Manila: The Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) underscored the urgent need to strengthen the country's early childhood care and development (ECCD) and the necessity for child-sensitive media reporting. CWC Executive Director Undersecretary Angelo Tapales highlighted this during the Bagong Pilipinas forum on Monday, in the wake of the recently signed Republic Act (RA) 12199, known as the Early Childhood Care and Development System Act.
According to Philippines News Agency, Tapales emphasized the critical nature of the zero to eight-year age range as a significant period for educational and developmental milestones. This period is crucial for preparing children for formal education, reducing child mortality, developing infants and young children, identifying children with disabilities early, and adequately preparing for formal learning. The recent signing of RA 12199 by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on May 8 aims to institutionalize comprehensive health, nutrition, education, and social services for young children, with PHP11.7 billion allocated for constructing over 300 child development centers in disadvantaged communities.
The CWC, in collaboration with agencies such as the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), will offer technical assistance to local government units (LGUs) to ensure effective ECCD service implementation. The Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit showed an increase in LGUs earning the child-friendly seal, from 372 in 2022 to 895 in 2025, indicating improved local support for child welfare. However, Tapales pointed out a shortage of qualified Child Development Teachers and Workers, especially in remote areas. The new law mandates proper training, fixed salaries, and qualifications for these workers to professionalize early childhood care.
Parental involvement remains a core focus, with programs designed to empower parents as first teachers through training modules developed by the DSWD. Tapales emphasized that child protection begins at home and assured that government support would extend to families raising young children.
In terms of media's role, Tapales cited the significant influence media has on child protection, especially in reporting. The CWC recently launched a guide for media practitioners, emphasizing that content should be child-friendly or child-sensitive and promote children's rights. The guide, developed in collaboration with the DSWD, advocates for child-sensitive and ethical reporting that respects children's rights, privacy, dignity, and participation. It includes guidelines for protecting the identities of children in vulnerable situations, such as abuse victims, and obtaining consent from parents and assent from the children themselves before coverage.
