Children in the tourist town of Baras, Rizal are set to receive stronger and more engaging early childhood education through a Rotary Global Grant-supported initiative, with the Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. (KCFI) spearheading the development of the country’s first training program aimed at upskilling child development workers (CDWs).
Launched on July 7, 2025, the initiative titled “Kayang Kaya Para sa Bata: Certificate Program for the Upskilling of Child Development Workers” is a six-month professional development program designed to address key challenges in early childhood care and education. The program equips CDWs with the knowledge, skills and certification to deliver more holistic learning experiences for children in their formative years.
The program is funded by Rotary Global Grant #2457741 through the Rotary Club of Makati Premier District (RCMPD), Rotary District 3830, Rotary Club of Cheonan Dongho and Rotary District 3620. Rotary Global Grants support large-scale, high-impact projects carried out through international partnerships.
“This project addresses the early childhood development crisis in the Philippines, focusing on children ages 0-8 years old. It highlights the vital role of child development workers through a six-month comprehensive training program that includes mentoring, coaching, and ready-to-use multi-media training materials. These materials make it easier to expand the program to other barangays. The Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. (KCFI) created the training videos and Portable Media Library units. Through this Rotary global grant project, we also provided 42 television sets — one for each Child Development Center in Baras — to support effective learning,” said RCMPD president Jose Luis “Bobet” Vera.
“KCFI has long been committed to supporting children aged 0–8, their most formative years, through initiatives that integrate care and education. I’m happy that the Kayang-Kaya Para Sa Bata: Certificate Program for Upskilling Child Development Workers project is aligned with the Early Childhood Care and Development System Act of 2025, which was shaped in part by KCFI’s focus on early childhood development and its contributions to the Technical Working Group that laid the foundations for it. We are happy to support Rotary in this project,” said KCFI president and executive director Rina Lopez, who is also a Rotarian and past president of the Rotary Club of Makati Premier District.
Among those present at the launch in Baras was Lee Seung Bae, president of the Rotary Club of Cheonan Dongho in South Korea, one of RCMPD’s international sister clubs. His club and Rotary District 3620 are key contributors to the project.
“This partnership is a meaningful step toward improving early childhood care in Baras and beyond. Together, we will continue to unite for good and create a brighter future for our children,” said Lee.
The Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council and the Municipality of Baras are the project’s primary beneficiaries. KCFI developed the training curriculum and materials that will be used in the rollout.
The launch coincides with the recent signing into law of the Early Childhood Care and Development System Act (RA 12199), which aims to expand access to and raise the quality of early childhood care and development programs across the Philippines.
