SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian is urging the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to ensure the establishment of a child development center (CDC) in every barangay.

During the hearing on the proposed budget of the DILG and its attached agencies, Gatchalian emphasized that setting up CDCs in all barangays would help increase enrollment in early childhood care and development (ECCD) programs and services.

The lawmaker noted that 3,810 barangays still have no CDCs and that only 30 percent of the country’s 4.5 million children aged three and four are enrolled in ECCD programs.

“Hopefully, in the next three years, we can increase the number of students in ECCD,” said Gatchalian, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance.

Earlier this year, ₱1 billion from the Local Government Support Fund was allocated for the construction of CDCs in low-income local government units (LGUs).

This aligns with Gatchalian’s proposal, incorporated into the Early Childhood Care and Development System Act or Republic Act No. 12199, which allows the use of the Local Government Support Fund to establish CDCs in fourth- and fifth-class municipalities.