Reaffirming the Administration’s commitment to investing in education and human capital development, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced that 328 low-income Local Government Units (LGUs) “will now be provided with funding for them to access early childhood care initiatives” this year.
The President shared the good news during the Ceremonial Signing of the Joint Circular on the Establishment of Child Development Centers (CDCs) held at the Malacañan Palace on April 3, 2025.
“Of this number, 89 will be in Luzon, 106 will be in the Visayas, and 133 in Mindanao, including BARMM,” the President said.
Together with Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman signed the Joint Circular which provides the guidelines for LGUs to establish CDCs through the Local Government Support Fund-Financial Assistance to LGUs (LGSF-FA).
“Through CDCs, our children will have the support and structure that they need even before they enter our classrooms,” DepEd Secretary Angara said.
The CDCs will serve as resource hubs for early learning programs, family support services, and research on child development, effectively addressing existing gaps in early childhood care.
For DBM Secretary Pangandaman, this is proof that Mindanao is a priority in the country’s Agenda for Prosperity.
“We believe that establishing CDCs across the country is crucial to every Filipino child’s overall well-being before they transition to school,” the Budget Chief said, sharing the Department’s prompt response to the President’s directive to fund the establishment of CDCs, especially in the more remote barangays of Mindanao.
The funding for this initiative is specifically designated for low-income LGUs identified and validated by DepEd, based on the findings of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) Year 2 Report.
“Sa pamamagitan ng mga CDC, magkakaroon ng maayos ng pundasyon ang ating mga anak na siya namang magpapatibay sa pundasyon ng ating bansa,” PBBM added.
Also present at the ceremonial signing were Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin; Senate Committee on Basic Education Chairperson Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian; Senator Aquilino Martin “Koko” dL. Pimentel III; Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” C. Remulla; Representative and Chairperson of the House Committee on Basic Education Roman T. Romulo; Representative Jude A. Acidre; Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Jaybee “Jay” C. Ruiz; EDCOM II Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark R. Yee; and DBM Undersecretaries Wilford Will L. Wong and Goddes Hope O. Libiran, and Assistant Secretaries Mary Anne Z. Dela Vega and Diana C. Camacho-Mercado. (DBM)
