La Trinidad, Benguet—Thirty-five years on, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office Cordillera Administartive Region’s (DSWD FO CAR) Reception and Study Center for Children (RSCC) continues to uphold the utmost welfare of the child at its core, echoing the Department’s tagline of “extra love and extra care”.
“The best interest of the child must guide our decisions and actions as we strive to create a safe and nurturing environment where every child can thrive,” DSWD Assistant Secretary for Standards and Capacity Building Janet P. Armas said during the celebration ceremonies held at the RSCC building in La Trinidad, Benguet on 15 May 2025.
“Hindi dapat nasasakrapisyo ang bata sa pagtataguyod ng kultura (children should not be sidelined in the pursuit of culture),” she said while underscoring the co-existence of culture and progress that focuses on the welfare of children. “When we are protecting the space [for children], we are protecting the heart of our communities,” she added.
Meanwhile, DSWD FO CAR Regional Director Maria Catbagan-Aplaten acknowledged the efforts and passion of personnel from the RSCC and FO, together with partners and stakeholders, in advancing the Center’s mission of the hope of family.
“The RSCC staff is the heart of this home,” RD Malaya said. “Let us carry forward the legacy of RSCC with even more Compassion; let us be stronger in our hope, firmer in our integrity, deeper in our love, and unwavering in our dedication.”
The RSCC is a 24-hour residential facility that provides protection and rehabilitation services through temporary residential care to neglected, abandoned, abused and exploited children and those with special needs such as children at risk and children who are in need of alternative family care (0-7 years old).
In retrospect, the RSCC has come a long way in sheltering vulnerable and disadvantaged children in the region. First called Lingap Center in 1990, the RSCC has remained in its original location until 2019, when reconstruction of the building started as part of the DSWD’s Centers and Residential Care Facilities Infrastructure Project. After having temporarily transferred for 5 years to a leased building in Baguio City, the renovated RSCC building, which was inaugurated August 2024, continues to be a Center of Excellence and can now house up to 50 residents at a time.
“The RSCC is what it is today, thanks to the hard work and dedication of the staff, former and present, hurdling obstacles along the way and standing strong for our children,” said Assistant Regional Director for Administration Enrique H. Gascon, Jr. He commended the social workers, admin staff, center heads, and all the other staff of the RSCC for their hard work and perseverance in the face of the many challenges in the aspects of the facilities, water supply, workforce, logistics and vehicles, among others, over the years.
As a highlight of the event, partners, adoptive parents, and former RSCC residents recounted their most cherished experiences with the center in a series of testimonials. For their part, RSCC, Center Head Jireh Lyn Altiyen, expressed their deep gratitude to all the partners and stakeholders as well as the former and present Center staff.
Meanwhile, RD Aplaten also underscored the collective efforts of partner agencies and institutions from across the region, including donors, benefactors, Civil Society Organizations (CSO) for the cause of the RSCC. “When it comes to the care for and protection of children, we need to involve the community and society at large, teaching them life skills, so that they will be ready to face the world,” she said.#DSWD-CAR, SOCIAL MARKETING UNIT, Christian Robert M. Sandoval, Administrative Officer IV.
