FILE PHOTO: Education Secretary Sonny Angara. Voltaire F. Domingo / Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.鈥檚 approval of more funding for child development centers (CDCs) is a 鈥済ame-changing鈥� action.
鈥淭he investment we make in early childhood education today determines the kind of nation we build tomorrow,鈥� Angara said in a statement.
Marcos announced on Thursday that at least 328 low-income barangays will receive funding to establish their respective CDCs this year.
READ: Marcos approves fund request for child development centers听
Of these 328 villages, most are in Mindanao at 133, 106 in Visayas, and 89 in Luzon.
The new guidelines allow local government units (LGUs) to access national funds to build or improve these centers.
This move, DepEd said, directly addresses findings from the EDCOM II report, which showed that many communities, especially low-income ones, lack access to early learning facilities.
LGUs identified as high-priority in the EDCOM II study will get funding first.
On March 4, the President directed the Department of Budget and Development to prioritize funding to build CDCs to serve as venues for implementing Early Childhood and Development (ECCD) programs and services.
Marcos stressed the need to establish CDCs following reports from the ECCD Council that at least 3,800 barangays have yet to set up their centers.
Republic Act No. 6972 requires each barangay to have at least one CDC.