CAR’S 24-YR OLD CHILDREN ALTERNATIVE CARE FACILITY ENHANCED FOR BETTER SERVICE

August 26, 2024 JUST IN

La Trinidad, Benguet (August 26, 2024)

Cordillera region’s 24-year old facility 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙮 𝘾𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣 (𝙍𝙎𝘾𝘾) in Puguis, La Trinidad, Benguet, was enhanced with a new building to further expand its services. The RSCC, a 24-hour residential facility, since 1990, has been providing protection and rehabilitation services through temporary residential care to neglected, abandoned, abused and exploited children and those with special needs such as children at risk and children who are in need of alternative family care.

Social welfare chief Rex Gatchalian, represented by Irene B. Dumlao, CESO IV, Assistant Secretary (ASEC) for Office of the Secretary (OSEC) Concerns, Disaster Response and Management Group (DRMG) and DSWD spokesperson primed on the importance of further improving and enhancing government facilities that provide optimum services. At present, the children’s facility has a 50-bed capacity and at present it has 16 residents, said Asst. Sec. Dumlao.

Members of the DSWD Executive Committee led the ribbon-cutting and opening rites of the enhanced facility with DSWD Field Office CAR officials led by Regional Director Maria A. Catbagan-Aplaten, Assistant Regional Director for Operations Enrique H. Gascon, Jr. , OIC Assistant Regional Director for Administration Rina Claire Reyes, DSWD FO CAR Management Committee members and staff.

Officers and representatives of different partners and stakeholders from the public and private sectors further gave meaning to the inauguration rites. Dir. Aplaten emphasizing the significance of child development through an initialism on CHILD: C – Care; H – Hope; I – Inspiration; L – Love; D – Dedication. “We hope that the RSCC would continue to be a sanctuary where wounds both seen and unseen can begin to heal,” she said. Elders from the local community performed two Ibaloi traditional rituals priming the program followed by Fr. Gerardo Costa, blessing and dedicating the building.

Other DSWD Central Office officials: former DSWD FO CAR RD and now Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) for Disaster Response and Management Group (DRMG) and Concurrent Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau Leo L. Quintilla, former DSWD FO CAR RD and now Asst. Sec. for Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns Arnel B. Garcia, CESO II, also former DSWD FO CAR RD and now ASEC for Standards and Capacity Building Group Janet Armas; ASEC for Statutory Programs Ada A. Calico; Director IV under the Office of the ASEC for Statutory Programs and Coach Monitor of the Program Management Bureau’s Center and Development Division, National Inspectorate Division and Center Residential Care Facilities Infrastructure Team Rowela F. Hizon also graced the inauguration rites.

Artemio A. Dumlao