The Provincial Government of Camarines Sur in coordination with NNC ECCD Coordinator conducted the Provincial Technical Assistance and Monitoring Evaluation (TAME) field visits in the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) areas in Iriga City, Bato, Libmanan, and Sipocot held on 21-22 March, 2019.
The ECCD for the First 1000 Days was implemented in Camarines Sur way back 2016 and this program aims to ensure the total development of the child through the delivery of key health, nutrition, early education, and social services in the continuum of care from pregnancy to the first two years of life. Organized by the Provincial Nutrition Council of Camarines Sur, the team was composed of representatives from DepEd, PSWDO, DILG, PHO and Office of the Provincial Agriculturist to assist in the monitoring activities.
The field visits also aims to assess the progress of the delivery of complementary nutrition and nutrition-related services implemented by various agencies both from the national and local governments, and to ensure that program implementers at all levels were adequately capacitated on ECCD-F1K policy and program directions, project management, and program logistics. The TAME team was divided into 2 teams to cover the targeted barangays within 2-days. Team A led by PNC Betito visited 5 barangays in Libmanan (Brgys. Handong, Planza, Taban, Mambulo Nuevo, and San Isidro) on day 1, and 3 barangays in Sipocot (Brgys. Sagrada, Manangle and Gaongan) on the second day. Team B, led by Provincial Agriculture Center Chief I Alabastro, visited 3 barangays each in Bato and Iriga City. Some observations of the teams during the home visits were as follows: 1) home gardens in Libmanan were totally damaged by Typhoon Usman in January due to floods, and other families who made the re-establishment of home gardens, again were affected by El Niño (drought). The household members have decided to re-plant during the upcoming rainy season. (2) beneficiaries of duck dispersal project in Libmanan complied with the repayment scheme, and other beneficiaries were now ready to distribute the small ducklings to 6 households in May. (3) In barangay Handong, 2 batches of nutrition classes was conducted by the volunteer and 60 mothers will be graduating in 23 April 2019. (4) In barangay Planza, 23 mothers will be completing the Idol Ko si Nanay sessions on 26 April 2019. The team suggested to the MNC that the BNS of barangay Handong, Planza, and Taban of Libmanan, Camarines Sur should be trained on “Idol ko si Nanay” for they were newly appointed last July 2018
The visitation also became a venue for the barangay-based workers to raise concerns and issues, as well as for the NNC and the Provincial Government to provide technical assistance and address the problem encountered in the implementation of ECCD-FIk.
The visitation ended with a feedback to the Municipal Mayors of Bato, Iriga City, Libmanan, and Sipocot, Camarines Sur. The continuous expansion of the ECCD F1K Program was recommended by the TAME to the local chief executives to improve the quality of life in the future. (PNC Betito/NO III Valeza)
