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ON Dec. 30, 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the P6.326 trillion General Appropriations Act, prioritizing Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD).
This investment focuses on upskilling Child Development Workers (CDWs) and establishing more Child Development Centers (CDCs) in underserved areas.
The budget allocates P80 million for Tesda scholarships targeting CDWs with high school or lower educational attainment.
In collaboration with the ECCD Council, this initiative aims to create effective program implementation guidelines, enhancing CDW qualifications and skills.
These efforts address Edcom 2 findings highlighting a need for specialized training, as many CDWs lack early childhood education qualifications.
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According to the DSWD, 16.8 percent of CDWs hold only high school degrees, while 77 percent possess college-level qualifications unrelated to early childhood education.
Additionally, P24 million is allocated for CDCs in low-income areas, particularly fifth-class municipalities. This funding supports the construction of at least eight new CDCs in priority barangay (villages), providing facilities, furniture, equipment and educational materials.
Edcom 2 Co-Chairman Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian emphasized the importance of these scholarships, stating they will enable CDWs to upskill and better fulfill their roles.
Edcom 2 Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee highlighted how these provisions align with recent legislative efforts to amend the Early Years Act of 2013, ensuring a cohesive framework for early childhood education nationwide.
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