President Marcos has renewed his administration's commitment to promoting early childhood education. He directed government agencies to fund the establishment of 328 Child Development Centers (CDCs) in low-income barangays across the country.

Marcos said this as he led the ceremonial signing of the joint circular on the establishment of CDCs by local government units (LGUs) in Malacañan on Thursday, April 3.

In his speech, the President underscored the importance of early childhood education in shaping the future of Filipino children, saying the issue has persisted for decades.

"Too many children do not have the structured care that they need in their formative years," he said.

"These challenges have been accumulating for the past 30 years and cannot be solved overnight. But that does not mean we should not begin," he added.

Last month, Marcos ordered the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to prioritize and fund the establishment of CDCs, especially in the more remote barangays of Mindanao and other low-income municipalities.

For this year, the government has identified 328 low-income barangays that will now be provided with funding for them to access early childhood development initiatives. Of this number, 89 are in Luzon, 106 in Visayas, and 133 in Mindanao.

Support from LGUs

President Marcos emphasized the crucial role of LGUs in ensuring the success of the program.

"Our local government units will now shoulder additional costs as part of their counterpart obligation to complete the project," he said.

The President called on LGUs to fully commit to the initiative, noting that CDCs will provide essential services such as early learning programs and family support programs.

"Sa pamamagitan ng suporta natin sa mga lokal na pamahalaan na may limitadong kakayahan na magtayo ng sarili nilang CDCs, mapapabuti natin ang edukasyon ng mahihirap nating mga kababayan (Through our support for LGUs that have limited capacity to establish their own CDCs, we will improve the education of our less fortunate fellow citizens)," he said.

CDCs will also serve as resource centers for developmentally appropriate learning materials and research on early childhood education.

Expanding nutrition and health programs

Aside from education, Marcos said the government is addressing childhood nutrition and development through various programs. He particularly cited the over 68,000 households nationwide that have already received assistance under the First 1,000 Days (F1KD) program as of February 2025.

"This ensures that our youth are on the right track towards proper cognitive development," he said.

The government is also implementing the Supplementary Feeding Program and the School-based Feeding Program to provide children with at least one nutritious meal a day.

In addition, the Walang Gutom Program grants P3,000 in food credits monthly to the country's most vulnerable families.

The importance of reading to children

In his speech, President Marcos reflected on national hero Dr. Jose Riza's childhood and how his mother's storytelling helped shape his ideals. He then encouraged parents to take time to read to their children as it is "time well invested."

"It may be a small step. But it is a crucial one in looking after [for] those who will inherit our motherland," he said.