La Trinidad strengthens day care center program

EARLY childhood care is sustained in La Trinidad, Benguet with programs and activities set to strengthen Child Development Service .

Councilor Roderick Awingan said programs and activities are set to strengthen the child development service in the municipality following the creation of a child development worker position, continuing professional development for the child development workers, honorarium subsidy, annual child development workers awards, improvement of child development center facilities and the conduct summer child development services programs.

Last week, the proposed law entitled 'La Trinidad Day Care Center Ordinance' was approved on third reading authored by Awingan and Councilor Estrella Adeban.

"Day care center are supposedly handled by the barangays, what made is to strengthen the day care center program," Awingan said.

A day care service is a center based program of the early childhood care and development (ECCD). Awingan added the ECCD council in the whole municipality handling programs concerning day care and other programs related to child development.

With the approved law, the municipality will make sure allocations from the Special Education Fund and the Gender Development Fund are utilized to compensate and justify the child development service program.

Aside from the programs, guidelines were set in the establishment and operations of child development centers for children 3-4 years old within the barangays.

"We can still open day care center if needed. Currently, day care centers are estab-

lished within the 16 barangays of the municipality," he added.

Study shows that ages zero from eight year old serve as the crucial stage of educational development. With the nature of childhood entails developmentally appropriate experiences to address their needs and support parents in their roles as primary caregivers and as their children's first teachers.