More than 30,000 children are set to graduate from the city government’s Child Development Centers (CDCs) this school year, including 5,050 boys and 5,375 girls aged 3 years old, as well as 10,249 boys and 10,265 girls aged 4 years old.
With a focus on the holistic growth and development of children, the city government of Davao through the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) has been supporting the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) program for years, addressing the needs of health, nutrition, early education, and social services.
Cayamombao Macadatar, ECCD Technical Staff, in an interview with city-owned Davao City Disaster Radio, said that while the enrollment is not mandatory, parents are strongly encouraged to enroll their children aged 3 to 4 years old in CDCs to prepare them for formal education.
“Diri sa atoang Child Development Center gina-ready nato ang atoang mga kabatan-onan para na sa ilahang formal education (Here at our Child Development Center we are preparing our youth for their formal education),” she said.
The CSWDO operates more than 600 CDCs across Davao City.
The centers operate in two shifts. Children aged 3 years old are in the centers from 8 to 11 a.m., while those aged 4 years old are scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m.
Daycare graduations are scheduled for April 21 to 30, with early enrollment set for June 9.
Macadatar also said that the program also prioritizes children’s nutrition and sanitation in partnership with the City Health Office. Services include height and weight monitoring by Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) and supplementary feeding programs.
“Ang atoang early education is dili education lang, kung dili naa pod ta’y HNS (Health, Nutrition and Sanitation) naa na diha musulodl ang BHW kay ilaha nang ginakwaan ug timbang (ug) height ang mga bata. Aduna pod kita’y supplementary feeding program (In addition to teaching, our early education program includes HNS (Health, Nutrition and Sanitation), wherein the child’s height and weight are measured by BHWs (Barangay Health Workers).We also have supplementary feeding program),” she said. CIO
