DROP

Promoting Child’s Holistic and Integrated Lifelong Development

DOMAIN: Children and young adolescents have literacy, numeracy and critical life skills to make healthy decisions
PATHWAY: Quality, inclusive formal and alternative basic education.

Poor economic condition, poor support from parents and caregivers, and not functional school have mandated responsible bodies to safeguard the children as these have been identified as main challenges in Reina area that cause children not to pursue their schooling. For this reason, Pro-child project is currently implementing in Reina covered area in partnership with the Local Government Units and 23 covered schools.  To solve this, an intervention to improve their living condition has been made such as COMSCA, Financial Literacy and Bio Intensive Gardening Household Increase Resiliency Against Poverty (BIG HIRAP).  Despite the fact that the target  households self-report improved living conditions is not yet attain this year II, there still an emerging outcomes in the community. 

It is found out that to have savings is really a challenge in the community. In fact, there is an average eight (8) lending institutions aside from the banks exist in Reina area. But then, applying the habit of savings is not easy. This year, based on last March SRM with the Community SR and Core Group volunteers, an improvised coin-bank or bamboo coin-bank has been made in order for them to save. Meanwhile regarding the COMSCA intervention, 10 out of 12 organized COMSCA are functional and continue to save. In fact, Mrs. Analyn Sorral a COMSCA leader and SEA Beneficiary Parent mentioned how COMSCA helped them to provide the needs of their families particularly in children’s need before the school year begin.

Further, COMSCA is just a preparatory activity in order to improve the living condition of identified families. Along with this is the BIG HIRAP (Bio Intensive Gardening Household Increase Resiliency Against Poverty) which aim to support for the sustainable living of identified families of COMSCA members. Nine out of 12 COMSCA have their BIG in their community. In fact, a demo farm has been done this year and this coming year III, an expansion will be conducted.

Moreover, as part of Reina interventions to increase participation of children in formal and non-formal education, some officers of BCAs are trained. As a result, 4 BCAs conducted their Makabatang Programa successfully in their community such Tutoring session for OSCY, Arts and Reading Project, and Magaling Ako Matalino Project.

Also, in order to contribute to improve children learning outcomes, 30 teachers or 65% of the target teachers in Reina covered areas applied child friendly methodologies. In addition to that as a part of ensuring safe and learning environment of the children, Reina supported the Child Protection Committee in its covered area by providing Capacity Building last year resulting to 15 Schools are reported implementing CP. Upon validation, a total of 3 schools have found out with functional CPC (Tignoan, Tanuan, Agos-Agos ES) while  4 schools are  implementing a drop-out and CP related campaign such as the poster making which are supported by the Federation this year.

“As a parent, it is my duty to support my children in their studies and must do my best.”
– Isabelita Coronacion (SEA beneficiary Assessment)

Also, this year, the SGC of Banugao Elementary School organized an activity on Safety Skills Training and launched by the Federation.  The SGC of Banugao Elem School (BES) also tapped the local government and other BLGUs. As a result, 3 BLGUs and 4 departments (MHO, MENRO, BFP, MDRM) including the Philippine Navy sent facilitators to share their knowledge on Banugao Elementary School pupils. Also, the BES teachers are very supportive in the activity perceptively resulting to the awareness and preparedness of the pupils of Banugao Elem School in times of disaster has increased based on their submitted evaluation. Out of the five topics of Safety Training are Wounds Bandaging, Extrication Transfer, Survival technique, and Life Support. This only shows that the SGC of Banugao is already strengthened and children safety in their learning environment is attainable.

Furthermore, in order to increase attendance and participation in formal and alternative education of the children in their communities, a total of 132 Barangay Children Associations officers reviewed their Makabatang Programa this quarter in order for them to review and strategize for this year implementation. .

As a result, each Association submitted a proposed project in order for them to help in alleviating social issues of children including the issue of child labor which is the primary cause of drop-out in REINA area based on the research conducted by Reina and confirmed by the teachers during Stakeholders Review Meeting (SRM). Furthermore,, as a result of BCA activity, an enhance BCA activity facilitating child friendly activity through Peer to peer approach or group activity and monitoring tool is created.

Last but not the least in Pro-Child Project, out of 97 identified PARDO and SARDO, none of them drop in their school due to Socialized Educational Assistance. In fact during SRM with SEA Beneficiaries, the common facilitating factors that these children mentioned is, it helps them to attend school regularly as it contributes for the improvement of their grades.( Nakakapasok ng regular at tumataas ang aking grado” – SEA Beneficiaries.