The local government of Cadiz City has come up with a program for day care kids which could be unique across the country, a press release from Cadiz PIO said.
The “Storytelling for Children,” is an initiative of the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWDO) for 113 day care centers across 22 villages in Cadiz meant to celebrate life and learning.
The storytellers are lolas who are retired school teachers and now members of the city’s Senior Citizen Association.
From Monday to Friday, each of the lola storytellers will consume 30 minutes of their day tell a story to kids, for free.
The program has spelled a lot of difference not just on the reading habit, but also on the moral attitude of Cadiz children.
This approach, said Irene Javelona, head of Cadiz CSWDO, connects two age groups that rarely interact meaningfully in today’s fast-paced world.
It also revives the Filipino tradition of “pagkukuwento,” Javelona added.
And what makes the program unique is that all lola storytellers are not just reading pages from a book; they are breathing life into values.
These lolas had once taught classrooms full of students, but now they will be teaching from the heart, using storytelling as their medium.
Hence, there is this essence of power of shared life experiences.
“With every tale, they pass down timeless values – respect for elders, the importance of helping the family, and understanding one’s responsibilities as a child,” Javelona said, adding, “Storytelling is not just an entertainment, but a tool for teaching morals and building character.”
The initiative, therefore, is more than just a storytelling activity – it is a heartwarming movement that reconnects the young with the wisdom of the old, bridges the past with the present, and builds a future grounded on respect, responsibility, and love for family, the press release added.
Likewise, this program is a gift to the elderly.
Because being retired educators who long to make a difference again, these lola storytellers, through this program, are rediscovering their voice, their role, and their joy.
They are no longer sidelined by age; instead, they are seen, heard, and appreciated for the knowledge they carry.
Cadiz Mayor Salvador “Bading” Escalantte, Jr. praised this initiative by offering a “high salute” to their lola storytellers.
“Yes, this program is beyond storytelling. Rather, this is also meant to address moral gap among Cadizeños” the mayor said.
Escalante vowed to further assess the program as it can be showcased as a model on storytelling initiative for all day care centers across the country.
“This is rare, but great,” Escalante concluded.*
