Gatchalian: Bill strengthening early childhood care and development gets Senate nod

PHILIPPINES, December 17 - Press Release
December 17, 2024

Gatchalian: Bill strengthening early childhood care and development gets Senate nod

Senator Win Gatchalian lauded the Senate's third and final reading approval of a bill that seeks to improve the quality and delivery of early childhood care and development (ECCD) services.

To achieve universal ECCD access to all children below five years old, the Early Childhood Care and Development Act (Senate Bill No. 2575), which Gatchalian sponsored and co-authored, expands the application of the National ECCD System to all provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays. The ECCD System covers the full range of health, nutrition, early childhood education, and social services development programs that provide for the basic holistic needs of children below five years of age and promote their optimum growth and development.

"Mahalagang reporma ang pagpapatatag sa ECCD dahil dito nakasalalay ang pagkakaroon ng matatag na pundasyon ng ating mga kabataan. Kailangang maabot natin ang bawat batang wala pang limang taon, tugunan ang kanilang mga pangangailangang pangkalusugan, at tiyakin ang kanilang kahandaang pumasok sa ating sistema ng edukasyon," said Gatchalian, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

The proposed measure mandates every city and municipality to create an ECCD Office, which shall be under the administrative supervision of the mayor. These offices shall manage the implementation of ECCD programs, including the supervision of child development teachers (CDTs) and child development workers (CDWs).

The Early Childhood Care and Development Act also seeks the professionalization of CDTs and the reskilling and upskilling of incumbent CDWs. Incumbent CDWs shall complete mandatory reskilling and upskilling training programs on ECCD or early childhood education and pass a certification by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), which shall provide the assessments and certifications free of charge. The TESDA shall provide such assessment and certification free of charge. The ECCD Council shall provide the reskilling and upskilling programs.

The bill strengthens the ECCD Council to ensure the State's focus on building a strong foundation for the development and learning of children below five years of age. The ECCD Council shall be attached to the Department of the Interior and Local Government. The Secretaries of Education and of the Interior and Local Government shall serve as Co-Chairpersons of the ECCD Council's Governing Board, while the ECCD Council Executive Director shall serve as Vice-Chairperson.

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Gatchalian: Panukalang batas na magpapatatag sa early childhood care and development pasado na sa Senado

Pasado na sa huli at ikatlong pagbasa ang panukalang batas na nagsusulong sa pagpapaigting ng kalidad at paghahatid ng early childhood care and development (ECCD) services, bagay na ikinagalak ni Senador Win Gatchalian.

Upang makamit ang universal ECCD access sa lahat ng mga batang mas bata sa limang taong gulang, palalawakin ng Early Childhood Care and Development Act (Senate Bill No. 2575) ang National ECCD System sa lahat ng mga probinsya, lungsod, munisipalidad, at barangay. Sasaklawin ng ECCD System ang kabuuan ng mga programang may kinalaman sa kalusugan, nutrisyon, early childhood education, at social services na tutugon sa pangangailangan ng mga batang wala pang limang taong gulang. Titiyakin din ng ECCD System ang pinakamabuting kalagayan ng mga bata sa kanilang paglaki at development. Si Gatchalian ang sponsor at may akda ng naturang panukala.

"Mahalagang reporma ang pagpapatatag sa ECCD dahil dito nakasalalay ang pagkakaroon ng matatag na pundasyon ang ating mga kabataan. Kailangang maabot natin ang bawat batang wala pang limang taong gulang, tugunan ang kanilang mga pangangailangang pangkalusugan, at tiyakin ang kanilang kahandaang pumasok sa ating sistema ng edukasyon," ani Gatchalian, Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Basic Education.

Sa ilalim ng naturang panukala, magiging mandato sa bawat lungsod at munisipalidad na lumikha ng ECCD Office na sasailalim sa administrative supervision ng alkalde. Pamumunuan ng tanggapang ito ang pagpapatupad ng mga ECCD programs, kabilang ang pangangasiwa ng mga child development teachers (CDTs) at child development workers (CDWs).

Isinusulong din ng Early Childhood Care and Development Act ang professionalization ng mga CDTs at ang reskilling at upskilling ng mga kasalukuyang CDWs. Para sa mga kasalukuyang CDWs, magiging mandato sa kanilang sumailalim sa mga reskilling at upskilling training programs sa ECCD. Kailangan din nilang sumailalim sa libreng assessment at certification mula sa Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). Ang ECCD Council ang magiging responsable pagdating sa mga naturang programa ng upskilling at reskilling.

Patatatagin din ng panukalang batas ang ECCD Council upang matiyak ang pagpapatatag ng pundasyon ng mga kabataang wala pang limang taong gulang. Ang ECCD Council ay itatalaga sa ilalim ng Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Ang mga kalihim ng Department of Education (DepEd) at DILG ang magsisilbing mga Co-Chairperson ng Governing Board ng Council, habang magsisilbi namang Vice-Chairperson ang ECCD Council Executive Director.