Press Release - Gatchalian: 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