President Ferdinad R. Marcos Jr. 鈥� PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday approved the funding request for the establishment of child development centers (CDCs) in fourth and fifth-class municipalities of the country, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said.
In a statement, the PCO said early childhood development proponents sought the allocation of P700 million in the next three years to provide low-income barangays access to early childhood development projects.
鈥淕awin na natin ito (We should do this now). I am thinking the daycare centers can also be CDCs鈥� You have the same kind of training for the people. The kids are there,鈥� Marcos said during a sectoral meeting in Malaca帽ang with the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) and other agencies.
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The Budget department has committed to fund the establishment of CDCs for 2025, it added.
The PCO said Education Secretary Sonny Angara, who was also in the meeting, pointed out that establishing CDCs is a low-hanging fruit in terms of expense.
He said it is also a much-needed investment for the education sector.
According to data from EDCOM 2鈥檚 Year Two Report, 5,800 barangays still do not have CDCs despite a 1990 law requiring each barangay to have at least one.
The EDCOM will work with the Commission on Higher Education, the Department of Interior and Local Government, and the Early Childhood Care and Development Council to increase the number of early childhood education graduates in regions identified to be lacking.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been talking about economic development, we鈥檝e been talking about inflation, agriculture, et cetera. It鈥檚 time to shift focus to education. That鈥檚 our only hope for the future,鈥� Marcos said.
The bicameral conference committee has approved the ECCD bill.