Samar Center for Developmental Pediatrics

Something meaningful is coming!

A week of advocacy.
A week of inclusion.
A week of celebrating abilities.

𝐊𝐚𝐦𝐢 𝐆𝐢𝐡𝐚𝐩 — 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔

Stay tuned.

The Provincial Government of Samar recently met with the Department of Education (DepEd) to explore opportunities for strengthening Special Education (SPED) programs and services across the province, as part of its continuing efforts to promote inclusive education.

During the initial meeting, both institutions engaged in discussions on priority areas for collaboration aimed at improving support for learners with special needs. These included strengthening capacity-building and professional development opportunities for teachers, enhancing existing school-based support systems, and identifying strategies to improve access to learning resources and intervention services that promote more inclusive and responsive educational environments.

This initiative reflects a shared commitment to building an education system where every child is given equal opportunity to learn, participate, and reach their full potential, regardless of ability or learning needs. Through sustained coordination and strengthened partnership, the Province of Samar and DepEd aim to further reinforce the foundations of a more accessible, equitable, and inclusive education system for all learners.

𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐂𝐂𝐃 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥’𝐬 𝐏𝐄𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐂 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬

Child Development Workers and teachers from the Province of Samar participated in the PEIRIDDDEC Training of Trainers (ToT) organized by the ECCD Council.

The training aimed to capacitate participants not only to enhance their knowledge and skills in early childhood care and development, but also to enable them to conduct and cascade trainings to other Child Development Workers and teachers across the province.

Among the participants is a SPED teacher from the Samar Center for Developmental Pediatrics, who joined fellow early childhood practitioners in the activity.

This initiative supports the province’s continued commitment to strengthening its pool of trained facilitators and expanding quality early childhood care and development services at the community level, in collaboration with the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO).

𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝑩𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒅𝒂𝒚, 𝑮𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒐𝒓 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝑨𝒏𝒏 𝑻𝒂𝒏! 🎉

The Samar Center for Developmental Pediatrics joins the entire Province of Samar in celebrating a remarkable leader whose vision, compassion, and unwavering support continue to create meaningful opportunities for children with special needs and their families.

Through your leadership and commitment to inclusive healthcare and development, the dream of establishing accessible developmental services for every Samarnon child continues to become a reality. Your dedication inspires us to serve with excellence, compassion, and purpose.

May this special day bring you joy, good health, and continued blessings as you lead the Province of Samar toward a more inclusive and progressive future.

Newly appointed DepEd Region VIII Director Salustiano Jimenez visited the Samar Center for Developmental Pediatrics in support of the Province of Samar’s continuing efforts to strengthen Special Education (SPED) and inclusive development programs.

The visit highlighted the growing collaboration among education and development stakeholders in promoting accessible, inclusive, and quality services for children with special needs across the province. Discussions centered on ongoing and future initiatives aimed at enhancing SPED systems, expanding learning opportunities, strengthening teacher capacity-building programs, and creating more inclusive educational environments for learners with diverse needs.

The Province of Samar continues to pursue programs and partnerships that support children with special needs, empower educators and families, and advance inclusive education for every Samarnon child.

𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 - 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭

We’ve officially wrapped up the first quarter of 2026, and looking at these numbers, it’s clear that hard work pays off. But beyond the stats, these are real milestones for the children and families we serve here in Samar.

Here’s a quick look at what we achieved together in Q1:

✅1,388 Therapy Sessions – building skills and confidence.
✅910 Tutorial Sessions – making sure no child is left behind in learning.
✅245 Assessments – providing the roadmap for every child’s unique journey.
✅165 Parent Sessions – because strong families lead to thriving kids.

Every session represents a small win that leads to a big impact. A huge thank you to our dedicated team, our supportive partners, and most importantly, the parents who trust us every step of the way. Padayon Samar!

𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬: 𝐎𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐯𝐬. 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫

Providing the best support for our children’s development begins with understanding the specific roles of the professionals who guide them.

Many parents are familiar with the terms "OT" and "SPED Teacher," but it is important to know how their expertise differs and how they work together to help your child thrive. While an Occupational Therapist builds the foundation for daily living, a SPED Teacher opens the door to academic learning.

☑️𝑶𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒕 (𝑶𝑻): Focuses on "functional independence." They help children master daily activitiessuch as eating, dressing, and playing, by addressing motor skills, sensory needs, work behaviors and others.

☑️𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑫 𝑻𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒓: Focuses on "specialized instruction." They use tailored teaching methods to help children achieve academic milestones in reading, writing, and math, while also fostering social interaction.

While their areas of focus vary, these professionals collaborate closely to ensure the holistic development of every child. Understanding who to turn to is the first step in building a supportive community for our children with special needs.

We are proud to celebrate another milestone at the Samar Center for Developmental Pediatrics.

Our Clinical Lead – Occupational Therapist, Lyssa, has successfully completed Level 1 and Level 2 Certification in Developmental Play, a specialized therapeutic approach that uses structured play to support children’s development, engagement, and regulation.

This advanced training was conducted by Ms. Caroline Essame, Founder and Course Facilitator of the Developmental Play program. Through this certification, Lyssa further strengthens our team’s clinical expertise in delivering play-based interventions that support children with developmental needs.

At SamarCDP, we remain committed to continuously enhancing our knowledge and practice to ensure that the children and families we serve receive high-quality, evidence-informed pediatric care.

The Samar Center for Developmental Pediatrics joins the entire nation in celebrating the 2026 National Women’s Month with the theme:

“WE for Gender Equality and Inclusive Society.”

This year’s sub-theme, “Lead like the Babaylans, Filipinas!”
highlights the strength, wisdom, and leadership of Filipino women in shaping inclusive communities.

As a center dedicated to children with special needs and their families, we recognize and honor the invaluable role of women - mothers, caregivers, therapists, teachers, and leaders, whose compassion and resilience help build a more inclusive and equitable society for all.

Let us continue to champion gender equality and inclusion in every space we serve. 💜

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔

This celebration honors the strength, leadership, and invaluable contributions of women in all sectors, and reaffirms our commitment to promoting gender equality and inclusive development for a progressive and resilient Samar.

Guided by this year’s sub-theme, “Lead like the Babaylans, Filipinas!”, the Philippine Commission on Women emphasizes that women’s leadership is deeply rooted in Filipino identity, inspired by the Babaylans of pre-colonial Philippines whose influence was shaped by wisdom, empathy, and moral guidance.

Happy National Women’s Month! 💜✨

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The SamarCDP team just got a little bigger!

We are beyond excited to introduce two new members joining our mission to support children with developmental needs: Quisha, our new Occupational Therapist, and Via, our new SPED Teacher.

We can’t wait to see Quisha in action helping our kids reach their developmental goals, just as we’re excited for Via to bring her unique SPED background to our learning spaces.

We’re so lucky to have their expertise (and their big hearts!) on the team. Welcome to the SamarCDP team, Quisha and Via!