Early Years Act OK'd

MANILA, Philippines - A bill seeking to transform day care centers from a playroom to a learning center has been approved on third and final reading at the Senate.

Sen. Edgardo Angara, the sponsor and one of the principal authors, said Senate Bill 2802, the proposed Early Years Act, would rationalize and restructure day care centers into early childhood education centers with a formal curriculum to help pre-school pupils cope with elementary school education.

“Forty percent of the children entering Grade I are not ready for school,” he said.

“As such, four out of 10 children drop out of the elementary level and never return to complete their education.”

Angara said the bill also aims to address the lack of facilities and limited teaching staff in pre-schools.

Only an estimated 46 percent or about 2.5 million children below six years old are being accommodated by the 49,000 day care centers nationwide, he added.

Angara said the bill also seeks the training of additional childhood development teachers to detect and identify gifted and development disorders and disabilities among children below six years old and make the corresponding recommendations.

It would entail more than just child-minding and childcare, but the provision of health, nutrition, early education and social development, he added.

The bill provides for the allocation of P500 million per year for the first five years for the National Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) program.

The funds will be sourced from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

An initial annual appropriation of P500 million from the General Appropriations Act would be provided to the ECCD Council.