Gabriela Women’s Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas has filed a House bill (HB) seeking regularization, salary increase, and improved benefits for child development workers (CDWs).
Brosas filed HB 3266–otherwise known as “An Act Providing for Security of Tenure, Standardized Salary, and Other Benefits for Child Development Workers” or the Magna Carta of CDWs–on Monday, Aug. 8.
"Our child development workers have been one of our unrecognized heroes for years, being at the frontline of early childhood interventions, yet they continue to suffer meager and delayed pay and lack of security of tenure. This should change,” the assistant minority leader said on Aug. 8.
The bill will see the creation of over 84,000 plantilla or regular positions in the CDW sector, particulalry CDWs I and II. It also provides a government salary grade (SG) 6 and 8 (P16,877 and P18,998) to the two positions, respectively.
“According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development , there are 67,733 CDWs with tenured and non-tenured positions who do not receive standard wages or benefits. Around 9.3 percent or 6,307 of the total CDWs nationwide are volunteers. These CDWs cater to millions of children and their families,” reads the HB 3266 explanatory note.
Meanwhile, the bill also mandates improved benefits and compensation for CDWs such as overtime pay, hazard allowance, subsistence allowance, free legal services from the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), free medical examinations and treatments, access to loans and skills enhancement programs, retirement benefits, and government insurance.
The proposed magna carta also forbids individuals who have been convicted of any crimes or those with pending cases in relation to Republic Act (RA) 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act from being employed as CDWs.
During the filing of HB 3266, Brosas was accompanied by representatives of the CDW sector. These include: Perla Reyes, National Federation President of Child Development; Dolores Mutuc, Regional Federation President of CDWs of the NCR (National Capital Region); Cheryl Mainar Social Worker Officer IV, ECCD (Early Childhood Care and Development) Focal Person, Program Management Bureau, DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development); Lita Malundras of the Batibot Early Learning Center; and Delia Moratalia of the Antipolo CDW Federation.