LUNA, Apayao – The provincial government inaugurated and turned over two newly-constructed child development centers (CDCs) in Barangay Turod, Luna and Barangay Emiliana Santa Marcela Apayao on August 12, 2024.
The buildings have a combined cost of PhP8,448,791.175 with both CDCs having an area of 15.5 meters by 8 meters.
The provincial government believes CDCs play a vital role in molding the future of the community by nurturing early childhood education, social skills and emotional well-being, and thus they are also prioritized.
Governor Elias C. Bulut, Jr. and Congressman Eleanor Bulut-Begtang, for their part, echoed their commitment to enhancing educational opportunities for yApayao children. In their earlier talks, they both emphasized the importance of preparing future generations of workers and leaders by improving the children’s quality of life and by providing education to them in a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment.
CDCs cater to toddlers ages five years old below, preparing them for school programs and curricula in higher levels of learning. Children who go through these programs don’t have any difficulty adapting to life in higher schools.
Jocelyn Loyon Provincial Social Welfare Department Officer (PSWDO) graced the blessing and official opening of the CDCs along with Social Welfare Officer Thelma Pugyao, barangay officials, child development workers (CDWs), Municipal Social Welfare Development Office (MSWDO), and representatives from the Provincial Engineering Office.
In her message Loyon said learning centers should be convenient and conducive, “nalpasen iti Provincial Government iti akem na. Dagijay dadduma kuma pay nga masapol na kas maintenance kada kinadalus na, isabat kuma metten iti local government ken iti barangay. I-turnover mi kanyayo daytoy ngem taraknen yu kuma met nga napintas daytoy a building.”
“Haan tayo kuma agsardeng nga mangsuporta kadagitoy nga programa ta para kadagiti ubbing dagitoy. Pagbalinen tayo iti ubbing responsible members iti probinsiya tayo ket mangrugi daytoy a proseso iti child development centers” she continued.
Barangay Councilor Joe Guillermo of Barangay Emiliana Santa Marcela expressed his gratitude to the PGA for their support to the young people of Apayao he also expressed his appreciation to the CDWs for their dedication to the children.
The new building is a much-improved version of the old day care center “haanen nga malayus daytoy ta napintas daytoy nga pagadalan dagijay ubbing tayu ken nu niya man ti kurang na ket mabalin mi met siguron nga nayunan through our MSWDO, aramiden mi amin nga karbengan mi nga mangtaripato ken daytoy inted yu nga center para ken dagitay ubbing” he said. The center was built primarily to help CDWs ensure the safety and security of their pre-school children.
Barangay Turod Luna, Apayao CDC started its construction on September 5, 2023 and ended on June 19, 2024 with a cost of 20% of development fund of phase 1 is PhP2, 999, 406.32 and the cost of 20% of development fund 2024 for completion is PhP1, 649, 652.5 totaling to PhP4, 649, 058.82.
Meanwhile, Barangay Emiliana Santa Marcela, Apayao started its construction on September 5, 2023 and ended on June 11, 2024 with a cost of 20% of development fund of phase 1 is PhP2, 999, 959.705 and the cost of 20% of development fund 2024 for completion is PhP799,772.64 amounting to PhP3, 799,732. 345.
Six CDCs have already been constructed in Apayao with two each in Santa Marcela (Panay & Emiliana), Luna (Turod & Tumog), and Pudtol (Lower Maton & Lt. Balag). The ongoing construction of CDCs are at Mallig in Flora, Dibagat in Kabugao, Allangigan in Conner, Tubongan in Calanasan and Cacalaggan in Pudtol. By Krizza Joy Castillo
