DSWS backs giving day care workers benefits, incentives

CEBU, Philippines —  The Department of Social Welfare Services (DSWS) has expressed its support for the approval of the proposed ordinance providing benefits and incentives to accredited child development workers also known as day care workers.

Councilor Jessica Resch has authored the proposed measure.

The measure entitled “Barangay Day Care Workers’ Benefits Ordinance of 2021” underwent a public hearing before the City Council earlier this month.

DSWS program head Marivic Alolod said their office has nothing but a positive position to the proposed ordinance, stating that the city government is yet to have an ordinance intended for the benefit of day care workers.

“It underscores the importance of the day care workers in the development of our children… We pray and hope that this ordinance be approved by the council,” said Alolod.

At present, 296 day care workers are currently employed in the city’s 80 barangays.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, Alolod said these day care workers are doing house-to-house visit to the pupils at the same time having the feeding program continued.

The proposed ordinance aims to institutionalize and ensure the continuity of the benefits and incentives that the Barangay Day Care Workers (BDCW) have been receiving for a considerable number of years and to grant additional benefits and incentives to motivate them to sustain and to further improve their performance and services.

In order to ensure that BDCWs shall be entitled to the benefits and incentives provided under the ordinance, they shall register with the Social Welfare Services Office, which is mandated to maintain an official registry/master list of all BDCWs in the city. — FPL (FREEMAN)