The Dr. Montallana Tutorial and Early Childhood Care and Development Center started its operation on June 8, 2008, and ended up to November 12, 2013 only because the following day November 13, 2013 was the happening of the strong Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda,’ wherein it was totally devasted, and was not revived anymore due to the destruction of all its facilities, located at the Knights of Columbus Building, P. Zamora Street, Tacloban City.
It has already more than 30 enrollees in Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Program and more than 50 enrollees in the tutorials of different subjects for elementary, secondary, and tertiary education. It has eight full-time teachers and five teachers doing a part-time job.
The ECCD program was made possible in line with Republic Act 8980 – Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), to support the Philippine government’s thrust to provide early education, and social services programs that provide for the basic holistic needs of young children (4-5 years old) to promote their optimum growth and development.
At the national level, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is the agency responsible for the overall policy and program development, setting and promoting guidelines and standards, providing technical assistance to the local government units through the regional field offices, monitoring and evaluation.
The Dr. Montallana Tutorial and Early Childhood Care and Development Center got its accreditation from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). It was awarded in recognition of its “Highly Satisfactory” compliance (Accreditation Level III) to the standards set in the implementation of the Early Childhood Care and Development Center – based Program, which was awarded by then DSWD Regional Director Leticia T. Corillo, on December 28, 2010 at the DSWD Field Office VIII, Magsaysay Boulevard, Tacloban City.
The Dr. Montallana’s ECCD Center also gained recognition as the “Most Earnest Congregation” for being most punctual, and most diligent group in the attendance on all the Eight Module Training on the Revised Manual for Day Care Workers/ECCD Service Providers conducted on June 26, July 10, 17, 31, and August 7, 2010.
The writer is still hoping by God’s grace that the Dr. Montallana Tutorial and ECCD Center will come into existence again soon.
With all of these being said, the writer is encouraging everyone to take part in the implementation of Republic Act 8980 – Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) to help the country’s thrust to provide early education, and social services programs that provide for the basic holistic needs of young children (4-5 years old) to promote their optimum growth and development.
(The author is a Professor at Saint Paul School of Professional Studies, Campetic, Palo, Leyte).
BY: DR. TEOFILO O. MONTALLANA
