MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday approved a funding request to establish child development centers (CDCs) in 4th and 5th class municipalities that lack resources to set up basic education development hubs.

During a sectoral meeting in Malacañang with The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) and other agencies, early childhood development proponents urged the President to allocate P700 million over the next three years to provide low-income barangays with access to early childhood development initiatives.

“Gawin na natin ito. I am thinking the daycare centers can also be CDCs. Ganoon na rin ‘yun eh. You have the same kind of training for the people. The kids are there,” President Marcos said.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) committed to funding the establishment of CDCs this year. The P700 million budget, which will be coursed through the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF), will finance CDC development for every municipality, Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara confirmed.

Angara emphasized that setting up CDCs is a cost-effective investment in the education sector. Despite early childhood education being a long-standing aspiration since 1978, EDCOM 2’s Year Two Report reveals that 5,800 barangays still lack CDCs, even though a 1990 law mandates each barangay to have at least one. Of these, 229 barangays belong to low-income local government units (LGUs).

The Early Years Act of 2013 mandates LGUs to fund the creation of CDCs, but 4th and 5th class municipalities often struggle to meet this requirement due to financial constraints.

To address the shortage of early childhood educators, EDCOM 2 announced plans to collaborate with the Commission on Higher Education, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council to boost the number of early childhood education graduates in underserved regions.

This effort aligns with EDCOM 2’s advocacy to “fix the foundations” of the education system by prioritizing early childhood education, nutrition, and early-grade numeracy and literacy.

“By fixing the foundations – nutrition, early childhood education, literacy and numeracy by Grade 3 – we will ensure that our reforms are strategic, targeted, and enduring,” EDCOM 2 Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee said.

President Marcos noted the importance of prioritizing education, acknowledging its role in shaping the country’s future.

“We’ve been talking about economic development, we’ve been talking about inflation, agriculture, et cetera. It’s time to shift focus to education. That’s our only hope for the future,” he said.

Meanwhile, the bicameral conference committee recently approved the consolidated versions of House Bill No. 10142 and Senate Bill 2575, known as the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Act. The ratified bill introduces comprehensive measures to enhance early childhood education, including improvements in health, nutrition, and social service programs for children from birth to four years old.

EDCOM 2 welcomed the President’s “swift action” in securing funding for CDCs.

“We are deeply grateful for the swift action taken by President Marcos and DBM Secretary Pangandaman in securing the funding and establishment of CDCs,” said Yee.

“This move shows a committed shift towards prioritizing education as a cornerstone of national development. As the President rightly emphasized, focusing on education is crucial for our future, as it represents our nation’s best hope for achieving sustainable economic growth and development,” he said.