KALAHI-CIDSS started the construction of the two new daycare centers in Talisay City and Pinamungajan, Cebu, under the KALAHI-CIDSS Pag-Abot program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 7.

The project aims to provide safe and conducive learning spaces for daycare children, following groundbreaking ceremonies held on June 2 and 5, 2025, in Barangay Bulacao, Talisay City, and Barangay Tutay, Pinamungajan, respectively.

The two subprojects cost P4,114,000. DSWD allocated P2,047,000 for Pinamungajan for the learning space with P47,000 local counterpart, and P2,067,000 for Talisay for the daycare center in Bulacao, with P67,000 local counterpart. The target completion date of these two subprojects is in August 2025.

Constructed under the KALAHI-CIDSS Pag-Abot program, both daycare centers followed the Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach, where communities identified priority projects through community consultation and barangay assemblies.

The daycare center in Bulacao, Talisay City is expected to benefit 135 household beneficiaries, while the facility in Tutay, Pinamungajan, targets 985 household beneficiaries.

These facilities will improve accessibility, reduce transportation costs, and boost enrollment in their respective areas, as they provide a safe and supportive learning environment for young children while helping working parents in the community.

Bulacao Barangay Captain Banjo Abastillas, in his speech on June 2, 2025, said the daycare center is what their community needs, knowing the current situation of their daycare pupils.

“Init kaayo. Nag-abang lang intawn mi’g yuta. Katong remnants sa nasunogan diri sa Sitio Crosan para lang g’yud mahimutang ang atong mga kabataan (It’s hot. We’re just renting some land—the remnants from the fire here in Sitio Crosan—just so our kids have a place to stay),” he said during the groundbreaking ceremony on June 2.

KALAHI-CIDSS 7 OIC Deputy Regional Program Manager Engr. Helen Ybañez said in her speech that the project will proceed with the support of women in the community, as thirty-five percent of the construction workforce must be women to fulfill KALAHI’s women empowerment role.

“Dili na g’yud mapugngan. Mopadayon na g’yud ang atong construction sa atong daycare center (There is no stopping now. Our daycare center construction will continue for sure),” she said.

She also emphasized the maintenance funds as she encouraged the community to help sustain the project once turned over, as agreed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the barangay local government unit.

“Kinahanglan molungtad ni siya. Dapat daghan ang makabenepisyo ani. Lisod ang atoang mga kabataan karon kay hagip-ot kaayo ang lugar. Hinaot pa unta nga gahinan ni og pondo para ma sustain o mamintenar ang mga activities sa maong daycare center,” she said.

“Sa usa ka tuig or in one year, dili pa na dayon makit-an ang mga deperensya, but sa ngadto-ngadto, kung di gani sya maatiman, mabutang g’yud na siya nga di maayo nga facility,” she added.

Before the construction of daycare centers, the BLGU people and community volunteers underwent a series of training on financial management, procurement, and project management to enable them to manage their project effectively for their community, assisted by the DSWD 7. ###