Law strengthening early childhood care signed

MANILA, Philippines —  President Marcos has signed Republic Act 12199, or the Early Childhood Care and Development System Act, which aims to enhance the quality and accessibility of early childhood education and care in the country.

Signed on May 8 and made public yesterday, RA 12199 recognizes early childhood, ages zero to eight, as a critical stage of educational development and seeks to create nurturing environments for children during this period.

A key feature of the law is the professionalization of child development teachers (CDTs) and child development workers (CDWs). It sets minimum qualifications and requires training, assessment and certification.

To address job insecurity and low wages, the law raises their salary grades and mandates the institutionalization of plantilla positions.

According to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), 89 percent of CDTs and CDWs nationwide hold non-permanent positions and earn an average of only P5,000 monthly.

To build capacity, the ECCD Council – now attached to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) – is tasked with working with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to roll out training and scholarship programs.

Funding for ECCD programs will be sourced from both public and private sectors, with priority given to children under five years from the most disadvantaged families.

Local government units (LGUs) will receive allocations from the Local Government Support Fund, including funding for Child Development Centers (CDCs) and the hiring of CDTs and CDWs.

Previously under the Department of Education, the ECCD Council is now an attached agency of the DILG. The agency’s secretary will serve as ex-officio co-chair of the council, alongside the DepEd secretary.

The law also establishes a Joint Congressional Oversight Committee to monitor its implementation and mandates the inclusion of ECCD indicators in the DILG’s Seal of Good Local Governance under social protection, health and education criteria.

‘Best investment’

The enactment of RA 12199 was welcomed by EDCOM 2, which described it as a crucial step in strengthening early education and nutrition among Filipino children.

EDCOM 2 co-chairman and Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo noted that the law has been a top priority for the commission since 2023, calling it a foundational reform for the country’s struggling education system.

“A child’s early years are critical. By prioritizing proper nutrition, quality early childhood care and meaningful opportunities for play, we are giving every Filipino child the best start in life and shaping strong, capable future leaders of our nation,” Romulo said.

Alongside Sen. Win Gatchalian, Romulo highlighted the law’s focus on nutrition, care and purposeful play in shaping the next generation.

Despite a long-standing mandate under RA 6972 for each barangay to have at least one CDC, EDCOM 2’s research found that only 36 percent of barangays comply. The new law directs LGUs to establish ECCD offices at provincial, city and municipal levels to help address this.

EDCOM 2 executive director Karol Mark Yee, for his part, stressed the long-term benefits of investing in early childhood care.

“Studies are clear: by investing in the foundations of our children early on, we reduce dropout rates, improve student achievement, boost literacy rates and increase income in later years,” Yee said.

The Implementing Rules and Regulations for RA 12199 are expected within 90 days from the law’s effectiveness, following consultations with relevant government agencies and non-governmental organizations.

The law was co-authored by EDCOM 2 co-chairs Gatchalian and Romulo, and TESDA secretary and former EDCOM 2 commissioner Francisco Benitez.

660,000 DepEd  workers served in polls

Meanwhile, the DepEd reported that more than 660,000 of its personnel served as poll workers during the 2025 national and local elections, comprising the majority of the 758,549 deployed nationwide.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara expressed gratitude for their service, noting how many worked overnight to assist voters and troubleshoot technical issues.

The department’s Election Task Force operated a 24-hour command center from May 11 to 13 to monitor field reports. It logged 603 incidents, ranging from malfunctioning vote-counting machines and ballot errors to voter list mismatches.

Most issues were resolved at the regional and division levels, while remaining concerns were referred to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The regions with the most reports were Region IX, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and the National Capital Region.

Despite technical glitches, DepEd officials said elections proceeded without major disruptions.

While teacher groups have long raised concerns about working conditions and compensation, DepEd has not yet announced changes in this regard.

The Comelec, meanwhile, has begun distributing compensation to over 300,000 teachers who served during the polls.

Teachers may claim their compensation immediately after completing duties.

Teachers are encouraged to coordinate with their principals to facilitate the release.

The chair of the Board of Electoral Board is entitled to P12,000, while the poll clerks and the third member will each receive P11,000. DepEd supervisors are also entitled to P11,000 and technical support staff will receive P9,000. – Jose Rodel Clapano, Neil Jayson Servallos, Mayen Jaymalin