Strengthening its commitment to community engagement and transformative education, the University of Northern Philippines, through the College of Teacher Education (CTE), forged a partnership with the local government unit of Magsingal on May 25, 2026.
University officials and local government executives formally sealed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) at the municipal hall marking the launch of a strategic capacity-building initiative aimed to strengthen the competencies of local early childhood service providers.
Present during the milestone event were University of Northern Philippines President Dr. Erwin Cadorna, Magsingal Municipal Mayor Hon. Victoria Ina Favis, and members of the Sangguniang Bayan. Also in attendance were Dr. Efren Galapon, Unit Extension Coordinator; Dr. Lloyd Mata, OIC Director of the University Extension Office; faculty members of the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (BECEd) program; and the 32 municipal Child Development Workers (CDWs), who stand as the primary beneficiaries of the university’s capacity-building project aimed to strengthen grassroots early childhood care and development services.
The newly launched extension initiative, “Project TARABAY: Providing Scaffold to the Fortress of Tomorrow,” seeks to strengthen the capabilities of local child care frontliners through responsive and transformative pedagogical support. Inspired by the Ilocano term “tarabay,” meaning “to guide,” the program embodies the university’s commitment to nurture and empower early childhood educators who play a vital role in shaping young learners.
Spearheaded by the BECEd and Bachelor of Special Needs Education programs under the CTE Social Support Program, the initiative was developed in response to identified community needs and is focused on addressing critical gaps in knowledge, teaching competencies, and professional practice among localized child care providers.
The event was further enriched by insightful messages and strategic presentations delivered by key university officials and local development planners, emphasizing the collaborative commitment toward strengthening early childhood services in the municipality. Among the notable speakers were Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer Ms. Roselle Balauro, CTE Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies Dr. Leilani Raquepo, and CDW Focal Person on Children Welfare Ms. Julie Ann Unias.
Following the formalization of the partnership, the program immediately advanced into its first capacity-building component through Training Session 1 centered on the Child Protection Policy. The seminar equipped frontline child care workers with vital knowledge and practical guidance on fostering safe, lawful, inclusive, and gender-responsive child development environments.
Atty. Aaron Noel Taloza served as the resource speaker, delivering an in-depth discussion on child protection standards and responsible child management anchored on existing legal frameworks and welfare policies.
Anchored on Sustainable Development Goal 4 on Quality Education and guided by the provisions of Republic Act No. 10410, or the Early Years Act, Project TARABAY positions itself as a transformative and sustainable extension initiative committed to strengthen the capacities of local early childhood education frontliners. Through the program’s long-term developmental framework, UNP-CTE seeks to elevate professional competencies among child care workers ensuring that young learners are nurtured in safe, inclusive, developmentally responsive, and professionally managed learning environments during their most formative years.
The initiative also gained strong institutional backing from key university officials, including Vice President for Research and Extension Dr. Fatima Rocamora, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Rolando Navarro, and CTE Dean Dr. Ma. Teresa Susan Manzano. Supporting the implementation efforts were faculty organizers Dr. Alma Josefina Bobita and Mr. Christian Dem Haluber, whose collaborative leadership reinforced the university’s continuing commitment to community-responsive education and child development advocacy.
