOCAL GOVERNANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE CHILD-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENTS: ADDRESSING CHALLENGES IN MORONG, BATAAN

Aims: This study aimed to assess the Local Government Challenges in creating and maintaining child-friendly environments in Morong, Bataan, and to explore the relationship between these challenges and the extent of child-friendly environments. It sought to identify the barriers that local governments face in promoting child welfare and examine the factors that contribute to or hinder the creation of supportive spaces for children in the community. Study design: A descriptive-correlational research design was employed to investigate the relationship between local government challenges and the extent of child-friendly environments in Morong. The study focused on understanding how local governance issues, such as policy enforcement, resource allocation, stakeholder engagement, and governance capacity, influence the creation and sustainability of child-friendly spaces and services. Methodology: The study involved 100 respondents selected through random sampling. Data were collected via a survey questionnaire that assessed local government challenges and the extent of child-friendly environments. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, while Pearson’s correlation analysis was conducted to determine the strength and direction of the relationship between the independent (local government challenges) and dependent (child-friendly environments) variables. Ethical considerations such as informed consent and participant confidentiality were ensured. Results: The results indicated that the largest group of respondents were older adults, with 76% female participation. Key local government challenges identified included policy implementation and compliance (mean = 3.50), resource allocation and funding (mean = 3.43), and stakeholder engagement (mean = 3.33). The extent of child-friendly environments was positively rated, with community awareness (mean = 3.34) and government responsiveness (mean = 3.28) being highlighted as strengths. The statistical analysis revealed a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.433) between local government challenges and child-friendly environments, with a p-value of 0.000, indicating that overcoming governance challenges could significantly improve the creation and maintenance of child-friendly spaces. Conclusion: The study concluded that while Morong has made strides in creating child-friendly environments, there are significant governance and socio-economic barriers that hinder the full potential of child welfare initiatives. The results suggest that addressing challenges such as policy enforcement, resource allocation, and stakeholder engagement could positively impact child welfare. The study emphasizes the need for continued investment in local governance, policy development, and capacity building to improve the quality of child-friendly spaces and services in Morong and similar municipalities. Further research is recommended to explore the role of community engagement and the impact of broader socio-economic factors on child welfare.