ECCD COORDINATING COUNCIL STRENGTENS RELATIONS

To further enhance the working relationship of the members of the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Coordinating Council, a team building seminar was conducted on June 3-5, 2009 at Baguio City.

The three (3) day team building activity was aimed to establish camaraderie among the ECCD Coordinating Council members, especially those who are new to the program.

The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), as the lead agency, is incessantly implementing the Work and Financial Plan of the ECCD.

According to CSWDO Head Gene Eclarino, “The activity also aims to build a strong and effective team among service providers and ECCD Committees and to be able to enhance their capability in the implementation of the ECCD Programs and services.”

The thirty-five (35) participants included the different city government offices which are members of the said council, including the three (3) barangay captains and councilors of the pilot areas namely Sta. Rita, Gordon Heights and New Cabalan.

Olongapo was one of the beneficiaries of the ECCD expansion program of the Council for the Welfare of Children and the Regional Sub Committee for the Welfare of Children (RSCWC) which is now in its second year of implementation.

The ECCD Program covers the health care needs, nutrition, education and other social services including the care and promotion of rights, needs and protection of children from zero (0) to six (6) years old.

As Chair of the Local Council for the Welfare of Children, Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. supports all efforts to protect the women and children of the city. “It is important to form the mind and body of children the earliest time possible which means starting from its conception in the womb until six years of age which are critical formative years.”

PAO/chay

OLONGAPO CITY ECCD PROGRAM UPGRADE

The Regional Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Monitoring Team conducted an ECCD Program Implementation Review in Olongapo City recently.

The monitoring team is headed by Social Worker Head Tam Lirio of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) together with ECCD Regional Director Marites Chaves and Remy Valeria of the Commission on Human Rights.

The review aims to evaluate and asses the ECCD Program Implementation of Olongapo City which is one of the pilot areas of the said program.

Three barangays were visited and identified as the pilot areas – Sta. Rita, New Cabalan and Gordon Heights. An interview with the Barangay Officials and other service providers such as barangay health and day care workers were conducted for the improvement and repainting of said health and day care centers.

Revitalization and developments in the identified barangays are set to take off this summer through the efforts of City Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. and the members of the Sangguniang Panlunsod and the guidance and monitoring of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) Head Gene Eclarino.

Gordon said that aside from the infrastructure development, capability building and enhancement activities are also conducted for service providers.

A refresher course on the implementing ECCD Curriculum is scheduled on April 13-30, 2009 where 55 day care workers will undergo the said course to make them more aware of handling and nurturing children in the development of their well-being.

In addition, it will help them ensure that the physical, intellectual, social and emotional needs of every child will be met, thus, making the delivery of the Day Care Service Program in the city of high quality and standards.

“In order to sustain the program, I am urging the public to support and actively participate, particularly from the barangay officials, for the welfare of the children in the community,” said Gordon.

The ECCD program, which covers children zero to six years old, focuses on health and nutrition, early childhood or pre-school education and other issues affecting children.

PAO/chay

EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT (ECCD) PROGRAM

After the successful launch of the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Program of the local government led by Mayor James ‘’Bong’’ Gordon, Jr. last May, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), as the lead agency, started implementing the Work and Financial Plan of the program.

In-line with this, CSWDO under the leadership of Gene Eclarino spearheaded the ‘’Team Effectiveness Workshop’’ for the City and Barangay ECCD Committee Officers and Members on June 18-20 in Baguio City.

The two (2) day capability building and training seminars aim to make the participants further understand the concept of the ECCD program. ‘’The activity also aims to build a strong and effective team among service providers and ECCD Committees and to be able to enhance their capability in the implementation of the ECCD Programs and services,’’ said the CSWDO head.

There were over thirty-five (35) participants in the training including three (3) barangay captains, Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) officers and Health Center doctors of Sta. Rita, Gordon Heights at New Cabalan, which are the first target areas of the program.

To build a stronger direction, the mission and vision for the first five (5) years of the implementation of the program in Olongapo was agreed upon during the training. Olongapo is one of the beneficiaries of the ECCD expansion program of the Council for the Welfare of Children and the Regional Sub Committee for the Welfare of Children (RSCWC).

The ECCD Program covers the health care needs, nutrition, education and other ‘social services’ including the care and promotion of rights, needs and protection of children from zero (0) to six (6) year old.

“Mahalagang mahubog nang mabuti ang mga bata mula sa pinaka kritikal na bahagi ng kanilang paglaki na nagsisimula sa pagkabuo nito sa sinapupunan ng ina hanggang sa anim (6) na taong gulang na ito,” stated Mayor Bong Gordon who is also the chairman of the Local Council for the Welfare of Children.

The program, initiated by the Mayor Gordon, was approved with a fund provided for ECCD for three years.

ECCD WORKSHOP: Participants of the ‘Team Building Effectiveness Workshop’ of Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Program during action training. The workshop was held on June 18-20 2008 in Baguio City
PAO/don

City Gov’t Supports ECCD Investment Plan

Bilang pagsuporta sa RA 8980 on Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), pinagtibay ng Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Olongapo ang ordinansang maglalaan ng kaukulang budget para sa ECCD Investment Plan sa panukala ni Kgd. Bebeth Marzan, nitong Hulyo 25, 2007 sa kanilang regular na sesyon.

Ayon sa nabanggit na batas, ang mga Local Government Units (LGU) ay mayroong responsibilidad na siguraduhin ang walang patid na kampanya para sa mga proyektong pangkabataan at suporta sa mga programang tutugon sa kapakanan nito. Kaya’t bilang beneficiary ng ECCD expansion program, nagtalaga ang Pamahalaan Panlungsod ng Olongapo ng pondo para sa Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC).

Bahagi rin ng RA 8980 ang pagtatalaga ng counterpart funds ng mga LGU para sa mga pagsasanay at pagsusulong ng edukasyon ng mga bata na tinugunan naman ng City government sa pamamagitan ng pag-aappropriate ng tatlong milyong piso (P3, 000, 000) sakop ang mga taong 2007–2009, isang milyon (P1, 000, 000) na budget sa bawat taon.

Samantala, sa pagkilala ni Mayor “Bong” Gordon sa batas para sa ECCD, nilagdaan ng punong-lungsod ang Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) na naglalaman ng higit na komprehensibong mga programa na marapat ipatupad para sa pag-aangat ng mga karapatan, pangangailangan at proteksyon ng mga bata. Kaugnay nito ang pagtatalaga ng kaukulang pondo para sa mga gawain at proyektong tutupad sa naturang batas.

Sa pagkakapasa ng ordinansang sumusoporta sa ECCD Investment Plan, inaasahan na lalo pang mapa-iigting ang mga programang pangkabataan ng Olongapo.

pao/jpb