SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian has underscored the need to improve the quality and delivery of Early Childhood Care and Development services, including nutrition programs, as part of the National Children’s Month celebration this November.

Gatchalian emphasized that mobilizing LGUs is essential to achieving this goal.

Through Senate Bill No. 2575, the Basic Education and Early Childhood Care and Development Alignment Act, authored and sponsored by Gatchalian, LGUs are mandated to implement ECCD programs. These programs encompass a range of health, nutrition, early childhood education, and social services to address the holistic needs of children below five years old.

To ensure universal coverage of the National ECCD System, LGUs must identify young children, including those who are poor, vulnerable, or marginalized, and provide support to their parents or guardians.

LGUs are also tasked with providing necessary facilities and resources, and creating plantilla positions for child development teachers and workers, among other responsibilities.

A discussion paper by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies in May 2024 found that approximately 3.7 million, or one in three Filipino children under five, are stunted or undersized for their age. The study also reported that only 20% of children aged three to four participated in pre-kindergarten programs in 2022.

“Bahagi ng pag-angat ng kalidad sa edukasyon ng bansa ang pagpapatatag sa pundasyon ng ating mga kabataan sa pamamagitan ng early childhood care and development o ECCD. Sa pagkamit ng layuning ito, mahalaga ang papel ng ating mga LGUs upang maabot natin ang bawat bata, matiyak na makakalahok sila sa mga programa ng ECCD, at matugunan ang kanilang pangangailangan sa kalusugan at nutrisyon,” said Gatchalian, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.