SPONSORSHIP SPEECH
Senate Bill No. 2575 / Committee Report No. 211

AN ACT ENSURING THE ALIGNMENT OF BASIC EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10410, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "EARLY YEARS ACT (EYA) OF 2013", APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

March 13, 2024
Session Hall, Senate of the Philippines

Delivered by the Honorable Win Gatchalian, Senator of the 19th Congress:

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, a pleasant day to you all. I rise today to sponsor a proposed measure that not only seeks to unlock the boundless potential of our young children but also ignites the very essence of our country's future.

Young children below five years old are among the most vulnerable in our society. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the Philippines is projected to be the home of 11.1 million young children aged below five years old by July 2024. Yet, a stark reality casts a shadow over this future: only 5 percent of these young children were enrolled in child development centers or CDCs during the School Year of 2022 to 2023. These figures underline the fact that our young ones are being left behind, with only a handful being serviced by CDCs. This is not the reflection of an efficient Early Childhood Care and Development system, especially with the limited fiscal space for ECCD.

Mr. President, as we nurture our young children, we are not only nurturing their individual growth but also the future of our nation; and within this journey lies the transformative power of early childhood education or ECEd. A number of studies prove that investment in quality ECEd sets a strong foundation for learning, leaving long-term positive impacts on children's education.

A longitudinal study conducted by UNICEF Philippines, published in 2021, revealed the positive impact of ECEd on mathematics, literacy, and socio-emotional skills for the first five school years after preschool. An assessment of the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study further illuminates the profound effect of early childhood education and development on the performance of students later in life. Picture this: Grade 4 learners, who had the opportunity to frequently engage in early literacy and numeracy activities with their parents before even stepping foot into primary school, soared higher in mathematics and science compared to their peers who did not have the same privilege.

This evidence is further bolstered by the 2019 Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics survey, which reveals that Grade 5 learners who attended ECEd performed better in reading, writing and mathematics assessments. It specifically highlights that one year of attendance in an ECEd program is correlated with an average increase of about 6 points in Grade 5 math test performance.

Another report by the UNICEF titled "A World Ready to Learn", released in 2019, underscored that young children who attended ECEd are "more likely to enter school on time, less likely to drop out or repeat grades, and more likely to complete primary and secondary school", emphasizing that such investment proves not only beneficial but also cost-effective by lessening the need for catch-up efforts.

Hence, the mandate under R.A. No. 10410, or the Early Years Act of 2013, to achieve universal coverage for ECCD is a tall order that this amendatory legislation has sustained and has now entrusted with both the ECCD Council and our local government units.

However, the potential of ECEd will remain untapped if it is not aligned with the K to 12 basic education curriculum. Maihahambing natin ito sa pagpapagawa ng labindalawang palapag na gusali, na kung sa paglatag pa lang ng pundasyon ay palpak na, ano pa kayang tibay ang aasahan natin sa mga susunod na palapag nito? As it stands, the responsibilities over ECEd and basic education are divided among different government agencies. ECEd falls under the jurisdiction of the Council, while basic education is the responsibility of the Department of Education.

This division of responsibilities, while designed for clarity, creates hurdles in the seamless transition of our children from early childhood to formal schooling. The DepEd, despite chairing the Council, does not have jurisdiction over the implementation of ECEd. Child development teachers, the CDTs, and child development workers, the CDWs--that serve as the backbone of ECEd--are employed and supervised by local government units, usually under their city and municipal social welfare development centers. In simple terms, there is a gap that needs to be bridged.

Mr. President, this is where the amendatory bill, "Basic Education and Early Childhood Care and Development Act", steps in. It bridges this gap, ensuring and strengthening the learning continuum between ECEd and basic education. It emphasizes that under the Early Years Act of 2013, ECCD has evolved from being a primarily social and welfare concern to a system that must be addressed holistically, with ECEd as a primary concern. Specifically, this proposed measure seeks to address the issues confronting the present ECCD system by introducing the following amendments to the Early Years Act of 2013.

First, this bill gives the Council additional functions, including ensuring the alignment between the basic education curriculum and the ECCD curriculum. The Council, armed with this bill's additional mandate, spearheads the responsibility of promulgating national policies and implementing guidelines for ECCD programs. It is the architect of the ECCD blueprint.

The Council's responsibilities encompass a wide range of functions, which include the development of a national system for the recruitment of qualified CDTs, CDWs, and other service providers; issuance of minimum requirements for the establishment of ECCD programs, and other innovations and alternative modalities; the conversion of existing public day care centers into CDCs; and administering the voluntary accreditation of public ECCD programs, among others.

But a blueprint alone cannot build a CDC, Mr. President. This is where our LGUs come in, the tireless builders who translate national policy into tangible programs on the ground. They are the ones who put the bricks and mortar - and most importantly, the heart - into early childhood care and development.

Through national policies formulated by the Council, our LGUs bear the ultimate responsibility for achieving universal coverage for the national ECCD System. This means that even our most vulnerable, marginalized young children will be identified and supported. To achieve this goal, our LGUs are mandated to fulfill greater responsibilities. They must establish at least one (1) CDC in every barangay, submit their respective roadmaps to the Council every three years, provide the facilities and resources for the implementation of ECCD programs, create plantilla positions for CDTs and CDWs while also ensuring their professional development, supervise the service providers, monitor the implementation of ECCD programs, and administer the voluntary accreditation of private ECCD programs, among others.

Furthermore, this bill also seeks to strengthen the composition of the Council. In this proposed amendment, the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government is designated as the Ex Officio Vice Chairperson, highlighting the DILG's crucial role in supervising the nation's local government units. Additionally, the Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education is included as a member of the Council, recognizing the CHED's essential contribution to empowering CDTs and CDWs, thereby enhancing the overall quality of ECCD programs.

Beyond these amendments, this legislation introduces new provisions to bridge the gaps in the ECCD programs, including the disheartening reality that our ECCD service providers are grappling with. As per data from the DSWD, as of January 2023, among the 78,893 CDWs nationwide, it is estimated that a staggering 19 percent received a monthly honorarium or salary of less than 1,000 Pesos. Sa madaling salita, halos isa sa bawat limang CDWs ang kumikita ng ganitong kaliit na halaga. Sa patuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin, paano nila pagkakasyahin ang isang libong piso sa loob ng isang buwan?

Digging deeper into these figures, a mere 11 percent of them are permanent employees of LGUs. There is also a glaring lack of oversight over the quality, hiring process, and performance of CDWs at the local level.

At its core, this bill mandates the employment of at least one CDT and one CDW in every CDC, acknowledging their indispensable role in the ECEd, while every city and municipality shall create plantilla positions for CDTs and CDWs.

The local chief executive, in consultation with and as approved by the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Budget and Management, will also set the guidelines for the Salary Grades, eligibility, qualifications, and duties and responsibilities of CDTs and CDWs. The minimum salary grades are set at Grade 11 for CDTs and Grade 8 for CDWs.

But this proposed measure goes beyond just ensuring that our CDTs and CDWs are adequately compensated. It paves the way for the professionalization of CDTs; the certification, reskilling and upskilling of incumbent CDWs, and the provision of scholarship opportunities for the continued education and growth of these service providers.

As a safeguard for quality, CDTs must hold a bachelor's degree and pass the Licensure Examination for Teachers or LET. CDWs, on the other hand, should have at least a senior high school diploma and pass a national competency assessment. Alternatively, CDWs can be high school graduates who have completed two years of tertiary education and earned a TESDA National Certification for CDWs.

This bill also outlines the reskilling and upskilling of incumbent CDWs, offering them a pathway to professional growth through training programs and certification by the TESDA. It mandates the Council to develop a scholarship program for the continuing education of CDWs who seek to complete their bachelor's degrees and those who will be required to take the LET.

Further, this proposed measure requires every city and municipality to establish ECCD divisions. LGUs will be tasked with designing and implementing an organizational structure and staffing pattern that reflects the unique service requirements and financial capabilities of each locality. Under the administrative supervision of the mayor, the ECCD division will oversee its day-to-day operations. This includes the critical role of supervising CDTs and CDWs, ensuring that they fulfill their duties and responsibilities effectively.

This bill likewise introduces a provision for the streamlining of ECCD services. One of the pivotal roles of the Council is to provide guidelines for this streamlining, taking into account critical factors such as the number of young children being serviced by each CDC, the physical accessibility of CDCs, and the availability of funds and resources of the LGUs, among others. Streamlining measures may encompass innovative strategies such as clustering of CDCs for multiple barangays, promoting both center-based and home-based programs, and other alternative modalities as far as practicable. This is particularly crucial in areas where very few young children are serviced by the CDCs and for LGUs with limited resources.

Finally, to further ensure that no young children will be left behind, this amendatory legislation seeks to address the issue of the inequitable delivery of ECCD services due to the strengthened role of LGUs. The quality of ECCD services a young child receives relies heavily on the financial resources, budget allocations, and political commitment of the LGUs. Sa madaling salita, nasa kamay ng mga lokal na pamahalaan ang paghahatid at pagsasakatuparan ng mga programa ng ECCD.

In our pursuit of equitable and universal ECCD, particularly ECEd, we must hold our LGUs to a higher standard of accountability. However, accountability should not stand alone. It should be coupled with support and capacity-building, especially for our poorest municipalities. The substitute bill's section on Appropriations addresses this very need. It provides that the annual General Appropriations Act shall include a specific allocation from the Local Government Support Fund. This allocation is intended to bolster the establishment of CDCs and the hiring of CDTs and CDWs in our fourth and fifth class municipalities.

By passing this proposed measure, we are not merely preparing our young children for their educational journey; we are also preparing them to succeed in the future as the next leaders of our nation.

Before I end, allow me to thank the co-authors of this bill, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, Senator Sonny Angara, Senator Risa Hontiveros, and Senator Bong Revilla Jr., for their contributions in drafting this significant legislation. As chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, I would also like to express my gratitude to the stakeholders from the public and private sectors for their active and spirited participation during the course of a public hearing and seven Technical Working Group meetings.

Together, let us amplify the voices of our young children--the heartbeat of our nation. Let us build a future where they flourish, for in their laughter, curiosity, and energy lies the rhythm of hope.

Thank you, Mr. President, distinguished colleagues.