DAYCARE workers across the country are set to receive long-awaited salary increases following the signing of Republic Act No. 12199, or the Early Child Development System Act, into law.

Senator Imee Marcos, a staunch advocate of the measure, announced the development on Thursday, calling it a major victory for child development workers and early childhood education in the Philippines.

“We have fought for this for a long time — now, it’s officially the law! Salaries for our daycare workers will finally be implemented,” Marcos said in a press statement.

Under the new law, minimum salaries for early childhood educators are clearly defined: Salary Grade 11 for Child Development Teachers; SG 10 for Child Development Workers with an associate degree; and SG 8 for other CDWs.

The law also strengthens the Early Childhood Care and Development Council, now placed under the supervision of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

This structural shift is expected to ensure more consistent funding and support for daycare centers at the barangay level.

“This is more than a pay hike — it’s a move to institutionalize support and dignity for our early childhood workers,” Marcos emphasized. “But the fight doesn’t end here. We will continue pushing for stronger, better-equipped daycare centers and empowered barangays.”

“This is a win not just for our daycare workers, but for children, families, and the future of the nation,” she added.