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Overwhelming joy and gratitude were expressed by parents of pupils who benefited from two newly-constructed day care centers and playgrounds, which were turned over to barangays Catarman and San Vicente in the municipality of Liloan, Cebu last Jan. 16.
The said construction was through the collective efforts of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund (DACF), Vereniging Haarlemmermeer-Cebu, alumni campers of RAFI’s Kool Adventure Camp from Lilo-an National High School, the municipal government of Liloan, barangays Catarman and San Vicente, Vereniging, the Netherlands and the rest of the community in the barangays.
Fe Tagalog, mother of four-year-old Jirapha, pupil at Mahayahay Day Care Center, Catarman, Liloan, burst into tears while giving her testimony, recalling how it was like for the children before they transferred to the new day care center.
Tagalog shared that classes used to be held in a chapel, where there’s no comfort room and running water and muddy when it rains. The children had to go outside for toilet, or sometimes just wait until they got home. Furthermore, concentrating and fully enjoying the classroom activities was quite difficult for them in the then cramped space.
Parents observed that they see their children more excited and motivated to go to school, attributing the enthusiasm to the new building and playground.
The new day care centers and playgrounds, according to parents, are more spacious and safe for their children. It enables their children to be more active and participative since the environment provides them stimulation and enough space to interact and enjoy. The structure is now clearly defined as a place for learning for young children because of the design, colors, and facilities, they added.
The new Barangay San Vicente playground and day care center, where Liloan Mayor Duke Frasco and RAFI Executive Committee Chair Ma. Cristina C. Aboitiz lead the turnover ceremony.
One of the pupils in Barangay San Vicente Day Care Center, said that she likes going to school because the colors inside are her favorite.
Corby Satirtigan, also from the same school, said that he loves to play at the slide of the playground during their break time.
“We are privileged to have this facility, and so in return we take responsibility of keeping it safe and useful for the future children in our community,” Tagalog said.
The new day care centers and playgrounds conform to the Department of Social Welfare and Development standards, which includes using colors and designs that stimulate learning in children.
Liloan Mayor Duke Frasco said that he hopes that prioritizing Early Childhood Care and Development will help address the issue on high failure rate among grade one pupils in Liloan, as well as other concerns related to poor ECCD services.
Mrs. Chari Aboitiz, member of DACF Executive Committee, and Mayor Frasco play bato lata (slipper agame) in the school playground.
For more information on how you or your organization can help build more day care centers and playgrounds, please contact 418-7234 loc. 512 and look for Engr. May Reah Cuevas.
DACF is under RAFI’s Education focus area, believing that shaping the next generation of talents begins with nurturing the love for learning. Other focus areas of RAFI are Integrated Development, Micro-finance & Entrepreneurship, Culture & Heritage, and Leadership & Citizenship.
For more information about DACF, please contact 255-5630 and look for Joem de Gracia, or visit or .