MAPping the Future

A new law, Republic Act (RA) No. 12199 or the “Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) System Act,” was signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. last May 8, 2025. I’d like to share the key features of this new Law with fellow advocates working to fight malnutrition and child stunting, and with those who continue to champion early childhood education.

This article is intended purely to inform. I’m choosing to withhold any judgment—positive or otherwise—out of respect for the legislative process and the policymakers now tasked with crafting its implementing rules and regulations (IRR), which I hope will be issued soon. I sincerely hope their efforts lead to meaningful progress.

The new ECCD Law is declared to formally strengthen early childhood education, nutrition, and care for Filipino children, particularly those in the critical age group of zero to five (0-5) years old. It affirms the right of every Filipino child to grow up with proper nourishment, responsive caregiving, and access to quality early learning.

This Law is a key legislative priority of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) since 2023, which aims to lay down a strategic move to address long-standing challenges in the foundational education and overall well-being of Filipino children.

Objectives

The ECCD System aims to reduce mortality rates by ensuring adequate health and nutrition programs curated for both young children and their parents or parent-substitutes. It seeks to address the gaps left by the Early Years Act of 2013 (RA 10410) by reinforcing the national commitment to early childhood development, including the young children’s physical-motor, socio-emotional, cognitive, language, psychological, and spiritual skills. Moreover, guiding these children through a seamless transition to a formal learning system will also be prioritized.

The Law promises targeted support for poor, disadvantaged, and minority communities while ensuring a more inclusive environment for children with disabilities. It aims to help maximize their academic and social development. Pursuant to RA 11650 or the “Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act”, the ECCD System will implement the Child Find System, which provides a structured process for the early identification, prevention, referral, and intervention for children under five with special needs.

ECCD providers and supervisors will be given opportunities for continuing education, reskilling, and upskilling to further upgrade their capabilities and improve the quality standards of public and private ECCD programs.

An inclusive approach is being supported by the new ECCD System, wherein qualified teachers with disabilities are also encouraged to be employed to manage young children with developmental delays, as well as train staff and professionals working at all levels of education.

EDCOM 2 highlights that investing in the early years is vital for reducing cognitive gaps, boosting future academic success, and improving long-term socio-economic outcomes. The Law emphasizes a comprehensive, integrative, and sustainable approach through multi-sectoral and inter-agency collaboration at both national and local levels.

Operational Structures

The ECCD Council, now attached to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), is responsible for establishing national standards through developing policies and programs. Its primary role is to ensure consistency in delivering integrated services across the ECCD System. The task of the DILG is to ensure that local government units (LGUs) are complying with the provisions of the ECCD Law through the implementation of ECCD programs and services, while the Department of Education (DepEd) will oversee early childhood education, recognizing it as the foundation for all future learning for children under five.

The Law also focuses on the professionalization of Child Development Teachers (CDTs) and Child Development Workers (CDWs). This includes improving salary grades, mandating training, and requiring certification in collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). This also includes the promotion of early childhood education careers to both senior high school students and graduates, with implemented facilitation on assessment of graduates for certification as CDWs with employment progression.

LGUs are mandated to establish ECCD offices to implement programs tailored to their communities and create permanent positions for at least one CDT and one CDW for every Child Development Center (CDC). Each LGU shall provide allocations from its Special Education Fund (SEF) and Gender And Development (GAD) Fund to fulfill its responsibilities on the implementation of ECCD programs, as well as new CDCs and personnel hiring. ECCD will be financially supported through a mix of public and private funding resources, with a strong focus on children under five of marginalized families. Additional funding will also be coming from inter-governmental donors and government financial institutions to support the public programs, including the urban poor.

To ensure transparency and accountability, LGUs are expected to collect and maintain ECCD-related data and submit annual reports to the ECCD Council. A Joint Congressional Oversight Committee (JCOC) has been created to monitor and assess the implementation and outcomes of the Law. The IRR are to be drafted by the ECCD Council in coordination with relevant stakeholders within 90 days of the Law’s effectiveness.

The enactment of RA 12199 reflects the government’s commitment to addressing the holistic needs of young children, aiming to reduce child mortality, support all areas of child development, prepare them for formal schooling, and ensure access to children with special needs.

In essence, RA 12199 institutionalized a stronger, more accountable ECCD system by anchoring its implementation in local governments, professionalizing its workforce, securing sustainable funding, and strengthening oversight. It embodies the Philippines’ renewed commitment to investing in the earliest and arguably most crucial stage of human development.

EDCOM 2 positions the Philippine education system in addressing the deep-seated gaps in nutrition and early childhood education. Through investments in the foundational skills of young children, dropout rates have a higher chance of being reduced, and student achievement and performance may improve not just in school but also as future members of the workforce.

(The author is Past President of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) and the Founding Partner and CEO of Du-Baladad and Associates or BDB Law. She is Overall Chair of MAP’s Campaign Against Malnutrition And Child Stunting (CAMACS). Feedback at <map@map.org.ph> and <dick.du-baladad@bdblaw.com.ph>).air and CEO of KPMG R. G. Manabat & Co. Feedback at <map@map.org.ph> and < sdayoan@kpmg.com>).