AS AN extension of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, Clark Development Corporation (CDC) will put up five family care centers for Aetas near the freeport.

The five Pagsasarili Family Care Centers will be put up in partnership with Bloomberry Cultural Foundation, Inc. (BCFI) and other agencies at the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) 025A area near Clark Freeport.

CDC President and Chief Executive Officer Manuel Gaerlan, with BCFI Executive Director Filipina Laureana and OB Montessori Campus Manager Audrey Paras, recently led the groundbreaking ceremony for the said centers.

Meanwhile, Converge ICT Chairman and former CDC Chairman Jose De Jesus, as well as former CDC President Noel Manankil attended the event as a show of their continuous support for the program.

BCFI, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of the Bloomberry Resorts Corporation (BRC), funded the project and donated P46 million for the development of the five family care centers.

These centers will be established on selected locations within the CADT 025A area including Marcos Village, Sitio Calapi, Sitio Burog, Sto. Nino, and San Vicente.

The five family care centers will provide basic education and other social services for indigenous communities near the freeport. The construction of the facilities is expected to be finished in December 2021.

In his speech during the ceremony, Gaerlan thanked all CDC’s partner firms and agencies for making the project possible.

He mentioned that the aim of "Pagsasarili" program is to provide early childhood care and holistic development for Aeta children. Aside from this, parents and adults will also have the opportunity to learn through practical and livelihood skills sessions that will be taught at the center.

CDC coordinated with the City Government of Mabalacat to ensure the successful implementation of this initiative. In addition, the City Government of Mabalacat will likewise provide other logistical support such as educational supplies, materials, and other equipment.

Aeta teachers who specialized in early childhood education and are trained by OB Montessori will be facilitating the learning program at the five Pagsasarili centers.

Some of the partner agencies and organizations who also extended help for the project are OB Montessori-Angeles, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, Department of Education, Thaison Builders and Developer Inc., and the local government unit of Bamban, Tarlac.

Aeta Pagsasarili Family Care Center was initially created through the partnership of CDC and OB Montessori. It was first launched in July 2019 to provide early childhood and adult learning activities for IPs from nearby communities of this freeport.