Naga, Cemex start project to support young learners
ABOUT 800 children studying in day care centers in the City of Naga, Cebu are expected to benefit from a comprehensive child development program that aims to develop school-age children into smart, vibrant and healthy constituents.
Conceptualized by the City Government of Naga and supported by the Apo-Cement Corp./Cemex Philippines, the Smart Kids for a Smart Naga program will help children prepare for school by reaching important milestones.
Lawyer Kristine Chiong, daughter of City of Naga Mayor Valdemar Chiong, said that the project is based on five core components.
One is a regular storytelling caravan that is intended to develop a child’s thinking capacity. Another component is a supplemental feeding program to help nourish kids in school, after studies have shown that poor nutrition impairs a child’s ability to learn.
The third component is the upgrading of day care centers, as the system plays a vital role in developing a child’s thirst for learning.
Chiong said that of the 26 day care centers operating in the city, only 11 are accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
She said that although the Department of Education has the K to 12 program, the day care system still provides an important stage for a child’s educational growth.
She said that the fourth component is the establishment of a museum for children, one of the program’s long-term goals.
The fifth component is the creation of a Nagahanon Chil- dren’s Festival, which will be held every October, when Children’s Month is celebrated.
For now, they are introducing the program to the city’s 11 accredited day care centers, she said. If the project becomes sustainable, they will implement it in other centers in the city, as this will also educate the parents, particularly on the needs and rights of children, Chiong said.
Gerry Rota, APO Cement Corp.-Cemex plant director, said they are willing to help the local government sustain the program. Rota said it will also benefit their company, as some of their employees’ children study in a day care center inside their plant in Tinaan.