INTERAGENCY REPRESENTATIVES. Pictured here are representatives from various agencies and institutions with Teodoro Sabuga-a Jr, City Social Welfare and Development Department head and concurrent city administrator (front row, first from left), Maria Victoria Trinidad, director of XU Arrupe Educational Center and chairwoman of the City Early Childhood Care and Development (front row, second from left), Shiela de Lima, project manager from Kaabag sa Kalambuan Pinaagi sa Kabtangan sa Katilingban Child Fund. Supplied photo.
“As of the school year 2018, 117 students are severely underweight and 748 are underweight,” stated by City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) Centers and Institutions Division head Michael Christopher Fabello during the Child Development Summit also known as the Stakeholders’ Summit for Children held at the American Corner of Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan last month.
The event was an interagency gathering with the goal of creating a dialogue among stakeholders in order to carry out the children’s annual check-up in the districts of Cagayan de Oro City and to strengthen child protection and welfare programs.
The participants of the event were representatives of the local government unit, CSWD - Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), City Health Office, Commission on Human Rights Region X, CDO Police Office - Women and Children’s Protection Desk (COCPO – WCPD), 4th Civil Military Operations (Kasaligan) Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army (4CMO Bn, 4ID, PA), Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (PSPC), Kaabag sa Kalambuan Pinaagi sa Kabtangan sa Katilingban Child Fund (KKKK), Balay Canossa Foundation Inc, Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 10 (PDEA), Nestle Tablon, Junior Chamber International Kagayhaan Gold (JCI), Iprep Play & Learn, ECE Marketing, Fely’s Jewels and Pawnshop, and Centrio Mall.
CITY LEADER. CDO Mayor Oscar S Moreno gives a brief background of the efforts put in by various stakeholders in child development. Moreno highlights that the more people get involved, the initiative becomes a collaborative effort and more efficient. Supplied photo.
During the said event, CDO Mayor Oscar S Moreno said that each stakeholder has made contributions toward prioritizing children’s health in the city. He also thanked everybody for being open to being part of the initiative that the Kaabag sa Kalambuan Pinaagi sa Kabtangan sa Katilingban Child Fund (KKKK) spearheaded. Moreno also encouraged everyone to continue their participation and support in the upcoming activities of the program.
“We are already doing great," Moreno said, adding "Let’s get better — especially in child protection.”
Facilitated by KKKK Child Fund project manager Shiela de Lima, an open forum was set to allow conversations among the stakeholders on the findings presented earlier by Fabello. Concerns were raised such as the ideal number of students in one classroom session, the number of kids to be handled by one daycare center, and student-teacher ratio.
OPEN FORUM. The open forum at the Child Development Summit serves as an opportunity for dialogue among the different agencies and institutions to address concerns and share their best practices. Supplied photo.
A workshop followed the open forum where the participants were grouped to discuss the following points:
- What are the issues present in a given situation (in terms of responsive and protective caregiving, education, parents’ awareness and the like)?
- What are the ways or approaches to address these issues?
- As an individual, representative, or institution, what can we do to help address the issues?
Each group was given an opportunity to share their insights with the big group.
Maria Victoria Trinidad, director of the Arrupe Educational Center and chairperson of the City Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) shared the Child Development Caravan project to be implemented. The caravan will go to 17 different barangays and will be catering to not less than 100 kids per barangay.
THE CDO CHILDREN. City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) Centers and Institutions Division head Michael Christopher Fabello discusses the situation of the children of Cagayan de Oro at the 2018 Child Development Summit. Supplied photo.
The summit representatives were highly encouraged to participate in this project and in addressing different concerns related to child care.
City Social Welfare and Development Department head and the concurrent city administrator Teodoro Sabuga-a Jr, in his message, emphasized on the concerns of ECCD.
“We shall come up with a good database to help predict how many will be turning 1 or 2 years old and how to handle the number of kids and their needs,” he said.
Sabuga-a added that with the help of other stakeholders, they aim to develop the initiative to be more efficient.∎
PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS. Iprep Play & Learn representative Maria Kristine Lasque shares on how daycare centers operate and some figures on preschool enrollment for the present academic year. Supplied photo.
FOCUSED GROUP DISCUSSION. Representatives of the various agencies and institutions express the issues, ways, and approaches, and contributions they can impart to the Child Development Caravan project. Supplied photo.
CHILD DEVELOPMENT CARAVAN. Director of the Arrupe Educational Center and chairwoman of the City Early Childhood Care and Development, Maria Victoria Trinidad shares with the participants some initiatives and opportunities on child care in which stakeholders can take part. Supplied photo.
BASELINING. Teodoro Sabuga-a Jr, City Social Welfare and Development Department head and concurrent city administrator, points out the importance of baselining to improve their monitoring and service delivery related to child care in CDO. Supplied photo.
COMMITMENT TOWARDS CHILD DEVELOPMENT. Dr Minda Domingo, a representative of Gugma sa Kabataan, presents the profile of the ECCD students and synthesizes her discussion with a "commitment sharing" through personal pledges. Supplied photo.