March 29, 2024

BONTOC, Mountain Province – The winners for the Search for the Healthiest Day Care Children 2021 were announced during the regular flag raising ceremony on Dec. 27 at the Bontoc Municipal Capitol. 
Medogwen Pang-etan of Barangay Alab Proper and enrolled at the Alab Bilig Child Development Center (CDC) is the champion and will receive P5,000 cash prize. The child development worker (CDW) of Alab Bilig CDC is Melanie Bilog. 
Harold Rod Oyeng, Jr., of Samoki CDC is second place, KD Reign Maskay of Lanao CDS in Barangay Bontoc Ili – third place, Jhacelyn Guevarra of Ban-ay CDC in Barangay Talubin – fourth place; and Gavin Hugh Fassong of Khefa CDC – fifth place and will receive P4,000, P3,000, P2,000, and P1,000, respectively. 
The CDWs are Erlinda Fagyan for Samoki CDC, Lanao CDC is Rita Cherweg, Ban-ay CDC is Faith Dulay, and Khefa CDC is Glenda Grail Dula and will each receive P1,000. 
The criteria in the selection of healthiest day care children are on-hand and updated mother and child book or under-five card (15 percent), delivered with normal birth weight (5 percent); delivered either at the hospital, barangay health station, or home with the assistance of a skilled birth attendant (5 percent); fully immunized child and adherence to schedule immunization (15 percent), the child has not been hospitalized of any sickness (10 percent), with normal weight and height according to age (15 percent), child’s interaction to the evaluators (10 percent), personal appearance (10 percent), and at least exclusively breastfed from birth to six months with certification from the midwife (15 percent).
In compliance with health protocols, the number of participants present during the assessment was limited to the evaluators, personnel from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, Municipal Health Office through the Municipal Nutrition Action Officer, one nurse and respective midwife of the barangay; the day care child and parent, and CDW.
The evaluators MSWDO and MHO personnel went around the barangays for the evaluation of the participating children.
The Search for the Healthiest Day Care Children 2021 is a new and first-of-its-kind activity initiated by the MSWDO in collaboration with the MHO to celebrate the 29th National Children’s Month in November amid the pandemic. – Alpine L. Killa