Baguio City barangay council for children’s protection urged to promote activities at home

The Barangay Council for Protection of Children (BCPC) has been urged to take a more important role during the quarantine period by keeping the children in their villages active through engaging in educational and development activities they can do in their homes. 

In a resolution, the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) asked the BCPC to utilize its allocated funds for such activities for children who are expected to stay at home when usually they are already in school at this time of the year. 

“The growth and development of children should be continuous. In fact, it is from ages zero to seven that the child’s brain has to be developed,” councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda, the main proponent, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Monday.

Tabanda said if classes will start in August, this may not happen for children below seven. 

“Physical classes will not be feasible, distance learning will really be a challenge. Besides, socialization for the children has to be considered,” she added.

Tabanda, a former teacher and a law professor, said every barangay has its own BCPC that will serve as the “nucleus” for the learning mode.

“There is a budget for the BCPC,” she said.

The BCPC is allotted 1 percent of the barangay’s budget to handle organizations responsible for the promotion of the welfare of children and adopting measures for children’s health.

Tabanda further said the City Social Welfare Development Office (CSWDO) has also a budget that can be utilized for the same purpose. 

“What needs to be done is to realign the priorities, activities and funds,” she said.

Sports, as well as “Got Talent” funds, can be used for books, art materials and other learning materials, she added. 

Tabanda underscored that such activities would help raise children’s level of interest towards learning which will make them more prepared when school reopens. 

She said it is necessary to conduct worthwhile activities for children in order to revive their spirit and make them feel productive despite staying at home.

Meanwhile, to bolster efforts to establish the learning program, Tabanda said she will file another resolution Monday asking the CSWDO “to orient us on what the plans are for the child development centers (day care).” 

“Home confinement brings stressors from the environment, such as boredom, frustration, anxiety, negative responses, and a feeling of inadequacy for being idle for a long period,” the resolution reads “This may be manifested through a surge or sudden change in behavior.”

The city council approved the resolution on June 15 and suggested certain activities that may be conducted amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic “to foster healthy behavior and positive attitude towards learning.” 

These include reading to improve vocabulary and comprehension, storytelling, art activities like drawing or painting, singing and playing musical instruments. 

“It is likewise stimulating to encourage the children to plant especially vegetable seedlings to make them experience the excitement of harvesting their own produce,” the resolution said. (News content and photo reposted from Philippine News Agency)