Barangay Bamban in Gumaca, Quezon, has completed the upgrading of its Child Development Center (CDC), a crucial step towards regaining accreditation under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) program support.

Joseph Arceo, Public Information Officer for DSWD 4-A (Calabarzon), bared Thursday that the project, funded under the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP) through the Kalahi-CIDSS program, was completed with a subproject cost of PHP450,630. The improvements include a safe kitchen, a handwashing facility, and concrete perimeter fencing to ensure the safety and hygiene of the children.

Arceo said the upgrades address long-standing concerns from parents and meet the facility standards set by the DSWD for re-accreditation. The center was previously flagged for non-compliance with infrastructure requirements.

The enhanced facility has improved the delivery of feeding programs and hygiene practices, which are key indicators in the re-accreditation process. “They are now able to cook meals on-site and conduct feeding activities regularly,” Arceo said in an interview.

The village also organized a Monitoring and Inspection Team (MIT) to ensure transparency during the implementation, and has since formed an Operations and Maintenance Group to sustain the improvements.

The PMNP, implemented through Kalahi-CIDSS, follows a community-driven development approach aimed at addressing malnutrition in vulnerable communities. Barangay Bamban is among the barangays prioritized for this initiative.

Successful re-accreditation will allow the barangay to access further technical and financial support from the DSWD for early childhood care and development programs. (PNA)