CHED Project PAG-IBIG pushes inclusive childcare

By Bea Angelina Duldulao
During the nationwide launch and relaunch of childcare facilities under Project PAG-IBIG, employees of Mariano Marcos State University eagerly supported the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) virtually as it pushed for stronger, inclusive childcare and family-centered services on June 3.
The Project PAG-IBIG, which stands for Parents Access to Growth through Inclusive, Balanced, and Innovative Guidance, was launched at Romblon State University in partnership with CHED. This initiative convened state universities and colleges (SUCs) online to strengthen university-based childcare and family support systems. Among these SUCs is MMSU, which formalized its support through a Memorandum of Understanding and a Manifesto of Commitment.
Representing MMSU were the Center for Inclusive Early Childhood Education (CIECE) Chief May Flor Rivera, Gender and Development Director Nataliza Llapitan, CTE GAD Focal Person Mei Angeline Aquino, and the faculty and staff of the center.
“Participation in the conference reflected the university’s shared commitment with the CHED to advancing inclusive early childhood education, child development, gender responsiveness, and family empowerment, supported by sustained institutional initiatives,” Dr. Rivera said.
Meanwhile, Director Llapitan shared that MMSU has institutionalized support systems for early childhood care and family welfare through the MMSU Center for Inclusive Early Childhood Education (CIECE), a specialized learning center based at the College of Teacher Education and established through Board of Regents Resolution No. 47, s. 2021.
“MMSU is among the few higher education institutions with its own Center for Inclusive Early Childhood Education, which serves as a dedicated learning and care facility for the children of university personnel,” Llapitan said. “The university also maintains lactation rooms across key units to support breastfeeding mothers and promote a gender-responsive workplace.”
The MMSU CIECE continues to promote inclusive and family-friendly learning environments through programs that support the holistic development of preschool children, strengthen family engagement, and integrate gender and development (GAD) advocacies into early childhood education. These initiatives align with CHED’s Project PAG-IBIG, which promotes integrated childcare, parent care, and university care services for student-parents, solo parents, university personnel, and surrounding communities.