Baguio: The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) is preparing child development workers, often referred to as "day care teachers," to accommodate approximately 4,000 preschoolers for the upcoming School Year 2026 to 2027. "We successfully conducted a series of capability-building activities to ensure the readiness of the child development workers for the upcoming school year," stated Liza Bulayungan, CSWD officer, in a message on Tuesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, there are currently 104 child development centers (CDCs) with 90 day care workers responsible for handling the children. While most of these workers receive honoraria from the barangay, 12 are compensated by the city government. The training programs include a 27-hour early childhood care and development (ECCD) National Certification Level 3 (NC III) and assessments conducted by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
Bulayungan highlighted that the training intends to equip workers with essential skills that meet the standards and demands of the established ECCD program. The city government also initiated an orientation and hands-on encoding session for these workers, as Baguio City serves as the pilot area for the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) ECCD Information System Version 3. This system, developed in collaboration with the ECCD council, is an automated digital platform that tracks the development of children enrolled in CDCs as well as the profiles of the centers and their workers.
Additionally, the child development workers organized the 'Summer Camp Bulilit' from May 11 to 15, which introduced children under five years old to ECCD programs and activities designed to encourage parental enrollment and prepare children for day care routines before the formal school opening.
Bulayungan also noted that child development workers attended seminars on the city's Pansanopen initiative, which emphasizes the integration of circular economy concepts and eco-friendly practices into the ECCD curriculum. Moreover, these workers participated in a comprehensive seminar focused on city ordinances and resolutions concerning children, aiming to deepen their understanding of local laws to ensure better protection and advocacy for the youth.
She reinforced that the CSWD is committed to the continuous capacity building of child development workers by regularly incorporating learning and development sessions into their monthly organizational meetings, in addition to specialized seminars and training.
