Various national government agencies participate in National Children’s Month awareness walk.
(Contributed Photo)
Some 400 participants from various national government agencies, local government units and nongovernment organizations attended the opening salvo of the National Children’s Month celebration last Saturday.
The celebration is being spearheaded by the Regional Council for the Welfare of Children (RCWC), an interagency committee under the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7).
The kick-off activity started with an awareness walk from Fuente Osmeña Circle to Plaza Independencia in downtown Cebu City where a short program was held.
During the program, RCWC, represented by its vice chairperson, DILG-7 Regional Director Rene Burdeos, handed the donated pencils to DepEd-7 representative Dr. Luz Jandayan in a ceremonial turnover.
“We would like to express our gratitude to DSWD for initiating this one million lapis (pencil) campaign, and surely this will benefit the underprivileged students in the region,” said Dr. Jandayan, Chief of Education Support Services Division of DepEd-7.
The DSWD-7 collected 143,307 pencils from July to October, and DepEd-7 is now determining the elementary schools from 4th to 6th class municipalities in the region that will receive the pencils.
Other activities lined up for the monthlong celebration are Kapihan sa PIA today, technical session on Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) cum orientation on the Early Years Act on November 22–25 to be participated in by the city and municipal social welfare and development officers, day care workers and ECCD focal in Cebu Province and the Regional Children’s Contest on November 29.
This year’s celebration carries the theme “Isulong: Kalidad na Edukasyon Para sa Lahat ng Bata!” responding to Sustainability Development Goal (SDG) No. 4, which is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities to all.