“Parents no longer need to wait under the sun”:BM Lammawin pledges P100,000 for proposed child development center stage, waiting area at NCDC Tabuk

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – A proposed stage and waiting area at the National Child Development Center (NCDC) in Bulanao, Tabuk City may receive partial funding from Board Member Camilo T. Lammawin Jr., who pledged P100,000 from his Calendar Year 2027 funding to support the project.

The NCDC earlier sought assistance from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Kalinga after parents and guardians accompanying their children were observed staying inside classrooms while waiting, contributing to overcrowding during class hours.

Located at Capitol Hills, Bulanao, the NCDC caters to children from infancy to four years old through its early childhood development programs, including Infant and Toddler Early Development (ITED), Pre-Kindergarten 1, and Pre-Kindergarten 2.

The center also provides health and nutrition monitoring, supplementary feeding, developmental assessments, and parent education activities.

During the SP’s regular session on July 21, an NCDC representative explained the need for a designated waiting area, saying parents and guardians had no proper place to stay while waiting for their children.

“We need your help iti waiting shed. Kailangan mi kasi sir iti waiting shed ta dagijay parents nu sumrek da iti day-care center, nga madama iti klase mi ket crowded da idjay uneg,” the representative told the provincial board.

The proposed waiting area would provide parents and guardians with a separate place to stay instead of remaining inside classrooms, while also providing shelter during hot or rainy weather.

The request was subsequently taken up during a joint hearing of the SP Committees on Infrastructure and Public Works and Highways, Education, and Agrarian Reform and Provincial Government Reservation on August 13.

During the hearing, personnel from the Office of the Provincial Engineer reported that an inspection had found an existing waiting area at the center.

NCDC teachers, however, clarified that while an existing waiting area was identified during the inspection, the center still lacked a proper facility that could adequately serve its needs as a Level 3 Center.

The teachers then proposed combining a stage and waiting area into a single low-cost structure.

Following the discussion, a P300,000 program of work was prepared for the proposed stage and waiting area, with Lammawin pledging P100,000 from his Calendar Year 2027 funding to help support the project.

In its Report No. 09, Series of 2026, the Committee on Government Reservation, chaired by Board Member Roger Saga-oc, recommended returning the written request to the NCDC for formal re-submission directly to the Office of Governor James S. Edduba for evaluation of possible provincial funding.

The committee also recommended that the NCDC teachers submit a formal request to Lammawin in connection with his pledged P100,000 support as part of the required process.

During the SP regular session on September 29, Board Member Emilio Kitongan, chair of the Committee on Education, moved for the adoption of the committee report. The motion was approved by the provincial board.

However, the latest SP action and Lammawin’s contribution do not mean that the entire P300,000 project cost has already been approved or funded. The remaining amount will still be subject to evaluation and the appropriate funding process.

In an interview, Lammawin said his commitment was intended to help the center provide a more appropriate space for parents and guardians while waiting for their children and to support a facility that would benefit the young children served by the NCDC.

He said the proposed facility could not only address the concern of parents staying inside classrooms but also provide additional space for activities of the center.

“I believe that providing a proper waiting area is also part of creating a safe and comfortable environment for our children and their parents. If we can help through our available resources, then we should extend that support and contribute to this project,” he said.