The City of Antipolo and the Municipality of San Mateo in Rizal received the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Award in the Component City and Municipality categories, respectively, at the Gawad Edukampyon for Local Governance (GELG) Awards on Friday, June 3.
The ECCD Award was given to cities, municipalities and provinces that “developed innovative and effective supplementary programs on early development, health and nutrition, institutionalized or locally legislated support for ECCD, and fostered interagency and multi-stakeholder involvement in ECCD implementation.”
The awarding bodies recognized Antipolo City and San Mateo’s efforts in supporting basic education services to children.
Their programs on the utilization and efficiency of child development workers and daycare workers in providing services, especially amid the Covid-19 pandemic, were highlighted.
"Nais ko ipamana sa ating mga kababayan bago matapos ang aking panunungkulan ay ang kaalaman na kahit saan man sila mapadpad sa 'Pinas, kilala ang ating Lungsod dahil sa husay. 'Yung tipong synonymous na sa salitang "husay" ang "Antipolo City" (Before my term as mayor ends, I want to impart to our citizens that our city is known for its outstanding achievements, wherever they may go in our country; where the word "excellent" can be synonymous to "Antipolo City")," said Antipolo City Mayor Andrea "Andeng" Ynares in a social media post.
The GELG Awards recognized the "achievements and innovations of various local government units in championing education and governance towards national development."
The ceremony was led by the Department of Education (DepEd), in partnership with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council, the Center for Local and Professional Development (CLGPD), and Rex Education.
Among the five other winners of the component city category were Tagum City, Davao Del Norte; San Fernando City and Mabalacat City in Pampanga; Batangas City, Batangas; and Biñan, Cavite.
Other finalists were Lipa City and Tanauan City in Batangas; and Bayawan City, Negros Occidental.
For the municipality category, Tanza, Cavite; San Ildefonso and Guiguinto, Bulacan; and Noveleta, Cavite also won the ECCD Award.
Cainta, Rizal; Naawan, Misamis Oriental; and Sta. Cruz, Marinduque were among the finalists.