BONTOC, Mountain Province – This municipality has initiated a new and first-of-its-kind activity to celebrate the 29th National Children’s Month (NCM) this November amid the pandemic.
The Bontoc Local Unit (LGU) through the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) in collaboration with the Municipal Health Office (MHO) will spearhead the Search for the Healthiest Day Care Children.
According to Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer Araceli Shane Bayanos, all the Day Care Centers / Early Child Care Development Centers were encouraged to participate and to select one child to represent their respective Day Care Centers.
The Healthiest Day Care Child will receive a cash prize of P5, 000. Cash prizes of P4, 000; P3, 000; 2,000 and P1, 000 will be given to second, third, fourth and fifth places, respectively. A consolation prize of P500 will be given to each participating Day Care Child who did not make it to the Top 5.
Aside from this, a cash prize of P1, 000 each will be given to the Child Development Workers (CDWs) with participating Day Care Child who made it to the Top 5.
Criteria in the selection of Healthiest Day Care Children include on hand and updated Mother and Child Book or Under-Five Card 15 percent, delivered with normal birth weight 5 percent , delivered either at the hospital, Barangay Health Station, or home with the assistance of a Skilled Birth Attendant 5 percent, fully immunized child and adherence to schedule immunization 15 percent, the child has not been hospitalized of any sickness 10 percent, with normal weight and height according to age 15 percent, child’s interaction to the evaluators 10 percent, personal appearance 10 percent , and at least exclusively breastfed from birth to six months with Certification from the Midwife 15 percent.
Bayanos mentioned that evaluators together with the personnel from the MSWDO and MHO have been going around the barangays for the evaluation of the participating children.
She added that in compliance with health protocols, the number of participants present during the assessment shall be limited to the evaluators; personnel from the MSWDO, MHO through the Municipal Nutrition Action Officer, one nurse and respective midwife of the barangay; the Day Care Child, parent of the Day Care Child and the respective CDW.
By virtue of Republic Act 10661, the NCM is an annual celebration that commemorates the signing of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the United Nations General Assembly on November 20, 1989.
The theme for this year’s celebration is, “New Normal na Walang Iwanan: Karapatan ng Bawat Bata Ating Tutukan (No One is Left Behind under the New Normal: Focus on Children’s Rights)”. It aims to strengthen the call for public awareness and support in protecting and promoting the rights of children. By Alpine L. Killa
