For my EDS 199 Special Project, I worked with Tanglaw Pag-asa Youth Rehabilitation Center in Barangay Bulihan, Malolos, Bulacan. It is managed by the Provincial Government of Bulacan, led by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO). The facility can accommodate about 200 children in conflict with the law (CICLs). The number of CICLs under the care of Tanglaw Pag-asa decreased over the years. From 150 residents in 2018, it went down to 37, which according to Mr. Jay Mark Chico, Assistant Department Head of PSWDO, may be attributed to the programs implemented at the center. 

To begin with the project, I interviewed my project gatekeeper to gain more information on the project site, residents’ daily activities, and the services offered to them. The facilities of Tanglaw Pag-asa are designed to promote children’s physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. It has a library where residents can stay and answer modules, recreational facilities like a basketball court and gymnasium, a clinic to attend to their health needs, prayer, and isolation rooms. The center has 43 staff, including nurses, social workers, psychometricians, legal counsel, and houseparents responsible for providing health services, psychosocial support, legal assistance, and other necessary services. 

Social workers at Tanglaw Pag-asa organize various activities to encourage creativity, collaboration, and reflection among residents, including but not limited to, arts and crafts, reflective writing, and team-building. According to Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, individuals have unique abilities and interests. Providing diverse activities allows them to discover their strengths and improve gradually in areas they need help with. 

The Alternative Learning System (ALS) Law provides educational opportunities to children in special cases, including CICLs. To ensure they develop the knowledge and skills required for their grade levels, Senior High School-Alternative Learning System (SHS-ALS) teachers at St. Martin de Porres Catholic School follow DepEd's curriculum anchored on the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs), in designing self-learning modules for Tanglaw Pag-asa residents. They also monitor students' progress through consultations with Tanglaw Pag-asa every two weeks. 

MELCs refer to foundational knowledge and skills learners must have to succeed academically. Education stakeholders, including curriculum developers, instructional designers, and teachers must consider these competencies in developing and implementing the curriculum. As discussed in the Principles and Processes of Curriculum Development (EDUC 103) subject, the curriculum must be well-structured to guide students through more advanced and complex topics.