Legarda welcomes the enactment of landmark ECCD System Act

Senator Loren Legarda, co-author and co-sponsor of Republic Act No. 12199, or the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) System Act, welcomed the enactment of the landmark measure, which strengthens the country’s efforts to nurture Filipino children in their most formative years.

“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,” the four-term Senator said. “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.”

Legarda, who serves as Commissioner of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), first advanced this advocacy in the 11th Congress as author and co-sponsor of Republic Act No. 8980 or the ECCD Act of 2000, which established a National Early Learning Framework for the implementation of ECCD services nationwide. The newly signed RA 12199 builds on this milestone by strengthening local implementation, governance structures, and professional development for ECCD personnel.

Under the law, local government units (LGUs) will serve as the primary implementers of ECCD services, including the establishment of 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.

RA 12199 further elevates 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. To ensure accountability, the law attaches the ECCD Council to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and integrates ECCD indicators into the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) assessment criteria, reinforcing its importance in the domains of social protection, health responsiveness, and inclusive education.

“More than an education law, this measure 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,” Legarda concluded. (30)