Institutionalization of day care workers' incentives pushed

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City Councilor Jessica Resch has proposed an ordinance providing benefits and incentives for accredited child development workers (day care workers).

The measure entitled “Barangay Day Care Workers’ Benefits Ordinance of 2021” was referred to the Committee on Laws, Ordinances, and Styling for review.

“Our day care workers play a crucial role in the development of the minds of our children, hence, they must be given commensurate compensation with the respect to their workload and expertise,” read the proposed ordinance.

“Towards this end, the government must adopt policies that will improve the social and economic welfare of day care workers who provide pre-school education and social development services to our children,” it added.

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.

Section 6 provides that there shall be provided at least one BDCW in every barangay in the city.

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.

The said official registry/master list must be updated annually.

Section 8 states that in recognition of their services, all registered BDCWs who are actively and regularly performing their duties as certified by the Department of Social Welfare Services shall be entitled to the benefits and incentives such as PHILHEALTH Insurance coverage, medical examination, free legal assistance, financial assistance, loyalty incentive, assistance to indigents in crisis situations, use of government facilities, and BDCWs’ Convention.

Every incentive or benefit requiring expenditure  of city government fund shall be reviewed and approved by the DSWS to ensure that only the deserving BDCW will be entitled thereto.

Once approved, the amount necessary to carry out the provisions of the ordinance shall be included in the ensuing Appropriation Ordinance embodying the annual or supplemental budget.

The DSWS, in coordination with the chairman of the Committee on Social Welfare of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, Resch, and representatives from the City Federation of Barangay Day Care Workers, shall formulate the Implementing Rules and Regulations within 60 days from the effectivity of the ordinance. — KQD (FREEMAN)