Ilocos Norte hosts 3rd Regional Day Care Workers confab

DSWD Sec. Dinky Soliman opens the 3rd Regional Day Care Workers Convention

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff Reporter

LAOAG CITY—More than 800 day-care workers (DCW) from the four provinces of Region 1 attended the 3^rd regional convention of DCW meant to strengthen their capability building activities and to push for more incentives and benefits for their hard work and dedication, particularly in molding the values of children entrusted to them.

With the theme, “Kapakanan ng mga Day Care Workers siguruhin natin,” the regional convention slated on June 9-11, primarily aims to push the concerns of day care workers along with the provisions of the Early Years Act.

While doing so, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) led by Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman has also intensified the assessment for accreditation of DCW in the region to sustain quality services provided to children in their early formative years.

Backing House Bill No. 829, “An act providing benefits and incentives to accredited child development workers (Day Care Workers), child development teachers, teacher aides, barangay health workers and nutrition providers, rural health midwives and other care providers, the DSWD Secretary who served as keynote speaker at the held at the Plaza del Norte in Laoag City on June 10 has recognized the important role of DCW as partners of parents in providing early education and childhood development to their children.

Once approved into law, the salaries of day care workers from P500 will be increased to the equivalent of Salary Grades 6, 8 and 10 depending on their qualification.

It also aims to provide other benefits such as leave benefits, free medical examination and treatment, as well as insurance and retirement benefits.

Under the proposed bill, the budget allotment for the uniform career and development plan for these workers shall come from the current year’s appropriations of the Department of Education, DSWD, Department of Health, Department of Interior and Local Government, National Nutrition Council, and the local government units presently employing them. Also, additional funds from the PAGCOR and the Early Childhood Care and Development shall augment the budget allocation to be included in the General Appropriations Act.

In Region 1, there are at least 3,282 Day Care Centers with 3,166 day care workers while in Ilocos Norte, there are 561 Day Care Centers with 260 accredited day care workers.