Legarda lauds enactment of landmark ECCD System Act
At A Glance
- More than an education law, the ECCD System Act builds the architecture for long-term national development by prioritizing investments that begin in the earliest years of life, thereby, improving outcomes across health, education, and economic productivity, according to Sen. Loren Legarda.
Senator Loren Legarda on Friday, May 16 hailed the enactment into law of the measure that would help strengthen the country’s efforts to nurture Filipino children in their most formative years.
Legarda commended the signing into law of Republic Act No. 12199, or the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) System Act which promotes early intervention into a child’s learning in the early stages of life.
“Since my first term in the Senate, I have championed ECCD out of a firm belief that the earliest years shape the trajectory of a child’s learning, behavior, and well-being,” said Legarda, co-author and co-sponsor of the measure in the Senate.
“If we are to achieve meaningful and transformative education reform and reduce inequalities, we must begin where it matters most: with proper nutrition, responsive care, and quality early learning during a child’s foundational years,” she stressed.
According to Legarda, RA 12199 seeks to strengthen local implementation of the National Early Learning Framework of ECCD services nationwide.
Under the law, local government units (LGUs) will serve as the primary implementers of ECCD services and will have the responsibility of establishing ECCD offices in every province, city, and municipality.
Each Child Development Center (CDC) must have at least one Child Development Teacher (CDT) and one Child Development Worker (CDW), along with the provision of qualified personnel, essential facilities, and appropriate learning resources.
The law also aims to elevate professional standards within the child care workforce through clearly defined qualifications, training requirements, competency assessments, and certification systems, while also providing for improved compensation and career development.
The law also attaches the ECCD Council to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for transparency and accountability.
“More than an education law, this Act builds the architecture for long-term national development by prioritizing investments that begin in the earliest years of life, thereby improving outcomes across health, education, and economic productivity,” said Legarda, who serves as Commissioner of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II).