By: Atty. Gregorio B. Austral, CPA
A Stronger start? The Philippines’ new ECCD law
The earliest years of a child’s life—from birth to age eight—lay the foundation for everything that follows. It’s the time when learning begins, social connections form, and physical and emotional development take shape. If you’ve ever watched a toddler absorb the world with wide-eyed curiosity, you know just how critical these years are.
With that in mind, the Philippines has taken a big step forward with the passage of Republic Act No. 12199, the “Early Childhood Care and Development System Act,” signed into law on May 8, 2025. This isn’t just a routine policy update—it completely replaces the Early Years Act (Republic Act No. 10410) from 2013, with the promise of “further strengthening” early childhood care and education in the country.
So, what does “further strengthening” actually look like?
At its core, RA 12199 aims to make ECCD more holistic, inclusive, and sustainable—an effort to ensure that early childhood care is a shared responsibility between national agencies, local governments, families, and communities. A significant change in responsibility divides oversight: The ECCD Council will focus on children below five years old, while DepEd takes charge of five- to eight-year-olds.
Additionally, the ECCD Council is now attached to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)—a change intended to enhance coordination at the local level. The law also strengthens universal access, ensuring that all children—including those with disabilities—are actively included through a Child Find System, which helps identify and support children with special needs.
Beyond the broad principles, RA 12199 makes concrete changes that could have a lasting impact:
LGUs Take Center Stage
One of the biggest shifts is that Local Government Units (LGUs) are now the primary implementers of ECCD programs. The law requires LGUs to allocate funds from their Special Education Fund (SEF) and Gender and Development (GAD) Fund, embedding ECCD into local governance. To push LGUs to perform, ECCD indicators will also be factored into the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG)—giving local leaders an additional incentive to prioritize early childhood care.
To support this, every province, city, and municipality must now establish an ECCD Office, overseen by the local chief executive. This office will handle service delivery and supervision—ensuring that early childhood care receives direct leadership at the local level.
Better Pay, Better Stability for Child Development Workers
For years, Child Development Teachers (CDTs) and Child Development Workers (CDWs) have been underpaid and underrecognized despite the vital role they play. RA 12199 takes steps to change that.
Under the new law, LGUs must create permanent plantilla positions for CDTs and CDWs, ensuring job security. More importantly, minimum salary grades have been set:
- CDTs must earn at least Salary Grade 11
- CDWs with associate degrees will earn SG 10
- CDWs without degrees will earn SG 8
On top of this, the law mandates training and professional development: Free TESDA certification and scholarship programs will be available for CDWs pursuing a bachelor’s degree, while current workers must undergo reskilling and upskilling programs.
Stronger Funding Commitments
The law introduces a “program convergence budgeting approach,” meaning various national agencies must coordinate financial and technical support for ECCD programs. Crucially, salaries for CDTs and CDWs will no longer be restricted by the personal services limitations under the Local Government Code—giving LGUs more flexibility in funding these positions.
Accountability Measures
Oversight is also getting an upgrade. RA 12199 establishes a Joint Congressional Oversight Committee (JCOC) to monitor implementation, along with mandatory reviews and reports to Congress every five years. This ensures that ECCD remains a priority and isn’t forgotten after the law is passed.
What’s Next?
This new law is more than policy—it’s a long-term investment in the nation’s future. By placing local governments in charge, ensuring stable funding, professionalizing early childhood workers, and embedding accountability, RA 12199 aims to create a more structured, effective ECCD system.
But laws alone don’t create change. The real test will be how well LGUs embrace their expanded role and whether resources actually reach the children who need them most. The coming months will be critical as the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) are developed—setting the stage for how this law takes shape on the ground.
At its core, this law reflects a simple but powerful belief: every child deserves the best possible start in life—and now, the Philippines is making that promise a reality.