Core objectives for young children
- The National ECCD System must achieve improved infant and child survival rates by ensuring accessible health and nutrition programs for young children and their mothers from the pre-natal period through early childhood (Section 3).
- The System must enhance young children’s physical, social, emotional, cognitive, psychological, spiritual, and language development (Section 3).
- The System must enhance the role of parents and other caregivers as primary caregivers and educators from birth onwards (Section 3).
- The System must facilitate a smooth transition from home care and education to community or school-based settings and primary school (Section 3).
- The System must enhance ECCD service provider and supervisor capabilities to comply with quality standards for various ECCD programs (Section 3).
- The System must enhance and sustain community efforts to promote ECCD programs and ensure special support for poor and disadvantaged communities (Section 3).
- The System must ensure young children are adequately prepared for the formal learning system and that public and private schools respond to developmental needs (Section 3).
- The System must establish an efficient system for early identification, prevention, referral, and intervention for developmental disorders and disabilities in early childhood (Section 3).
- The System must improve the quality standards of public and private ECCD programs through, among other mechanisms, a registration and credential system for ECCD service providers (Section 3).
Definitions governing ECCD system
- ECCD System means the full range of health, nutrition, early education, and social services providing the basic holistic needs of young children from birth to age six (6) for their optimum growth and development (Section 4).
- The ECCD System includes:
- Center-based programs including day care under Republic Act No. 6972, public and private pre-schools, kindergarten or school-based programs, community or church-based early childhood education programs by nongovernment organizations or people’s organizations, workplace-related child care and education programs, child-minding centers, health centers and stations (Section 4); and
- Home-based programs including neighborhood-based play groups, family day care programs, parent education and home visiting programs (Section 4).
- ECCD Service Providers include professionals, paraprofessionals, and volunteer caregivers directly responsible for care and education through center and home-based programs; they include, among others, day care workers, teachers, teacher-aides, rural health midwives, social workers, community health workers, barangay nutrition scholars, parent effectiveness service volunteers, child development workers, and family day care providers (Section 4).
- ECCD Curriculum refers to age-appropriate, developmentally appropriate educational objectives, organized learning experiences, and recommended learning materials implemented through center and home-based programs; it consists of national program goals and guidelines, instructional objectives, and content outlines integrating local learning experiences and indigenous learning materials (Section 4).
- Parent Education refers to formal and alternative means of providing parents with information, skills, and support systems to assist them as children’s primary caregivers and educators, including public and private parent education programs linked to center, home, and media-based child care and education programs (Section 4).
System framework and required components
- The ECCD System must include ECCD Curriculum, which focuses on children’s total development according to individual needs and socio-cultural background, and promotes complementary integrative services for healthcare, nutrition, early childhood education, sanitation, and cultural activities, using the child’s first language as the medium of instruction (Section 5).
- The ECCD System must include Parent Education and Involvement, Advocacy, and Mobilization of Communities, which harnesses and develops parents’ strengths as ECCD providers at home, partners of other stakeholders, advocates for community concerns affecting children, and support pillars for local and national ECCD programs through community organization (Section 5).
- The ECCD System must include a Human Resource Development Program that professionalizes ECCD service providers through educational programs in site-based or distance education modes, pre-service or in-service training including continuing education, and development of a registration and credential system (Section 5).
- The ECCD System must include ECCD Management covering planning, implementation, supervision, financial management, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting; it must encourage involvement and capability-building of service providers, parents, and local government officials and must be guided by decentralization principles under the Local Government Code of 1991 (Section 5).
- The ECCD System must include Quality Standards and Accreditation, ensuring each component complies with national quality standards to be established by the National ECCD Coordinating Council and linked to an accreditation process (Section 5).
Establishing the national ECCD rollout
- The National ECCD System must be established in at least three (3) regions each year as determined by the National ECCD Coordinating Council to achieve national coverage over a five-year period (Section 6).
Implementation roles and ECCD operations
Implementation is a joint responsibility of national government agencies, local government units, nongovernment organizations, and private organizations accredited to deliver services or provide training and technical assistance (Section 7).
National government responsibilities include:
- Developing ECCD policies and programs and providing technical assistance and support to ECCD service providers in consultation with coordinating committees at provincial, city/municipal, and barangay levels as provided under Section 8 (Section 7).
- Monitoring ECCD service benefits and outcomes (Section 7).
- The DSWD, DECS, DOH, DILG, DOLE, DA, DOJ, NEDA, and NNC jointly preparing annual ECCD work plans to coordinate technical assistance and support for the National ECCD Program (Section 7).
- Consolidating existing program implementing guidelines to ensure consistency in integrated service delivery within the National ECCD System (Section 7).
- DECS promoting the National ECCD Program in schools and ensuring public school ECCD programs are under the joint responsibility of the school principal/school-head and PTCA, within National ECCD System standards, under the guidance of the City/Municipal ECCD Coordinating Committee (Section 7).
- Making available existing facilities of public elementary schools for ECCD classes (Section 7).
Registration responsibilities include:
- Public and private pre-schools being registered by the Provincial or City ECCD Coordinating Committee upon recommendation of the respective DECS division office (Section 7).
- NGO-initiated, community, church, home, and workplace-based service providers being registered upon recommendation of the provincial/city social welfare and development office (Section 7).
- ECCD service providers operating within National ECCD System standards and under the guidance of the City/Municipal ECCD Coordinating Committee for effective ECCD service delivery (Section 7).
Local government responsibilities include:
- Implementing the National ECCD Program by providing basic public ECCD services (Section 7).
- Supporting organization of parent cooperatives to initiate ECCD programs (Section 7).
- Ensuring public ECCD program service providers under supervision receive just compensation, that adequate funds are available, and that working conditions enable compliance with national quality standards (Section 7).
- Providing counterpart funds for training and continuing education of ECCD service providers, and supporting operations of Provincial, City/Municipal, and Barangay ECCD Coordinating Committees (Section 7).
Families and communities responsibilities include supporting local ECCD programs through participation in various projects for overall child development (Section 7).
National and local ECCD coordinating bodies
- The law creates a National Coordinating Council and provincial, city/municipal, and barangay coordinating committees to ensure sustained inter-agency and multi-sectoral collaboration from national to barangay levels (Section 8).
National ECCD Coordinating Council
The Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) functions as the National ECCD Coordinating Council and is under the Office of the President (Section 8).
The Council’s composition includes:
- The existing CWC members plus two (2) private individuals who are ECCD practitioners and experts appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Council for a term of two (2) years, subject to one (1) reappointment (Section 8).
- The Council must meet once a month or as often as necessary (Section 8).
- The Secretaries of DSWD, DECS, DOH, and DILG act as co-chairpersons, represented by a person with rank not lower than an Undersecretary (Section 8).
The Council Secretariat includes:
- The CWC Secretariat as the secretariat of the Council headed by an executive director appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Council, with rank/privileges/emoluments of a Career Executive Service Officer I (Section 8).
- Permanent positions of two (2) Deputy Executive Directors, one exclusively for ECCD programs and activities and the other exclusively for existing CWC functions (Section 8).
- Senior technical staff seconded from DSWD, DECS, DOH, DILG, DOLE, DA, DOJ, NEDA, and NNC for a period of at least two (2) years, subject to renewal, with additional remuneration as allowed by law (Section 8).
The Council promulgates policies and implementing guidelines for ECCD programs consistent with national policy frameworks as defined in the Act, in consultation with stakeholders at various levels, including the regional level when appropriate (Section 8).
The Council establishes ECCD program standards reflecting developmentally appropriate and culturally relevant practices and interfaces with the primary school curriculum of the DECS (Section 8).
The Council develops a national system for recruitment, registration, continuing education, and equivalency/credentialing of ECCD service providers, supervisors, and administrators to improve and professionalize the ECCD sector and upgrade quality standards (Section 8).
The Council develops and implements a system of awards and recognition for deserving ECCD program implementors and service providers (Section 8).
The Council coordinates line-agency ECCD programs and monitors delivery of services to ECCD beneficiaries nationwide (Section 8).
The Council evaluates and assesses impact and outcomes nationwide through an effective information system (Section 8).
The Council develops and establishes a national system for early identification, screening, surveillance of early childhood disabilities, developmental problems, and giftedness (Section 8).
The Council develops and implements support mechanisms maximizing public and private resources for ECCD programs with priority to needy and high-risk children from poor communities (Section 8).
The Council provides counterpart funds to poor and disadvantaged communities for establishment and expansion of public ECCD programs, improvement of physical facilities, and hiring of ECCD service providers (Section 8).
The Council promotes private sector initiative for establishment of ECCD programs (Section 8).
The Council provides guidelines for provincial, city/municipal, and barangay ECCD Coordinating Committees for solicitations and requests for assistance from local and international civic organizations and private philanthropic foundations to supplement available resources (Section 8).
Provincial ECCD Coordinating Committee
- Every province must create a Provincial ECCD Coordinating Committee (Section 8).
- The Provincial Committee is composed of the Governor as Chairperson; Division Superintendent of DECS; Provincial Planning and Development Officer; Provincial Budget Officer; Provincial Health Officer; Provincial Director of DILG; Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer; Provincial Treasurer; President of the Provincial League of Municipal Mayors; and two (2) NGO representatives appointed by the Committee for a two-year term, subject to one (1) reappointment (Section 8).
- The Provincial Committee is under the Provincial Development Council and performs similar functions as the National ECCD Coordinating Council as appropriate, including additional functions in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (Section 8).
- The Provincial Committee coordinates delivery of services and support from the National ECCD Coordinating Council and participating national line agencies (Section 8).
- The Provincial Committee supports municipalities and barangays in expansion and improvement of ECCD programs and is responsible for registration of ECCD programs and service providers (Section 8).
- The Provincial Committee creates a secretariat headed by a Provincial ECCD Officer appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the Provincial Committee, with rank/privileges/emoluments of a Department head (Section 8).
- For the first three (3) years of ECCD system establishment in the province, the salary, allowances, and other benefits of the Provincial ECCD Officer are paid for by the Council; thereafter, the province provides the needed sums (Section 8).
City/Municipal ECCD Coordinating Committee
- Every city and municipality must create a City/Municipal ECCD Coordinating Committee (Section 8).
- The City/Municipal Committee is composed of the City/Municipal Mayor as Chairperson; DECS Division Superintendent/District Supervisor; City/Municipal Planning and Development Officer; City/Municipal Budget Officer; City/Municipal Health Officer; City/Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer; City/Municipal Local Government Officer; City/Municipal Treasurer; City/Municipal Nutrition Officer; President of the Association of Barangay Captains in the city/municipality; President of the Parent-Teachers-Community Federation in the city/municipality; and two (2) NGO representatives appointed by the Committee for a two-year term, subject to one (1) reappointment (Section 8).
- The City/Municipal Committee is under the city/municipal development council and performs similar functions as the National Council as appropriate, including additional functions in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (Section 8).
- The City/Municipal Committee supports barangays in expansion and improvement of ECCD programs, coordinates and monitors service delivery at barangay level, ensures accurate reporting and documentation, and mobilizes private sector initiatives that conform to National ECCD System standards (Section 8).
- The City/Municipal Committee creates a secretariat headed by a City/Municipal ECCD Officer appointed by the mayor upon recommendation of the City/Municipal Committee (Section 8).
Barangay ECCD Coordinating Committee
- The law designates the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) under Presidential Decree 603 as the Barangay ECCD Coordinating Committee (Section 8).
- The BCPC must implement and maintain ECCD-related database systems at the barangay level (Section 8).
- Every barangay must organize its BCPC (Section 8).
- The BCPC includes, among others, the Barangay Captain; school head/s; Barangay health midwife; Barangay health worker; Barangay nutrition scholar; day care worker/s parents; Sangguniang Kabataan Chairman; and a representative from child-focused nongovernment organizations/people’s organizations (Section 8).
- BCPC members must elect among themselves the Chairperson (Section 8).
Financing, support, and user fees
ECCD programs at the community level must be financed through a combination of public and private funds (Section 9).
Public ECCD program providers must prioritize young children from families in greatest need who can at least afford private sector programs (Section 9).
The government must support public ECCD programs through cost-sharing arrangements involving LGUs and counterpart funds from national government agencies for technical assistance and support (Section 9).
Additional funds may be generated from intergovernmental donors and financial institutions by appropriate agencies through NEDA to support public programs in fourth, fifth and sixth class municipalities including the urban poor (Section 9).
Funds must be accessible to qualified LGUs through the Municipal Development Fund or other financing mechanisms prescribed by DOF and based on guidelines from DBM (Section 9).
The Council may establish a trust fund to assist LGUs in expansion and upgrading of ECCD programs (Section 9).
Primary health care programs, pre-natal and post-natal care, growth monitoring and promotion, and supplementary nutrition programs must continue to be funded through LGUs with technical support and additional resources from DOH (Section 9).
The Day Care Program, Parent Effectiveness Service, Child-Minding Centers, Family Day Care, and Parent-Child Development Programs must continue to be supported by LGUs through construction of basic infrastructure, provision of facilities, materials and equipment, and compensation for service providers; DSWD must provide technical assistance (Section 9).
The kindergarten program in public schools must continue to be supported by DECS in cooperation with PTCAs, where applicable, by providing teacher training and supplementary/reference learning materials for ECCD programs (Section 9).
DSWD, DECS, DOH, and DILG must support LGU implementation of the National ECCD Program and must include in their respective annual general appropriations starting the fiscal year following approval of the Act the necessary funding to achieve national coverage within a five-year period and sustain the Program thereafter; their work and financial plan must be coordinated with the Council (Section 9).
ECCD program support can be solicited from local and international civic organizations and private philanthropic foundations to supplement available resources (Section 9).
Workplace-based or related ECCD programs should be supported by corporations and employers in the form of physical facilities and recurrent operating costs (Section 9).
Employer/corporate-sponsored ECCD operating costs are deductible from taxable income provided the employer/corporation does not charge user fees (Section 9).
The Council must monitor user fees and contributions allowed for both public and private programs to ensure affordability and that they remain within reasonable limits (Section 9).
User fees for public programs must be limited to monthly contributions intended to subsidize recurrent costs; parents are encouraged to contribute their time and services when unable to afford regular contributions (Section 9).
Appropriations and annual reporting
Section 10 appropriates PHP 400,000,000 per year for five (5) years for the National ECCD Program of the Council effective upon approval of the Act (Section 10).
The PHP 400,000,000 yearly appropriation must be funded from the gross income of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation and remitted in four (4) quarterly installments to a special account of the Council (Section 10).
Sums necessary for Council operations thereafter must be included in the General Appropriations Act (Section 10).
Section 10 also provides a supplementary appropriation of PHP 30,000,000 to the Council from the President’s Organizational Adjustment Fund upon approval of the Act (Section 10).
The appropriations under Section 10 must be separate and distinct from the annual budget of the CWC (Section 10).
Expenses for ECCD programs and technical support packages provided by the DSWD, DECS, DOH, DILG, DOLE, DA, DOJ, NEDA, and NNC must be specified as separate line items in their respective annual budgets in the General Appropriations Act (Section 10).
Their annual ECCD workplans must serve as the basis for those budgets and must be released directly to their regional or provincial offices whenever applicable (Section 10).
The Council must submit an annual report to Congress at the close of each calendar year, detailing its proceedings and accomplishments and making recommendations to improve the National ECCD System (Section 11).
Implementing rules, separability, repeal, effectivity
- The Council, in consultation with appropriate government agencies and nongovernment organizations, must formulate and issue necessary Implementing Rules and Regulations within ninety (90) days after effectivity of the Act (Section 14).
- The Act takes effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation (Section 15).
- If any provision is declared unconstitutional, the remaining provisions continue to be valid and effective (Section 12).
- Section 13 repeals or modifies pertinent provisions of Presidential Decree No. 603 and Executive Order No. 233, and all laws, decrees, executive orders, presidential proclamations, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, contrary to or inconsistent with the Act (Section 13).