1

Chapter I

PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Introduction

Day Care Teachers play a vital role in teaching young learners nowadays

compared to previous years. These teachers also are mandated to provide quality

education to learners at the day care centers located at the different barangays. Most of

them are receiving the needed support and appropriate trainings as well as the provision

of materials necessary for the teaching and learning sessions on a daily basis. These

teachers have so many stories to tell. However, there are day care teachers whose needs

and support were not met and are experiencing challenges despite the mandates and laws

provided by the government through the Department of Social Work and Development.

Day Care Program is one of the government initiatives to address the needs of the

learners from ages (3-5) using a standardized checklist to be able to achieve its goals and

objectives. This program of the government is entrusted to the local government unit

specifically the at the barangay level to empower them to establish, implement, monitor,

support and evaluate the performance of both learners and teachers.

To help the teachers in their journey as part of the front liners, it is but necessary

to look into how this program of the government is implemented to continue to inspire
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them to work an extra mile to make a difference in the lives of the learners and in the

community as well.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in prioritizing its

commitment to the human development concerns of children as a response to the

country’s ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on July 26,

1990, where the Philippines is a state party, recognizes the significant role of Day Care

Service in the development of children’s well being. Hence, in 2004, the DSW D set

standards for Day Care Centers (DCCs), other ECCD Centers and Service Providers (SP)

(for children aged 0 - 5.11 years) through Administrative Order No. 29 which covers

DCCs and other ECCD Center (e.g. Child Minding Centers) being managed by the

National Government Agencies (NGAs), Government Owned and Controlled

Corporations (GOCCs), Local Government Units (LGUs), Social Welfare and

Development Agencies (SWDAs), Peoples’ Organizations (POs) and other individuals.

This Administrative Order focused on five areas that are deemed necessary in any ECE-

ECCD program where specific, measurable and observable indicators are enumerated to

ensure that the standards for each area are being met. However, in the course of the

implementation of Administrative Order 29, series of 2004, several issues and concerns

were raised by the same stakeholders, mostly on areas of Partnership with Families,
 3

Community and Local Government, particularly on user’s fee or participation fee, and the

Human Resource Development (HRD) i.e. educational level of the Day Care Workers

and their qualifications. Consequently, these issues and concerns were considered since

they play vital roles in the continuing operation of Day Care Service. Likewise, the HRD

is critical because of its role in the delivery of quality care and education to children

beneficiaries of the day care service. The different concerns were expressed at the time

when Executive Order (EO) 685. also known as Expanding the Preschool Coverage to

Include Children Enrolled in Day Care Centers where children referred to are those who

are 5 years old and above, signed by the former president on January 10, 2008. Hence,

this new Administrative Order shall focus on the new guidelines for the accreditation of

Day Care Centers and Day Care Workers. (DSWD AO 15, s. 2011)

Theoretical Framework

This study is anchored on the Program Implementation Model of World Vision

(2021) which measurably improving child well-being is at the center of our approach to

child and community development. We use a logical framework to describe program and

project cycle management through six basic components: assessment, design, monitoring,

evaluation, reflection and transition. Our principles and approaches describe vital

elements that need to be in place in order to achieve our goal. Assessment is the process
 4

of collecting and analyzing information and exploring the context to better understand

needs and existing resources in the community. This helps us prioritize and make choices

with the community regarding areas of focus. Design and/or re-design is the process of

planning appropriate program and project strategies using assessment results to show

how identified issues can be addressed. Community needs, rights, and priorities are all

taken into account in deciding how to implement a program or project. Monitoring refers

to routine collection of information to establish that inputs, activities, and outputs have

occurred. Monitoring supports basic management and accountability, and it tracks actual

performance in a situation against plans or expectations in the original design. Evaluation

is an exercise that attempts to systematically and objectively assess relevance and

performance — what’s working and what’s not working in ongoing and completed

programs and projects.

We used mixed-methods to measure effectiveness both quantitatively and

qualitatively through household surveys, child and caregiver interviews, focus group

discussions, and key informant interviews. Program evaluation is conducted every three

to five years for our long-term community development programs, and every year to two

years for our grant-funded projects, to measure change over time. Some evaluations go a

step further and explore impact that is attempting to look for our contribution to the
 5

change that is being measured. Other evaluations also explore themes like sustainability

to understand the extent to which positive outcomes can and are sustain ed over the

long-term. Reflection is a participatory process of planning and putting time aside to

bring partners and the community together with us to: Analyze project and program

evaluation information, including what is going well and what challenges are emerging.

Make informed decisions and recommendations about necessary changes in current

projects and programs, which lead to transformation of the program, individuals and the

organization. It is critical that we are able to learn from our experience. Learning happens

best in an atmosphere of trust and openness, where failures and challenges can be

discussed constructively, and where there is enough time and dedication to reflection and

learning activities with the community and local stakeholders. This is where we look at

the Program Evaluation findings for evidence of operational change. The findings from a

Program Evaluation are then used to re-design the program throughout its lifetime.

Transition refers to the process of World Vision ending its involvement in a shared

project or program. We aim to assist communities in a way that empowers them to

sustain program outcomes after our assistance has ended. It is important that we end our

involvement in a well-planned way, so that the benefits gained by communities and

stakeholders can be continued into the future, after we have withdrawn. In order to end

well, we need to work with communities and stakeholders to begin programs with the end
 6

in mind. A plan needs to be in place from the beginning of the program, showing how

World Vision will phase out of the shared program in a way that promotes sustainability.

The decision to close a program can be made after reviewing evaluation findings, having

community discussions, and making strategic considerations. This decision should be

evidence based, and should only be made once the community feels confident that they

have a plan to sustain the most important outcomes that have been achieved. Throughout

previous phases of the Critical Path, our role was to strengthen and empower local

communities and stakeholders to take on increasing responsibility in planning and

managing shared projects. In this way, transition of roles and responsibilities is not

something that happens at the end of a program but is an integral part of our approach to

working at the local level.

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Conceptual Framework

The study on The Influence of Stress Management to Teachers Performance in Isabela

City Schools Division Island District includes all teachers from the Island District. The study has

two variables: independent and dependent variables as indicated in the paradigm of Figure 1.

Independent Variables Dependent Variables

Output
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Statement of the Problem

This study focused on An Implementation Analysis of Day Care Program in the

Island District of Isabela City Schools Division. Specifically, the study answered the

following questions.

1. How is the implementation of the Day Care Program in Isabela Island District of

Isabela City Schools Division in terms of:

1.1 Curriculum

1.2 Human Resources Program

1.3 Hiring and Compensation

1.4 Community Support and Partnership

1.5 Quality Standards and Accreditation

Significance of the Study

This study on the implementation analysis shall provide baseline data on how the

day care program is being implemented in Isabela City particularly in Isabela Island

District. The result of this study shall benefit all Island District Day Care Teachers and

shall also be beneficial to the City Social Welfare and Development handling the day care

program. In addition to this, the result of this study shall benefit the early childhood

education program or the Kindergarten Program of the Department of Education the

 9

moment these day care learners will enrol in the kindergarten program. Most importantly,

this study shall also provide local government officials data that will serve as point of

references for reflections, governance, program implementation review and policy

making in the future.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study focused on the selected eight (8) day care teachers (one day care

teacher I each barangay) and one (1) day care program supervisor considering that there

are only eight (8) barangays in the Island District namely: Sta. Barbara Barangay,

Tampalan Barangay, Diki Barangay, Lukbuton Barangay, Marang-Marang Barangay,

Panigayan Barangay, Lampinigan Barangay , Carbon Barangay, and one day care

supervisor.

Definition of Terms

Here are terminologies being defined conceptually and/or operationally to clarify

for understanding.

Age. Refers to the length of time that a person has lived or a thing has existed.

Accreditation. The action or process of officially recognizing someone as having a

particular status or being qualified to perform a particular activity

Barangay. A small territorial and administrative district forming the most local level of

government.
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Day Care. Is defined as any type of institutional out-of-home care for children younger

than five years of age.

Community Support. This eans the support that may be organized through extended

family members, friends, neighbors, religious organizations, community programs,

cultural and ethnic organizations, or other support groups or organizations.

Compensation. The money received by an employee from an employer as a salary or

wages

Curriculum. The subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college

Educational Background. Your formal education and any informal or

continuing education you have received throughout your lifetime

Hiring.  To give work or a job to (someone) in exchange for wages or a salary

Human Resource Development.  Is the framework for helping employees develop their

skills, knowledge, and abilities, which in turn improves an organization's effectiveness.

Implementation Analysis.  Are an important component of impact evaluations. The

descriptive findings of an implementation analysis can help contextualize the impact

findings and generate hypotheses about why the program did or did not have a positive

impact

Length of Service. The time spent by a worker at his job or performing some other

activity beneficial to society

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Memorandum. A record or written statement of something or usually a brief

communication written for interoffice circulation.

Monthly Honorarium. A payment given for professional services that are rendered

Quality Standards. Are defined as documents that provide requirements, specifications,

guidelines, or characteristics that can be used consistently to ensure that materials,

products, processes, and services are fit for their purpose.

Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter deals with the related literature and related studies relevant to

implementation analysis of day care program in the Island District of Isabela City

Schools.

A. Review of Related Literatures

The establishment of the Early Years Act and the Early Childhood Care and

Development (ECCD) Council in the Philippines have increased awareness of the

importance of early childhood development (ECD) programs. In particular, there is

growing attention to improving the quality of childcare services for children under the

age of 4, demonstrated by the introduction of National Child Development Centers

(NCDCs) as well as training initiatives to strengthen the workforce that delivers them.

However, due to the decentralized nature of the system and insufficient resources, the

quality of these centers varies significantly across Local Government Units (LGUs).

Remuneration, training opportunities, and worker profiles are diverse, and poor working
 12

conditions and limited job security prevent workers’ ability to consistently impact

children’s development. Nationally supported training efforts offered by government and

non-government entities have been beneficial for improving knowledge and skills of

personnel. In parallel, several local authorities are addressing working conditions and job

security through the introduction of local ordinances which provide guidelines on hiring,

compensation, and dismissal processes.(Early Childhood Workforce Iniative,

March,2019 p.1).

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in prioritizing its

commitment to the human development concerns of children as a response to the

country’s ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on July 26,

1990, where the Philippines is a state party, recognizes the significant role of Day Care

Service in the development of children’s well being. Hence, in 2004, the DSW D set

standards for Day Care Centers (DCCs), other ECCD Centers and Service Providers (SP)

(for children aged 0 - 5.11 years) through Administrative Order No. 29 which covers

DCCs and other ECCD Center (e.g. Child Minding Centers) being managed by the

National Government Agencies (NGAs), Government Owned and Controlled

Corporations (GOCCs), Local Government Units (LGUs), Social Welfare and

Development Agencies (SWDAs), Peoples’ Organizations (POs) and other individuals.

This Administrative Order focused on five areas that are deemed necessary in any ECE-

ECCD program where specific, measurable and observable indicators are enumerated to

ensure that the standards for each area are being met. However, in the course of the

implementation of Administrative Order 29, series of 2004, several issues and concerns

were raised by the same stakeholders, mostly on areas of Partnership with Families,
 13

Community and Local Government, particularly on user’s fee or participation fee, and the

Human Resource Development (HRD) i.e. educational level of the Day Care Workers

and their qualifications. Consequently, these issues and concerns were considered since

they play vital roles in the continuing operation of Day Care Service. Likewise, the HRD

is critical because of its role in the delivery of quality care and education to children

beneficiaries of the day care service. The different concerns were expressed at the time

when Executive Order (EO) 685. also known as Expanding the Preschool Coverage to

Include Children Enrolled in Day Care Centers where children referred to are those who

are 5 years old and above, signed by the former president on January 10, 2008. Hence,

this new Administrative Order shall focus on the new guidelines for the accreditation of

Day Care Centers and Day Care Workers. Further, this new guidelines will cover Day

Care Centers catering to children 3 years old to 4.11 years old children, operated by

NGAs, GOCCs, LGUs, SW DAs, POs and other private individuals. The Day Care

Workers are also covered in this new guideline to ensure that the physical, intellectual,

social and emotional needs of the children are being addressed.

Legal Framework
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The Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Act of 2000 is the national ECCD

policy framework of the Philippines. A basic element of this framework is shared governance.

This model exemplifies governance mechanisms at national, provincial, city/municipal and

barangay levels to support delivery of integrated ECCD services. A decade of implementing this

policy framework provides an excellent starting point and a rich context for looking at the

current state of governance of ECCD in the country. The salient features of the ECCD Act and

other related policies serve as a backdrop for the discussion of the progress and challenges of

ECCD governance. This article concludes with three interrelated policy agenda that would

strengthen the country’s governance of early childhood (Manuel, MF.F., Gregorio, E.B., 2011).

MANDATE AND LEGAL BASES

The Department draws its authority to accredit day care centers (DCCs) and Day

Care Workers (DCWs) for children 3 to below 5 years old from the following:

1. Presidential Decree No. 603 (1974) - the Child and Youth Welfare Code Title

II Article 6 - “The Day Care Service and other substitute parental arrangements shall be

provided to a child whose parents and relatives are not able to care for him /her during

the day. Such arrangement shall be subjected to accreditation and licensing by the

Department of Social Welfare.”

2. Republic Act No. 6972 (1990) - Barangay Total Development and Protection of

Children Act, Section 5 (a) - “The Department of Social Welfare and Development shall

formulate the criteria for the selection, qualifications, training and accreditation of day
 15

care workers and the standards for the implementation of the total development and

protection of children program .”

3. Republic Act No. 7160 or Local Government Code of 1991 - Article 24 states

that the “LGU shall be responsible for a set of services and facilities in accordance with

established national policies, guidelines and standards.”

4. Executive Order No. 340 series of 1997 - Directing National Government

Agencies and Government Owned and Controlled Corporations to Provide Day Care

Services for their Employees’ Children Under Five Years of Age, Section 3 Lead Agency

(4)” the DSW D is tasked to license and accredit the services, facilities and day care

workers.”

5. Executive Order No. 221 series of 2003 - Am ending Executive Order No. 15

series of 1998, Redirecting the Functions and Operations of DSWD which states that to

accomplish its roles and functions the Department shall “Set the standards, accredit and

provide consultative services to public and private institutions, organizations and persons

engaged in social welfare activities, and monitor performance and compliance to

standards by institutions, organizations and persons engaged in social welfare activities

both public and private.”

6. Republic Act 8980 (2000) - also known as the Early Childhood Care and

Development (ECCD) Act which provides under its Implementing Rules and Regulations

(IRR) as mentioned in Section 27, Specific Roles and Responsibilities of DSW D that it

shall “Register, license and accredit public and private ECCD centers, programs and

service providers catering to children below 5 years of age.” 2

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7. Executive Order No. 685 (2008) - also known as Expanding the Preschool

Coverage to Include Children Enrolled in Day Care Centers which states that “preschool

experiences provide the essential stimulation needed by 5 year old children to become

ready for formal schooling in Grade 1, thus should be expanded to reach all children aged

5 years old, with first priority to reaching those children least likely to enter school or

most likely to drop out or repeat in Grades 1-3.”

III. OBJECTIVES This guidelines aims to:

1. Provide an enhanced set of standards for the DCCs and DCW s for a more

efficient and effective delivery of Day Care Service.

2. Protect and promote the best interest of the children availing of the Day Care

Service.

3. Promote accountability in the implementation of the service in the com m unity

and in the workplace.

IV. COVERAGE AND APPLICABILITY This guideline covers and applies to

all DCCs and DCW s whether based in the com m unity i.e. run and managed by the

barangay, SWDAs, POs, private individuals or in the workplace, i.e. NGAs and GOCCs.

V. GENERAL POLICIES
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1. The C/M SW DO and Field Offices will follow the entire accreditation process

provided in the accreditation tool. There is a separate tool for the DCCs operated by the

LGUs, SW DAs, POs and for the DCCs operated by the NGAs/GOCCs.

2. The accreditation of the DCC and DCW is interdependent with each other.

Hence, both may either be accredited or not accredited. Thus, separate certificates shall

be awarded to the accredited DCC and DCW.

3. If on the first visit for the accreditation the DCC and/or DCW does not meet

the minimum standards, they will be given six (6) months to comply with all the other

requirements needed in the work areas where they have failed.

4. The star rating will be re-adopted in the assessment tool under this

Administrative Order.

5. The Certificate of Accreditation of DCCs issued by the Field Offices shall have

a validity period of minimum of three (3) years and a maximum of five (5) years. There

will be a ladderized system for accreditation wherein indicators of compliance shall be

categorized as follows: 3 a. Three star rating is equivalent to a satisfactory rating which

means that the DCC have met the basic standards set and will be awarded a three year

accreditation. b. Four star rating is equivalent to a highly satisfactory rating which means

that the DCC has met the basic standards and is practicing optional services that increases

the quality of service implementation to a higher level. Four star rating to the center will

be awarded a four year accreditation. c. Five star rating is equivalent to outstanding

rating. This means that the center is following the highest of standards and will be

awarded a five year accreditation.

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6. The Certificate of Accreditation of the Day Care Workers issued by the Field

Offices shall also have a minimum validity period of three (3) years and maximum of

five (5) years. There will be a laddered system for accreditation wherein indicators of

compliance shall be categorized as follows: a. Capable and Knowledgeable rating would

be given to the DCW who has met the basic standards set and will be awarded a three

year accreditation. b. Highly Competent rating would be given to the DCW who has met

the basic standards and is practicing optional services that increases the quality of service

implementation to a higher level. Meanwhile, four star rating to the Day Care Worker

will be awarded a four-year accreditation. c. Expert rating would be given to the Day

Care Worker who is following the highest of standards and that the Day Care Worker

will be awarded a five-year accreditation.

7. The presence or absence of the indicators are determined through a review of

documents (document review or DR), interview with the various stakeholders (I), and

observation of a session or sessions in the ECCD centers (O). 8. The accreditation may be

suspended/revoked if compliance to standards is not maintained during validity period. 9.

To promote the use of the revised standards, continuous conduct of orientation, advocacy,

capability building and technical assistance to NGAs, GOCCs, LGUs, SW DAs, POs, and

private individuals shall be included in the list of priority activities of the Field Offices.

VI. STANDARDS There are five areas wherein the standards would focus on as

follows:

A. Advancement of Children’s Growth and Development The advancement of

children’s growth and development is the primary objective of day care service and
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service providers. Service providers are tasked to facilitate children’s progress in all

aspects of development. This is achieved through the following: 1. Assessment of

children that provides the service providers with a thorough knowledge about each child

in their care; 2. Integration of health, nutrition, and other complementary services; and 3.

Utilization of a developmental appropriate curriculum for young children

B. Partnership with Families, Communities and Local Government Partnership

with families, com m unity and local government indicates that a high quality ECCD

program is the result of the shared responsibility among parents and members of the

families, service providers, com m unity members, organizations, and the local

government unit.

C. Human Resource Development (HRD) HRD refers to the recruitment and

hiring; training and development; competencies and continuing education of the service

providers; supervision and conditions of employment that are part of the management and

administration of the ECCD program.

D. Program Management. This section refers to planning and budgeting,

implementation, supervision, monitoring and evaluation, management information

system and financial management of the program that ensures the high standard of

service delivery to the children. All projects and activities must be responsive to the

needs of the children, appropriate resources are allocated and utilized efficiently to

achieve the goal of effectively managing the Day Care Service which is to seek the

continuous improvement of program delivery so that the needs of children and families

are met, and that program staff are supported in their efforts.
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E. Physical Environment and Safety. This refers to giving of importance to child-

friendliness of the location, the indoor and outdoor environments of the center and the

ensuing quality and safety measures that are critical in protecting and promoting

children’s holistic development.

Design

Most of the day-care centres operate half-day sessions comprised of supervised

play and group activities (arts and crafts, music and movement, storytelling), childcare

for personal hygiene, supplemental feeding, health and nutrition education, learning

experiences for early literacy and mathematics, and socialization experiences to support

social and emotional development. Growth monitoring and assessment of children’s

developmental status using a Child Development Checklist are also included. Most public

day-care centres provide only one meal, generally a snack each day. The ones that

function also as child-minding centres serve lunch and possibly a second (morning or

afternoon) snack. All day-care workers in the public system are guided by a national

programme developed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)

in collaboration with multidisciplinary partners in academe, civil society and

international agencies like UNICEF. In the best situations, day-care centres provide

children with developmentally-appropriate experiences that respond to their needs and

capacities in a holistic manner. 3.9.3. Average number of hours per week and average
 21

amount of weeks per year: Most barangay (village) day-care centres (also referred to as

childcare centres, crèches and nurseries, but day-care centres it is the term most used)

function as three hour or half-day activity- and playgroups for three- to five-year-olds,

five days a week. A day-care centre functioning at full capacity usually serves two

different groups of children in two shifts: one in the morning and another in the

afternoon. A few centres provide childcare services for those children whose parents seek

them. In the late 1990s, a national policy was introduced to promote the establishment of

day-care centres in the workplace. As a result, there are an increasing number of

government offices, as well as private corporations, which provide full-day childcare

programmes that match parents’ working hours, that is, from 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or

5 p.m. Some of these are linked to the local government units of cities which are also the

employers of public civil servants such as the police. 3.10. Any other relevant and

pertinent information There is now a public day-care centre in virtually every village of

the country (there are 41,924 villages in the country; as of 2000, there were 32,787 day-

care centres; a few villages may have more than one; in 1998, 26.7 per cent of the

villages did not have access to any such programmes.) There are more day-care centres

and community-based ECCD programmes in urban areas than in rural areas. Although

there are a few public day-care centres and NGO-run or church-affiliated community-

based ECCD programmes in remote rural villages, including those populated by

indigenous cultural groups, they are few in comparison to the number of centre-based

programmes in urban areas, and are certainly inadequate bearing in mind the size of the

rural young child population (UNESCO PROAP., 2004).

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Republic Act No. 6972 Barangay-Level Total Development and Protection of

Children Act Section

1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Barangay-Level Total Development and

Protection of Children Act."

2. Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared to be the policy of the State to

defend the right of children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and to

provide them with special protection against all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty,

exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to their development. Filipino children up

to six (6) years of age deserve the best care and attention at the family and community

levels. Towards this end, there is hereby established a day care center in every barangay

with a total development and protection of children program as provided in this Act

instituted in every barangay day care center.

3. Sec. 3. Program Framework. - The total development and protection of children

program for day care centers shall be provided for children up to six (6) years of age with

the consent of parents: Provided, however, That, in case of abused, neglected or

exploited children, such consent shall not be required. The program shall include the

following:

(a) Monitoring of registration of births and the completion of the immunization series for

prevention of tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertusis, tetanus, measles, poliomyelitis and such

other diseases for which vaccines have been developed for administration to children up to

six (6) years of age;

(b) Growth and nutritional monitoring, with supplementary nutritional feeding and

supervision of nutritional intake at home;

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(c) Care for children of working mothers during the day and, where feasible, care for

children up to six (6) years of age when mothers are working at night: Provided, That the

day care center need not take care of the children in a particular place but shall develop

network of homes where women may take care of the children up to six (6) years of age of

working mothers during work hours, with adequate supervision from the supervising social

welfare officer of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Provided, further,

That, where young children are left to the care of a paid domestic, an elderly relative or older

children without adequate and competent adult supervision, the supervising social welfare

officer shall provide such training and adult supervision until the children's care meets

adequate standards whereby the children under their care will develop normally as healthy,

happy and loved children, even in the absence of their mothers during working hours;

(d) Materials and network of surrogate mothers-teachers who will provide intellectual and

mental stimulation to the children, as well as supervised wholesome recreation, with a

balanced program of supervised play, mental stimulation activities, and group activities with

peers;

(e) A sanctuary for abused, neglected or exploited children either in one child institution in

the barangay and/or a network of sanctuary-homes which will take in children in urgent need

of protection due to a situation which endangers the child or which has exposed the child to

cruelty and abuse: Provided, That the day care center, with the help and support of the

barangay chairman and their barangay level support systems, may call upon law enforcement

agencies when the child needs to be rescued from an unbearable home situation;

(f) A referral and support system for pregnant mothers for prenatal and neonatal care and, in

the proper case, for delivery of the infant under conditions which will remove or minimize
 24

risk to mother and child: Provided, That high-risk mothers shall be referred to the proper

tertiary or secondary care service personnel and children who are at risk from any condition

or illness will be brought for care: Provided, further, That the day care center shall be alert to

illegal abortions and incompetent and untrained hilots so that they are provided the needed

basic training for normal delivery and are trained to recognize high-risk pregnancies which

should be referred to competent obstetrical and pediatric medical care for mother and child

who are at risk; and

(g) A support system and network of assistance from among the members of the barangay

for the total development and protection of children.

Sec. 4. Implementing Agency. - The program shall be implemented by the barangay. The

sangguniang barangay may call upon private volunteers, who are responsible members of the

community, and utilize them to assist in the care of children and provide consultative

services for medical, educational, and other needs of the children.

Sec. 5. Functions of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. - The Department

shall:

(a) Formulate the criteria for the selection, qualifications, training and accreditation of

barangay day care workers and the standards for the implementation of the total

development and protection of children program;

(b) Coordinate activities of nongovernment organizations with the day care workers and

other social workers of the Department in order that their services may be fully utilized for

the attainment of the program goals; and

(c) Protect and assist abused, neglected or exploited children and secure proper government

assistance for said children.

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Sec. 6. Funds for the Center, the Program and Day Care Workers.

(a) The funds for the establishment, maintenance and operation of barangay day care centers

shall be appropriated from the national budget and shall be included in the annual General

Appropriations Act as part of the budget of the Department of Social Welfare and

Development.

(b) The province, city or municipality concerned shall provide financial assistance for the

establishment of every barangay day care center within their respective locality.

(c) Barangay day care workers in accredited day care centers shall receive a monthly

allowance of not less than Five hundred pesos (P500.00) to be charged to the annual

appropriations of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

(d) In order to carry out the provisions of this Act, the amount needed for the program and

day care workers shall be appropriated in the General Appropriations Act of the year

following its enactment into law.

(e) A portion of health programs available to the Philippines under official aid or official

debt arrangements from foreign countries, the amount to be determined by the Office of the

President, shall be extended in support of the day care centers.

Sec. 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, rules and regulations, and executive orders

contrary to or inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect upon its approval and completion of its

publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. Approved:

November 23, 1990.

Background on Childcare Services

 26

In the Philippines, childcare services for children ages 0-4 are overseen by the

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which receives technical

assistance and resources from the ECCD Council. In 1977, a presidential decree required

each barangay7 to establish at least one childcare center in its area of jurisdiction. This

resulted in the expansion of childcare centers in the country.8 However, in 2011, 34 years

after this decree, 4,570 of 42,026 barangays did not have their own childcare center.

Although there were 51,797 centers in the Philippines at that time, a State-of-the-Art Review

of Day Care Services revealed that center-based childcare services only reached about 20

percent of the target population. This finding highlighted the need for more than one

childcare center per barangay to guarantee widespread access to services for all children

from 0-4.9,10 In addition to expanded access, there is a critical need to improve the quality

of childcare services. While centers were originally established to support working families,

they have evolved to increasingly provide more support in early learning. A 2009 survey of

childcare workers found that 64 percent of respondents desired additional training on topics

such as the principles of child development, planning/designing a curriculum, developmental

stages of children, creating profiles of children, and rights of children.11 In 2015, the

national government issued formal guidelines and requirements for public child development

centers and set conditions for granting licenses to private ones. In addition, a joint flagship

project of the ECCD Council and select LGUs led to the creation of 200 National Child

Development Centers (NCDCs), also referred to as bulilit centers, located in select

municipalities across 70 of the country’s 81 provinces. NCDCs serve as model centers which

introduce best practices in the community for supporting children ages 0-4, serve as a

laboratory for conducting research that will promote the continuing education and/or
 27

professionalization of ECCD service providers, and act as a resource center for caregivers

and the community at large.12 In determining where to open NCDCs, the leadership and

management capacity of the local government are considered, and efforts are made to

establish centers in high need areas, cities, and municipalities. While the Council provides

funds for construction and teaching materials, the LGUs are responsible for providing the

land for centers, supporting teacher salaries, and overall management. An LGU’s ability to

provide this support is, therefore, a consideration in determining where to open an NCDC.

There are currently 536 bulilit centers in the country, with another 119 in various stages of

development.13 The establishment of these centers reflects an important effort to improve

the quality of childcare services; however, they occupy a small proportion of the overall

landscape of childcare service provision.

Policy Challenges

Growing attention has been paid in the Philippines to transforming childcare

centers into high-quality early learning environments. However, owing to the decentralized

nature of service provision, local governments have varying financial and technical capacity

to support frontline workers delivering childcare services. This leads to diverse profiles and

arrangements for personnel and variable program quality. For example, childcare personnel

are often not offered adequate pay or training, which inhibits their effectiveness in day to

day work with young children. This lack of support is further compounded by job instability

arising from inadequate protection from political cycles, as discussed below.

Policy Responses
 28

Government officials and civil society organizations have worked at the local and

national levels to introduce training initiatives to enhance the knowledge and skills of the

childcare workforce. The ECCD Council, along with NGOs, such as Save the Children, have

partnered with local governments to increase access to training and support for personnel.

These initiatives have been complemented by other advocacy activities that have led to new

local and national policies, which provide protection for personnel from dismissal. The

following sections provide an overview of this workforce, its challenges, and the approaches

that have been introduced to increase their knowledge and skills, as well as job stability.

The Childcare Workforce in the Philippines

In 2015, the ECCD Council Governing Board approved a decree that established

and defined the roles and qualifications for staff members who work in Day Care or Child

Development Centers. The two main roles in the childcare workforce are Child Development

Teachers (CDTs) and Child Development Workers (CDWs). While their required

qualifications and responsibilities (outlined in Table 1) are similar, CDTs are required to

have completed schooling in Early Childhood Education or Elementary Education. Despite

the presence of these guidelines, there is limited oversight of the CDT and CDW hiring

processes at the local level (e.g. Child Development Workers are typically high school

graduates).14 Unlike public kindergarten teachers whose work is overseen by the

Department of Education, CDTs and CDWs do not typically hold licenses, which would

allow a pathway to professional status.

Table 1: Qualification Requirements for Child Development Teachers and Workers

Requirements Child Development Teacher15 Development Worker

 29

Child
Education Bachelor’s Degree in Bachelor’s Degree in any
Childhood Education or
Elementary Education field
preferably with
Specialization on Early
Childhood or any degree
related to Education, such as
Psychology, Child Study,
Family Life and Child
Development.
Training Requirements • Attend basic trainings or Same as Child Development
seminars related to Early Teacher
Childhood Care and
Development (ECCD) or
Early Childhood Education
(ECE)
Other • Skills on community Same as Child Development
mobilization and effective Teacher
oral communication, and
preferably computer
literacy;
• Experience working with
children; demonstrated love
for children; and
• A Barangay
Certificate/National Bureau
of Investigation (NBI)
Clearance with three (3)
Character References.
Responsibilities To implement the programs Same as Child Development
and projects for the Teacher
integrated services of health,
nutrition, early learning and
social services for children,
0 to 4 years old enrolled in
Child Development Centers;
• To conduct training on
Family Support Program to
parents in the community;
• To provide assistance in
terms of training other
CDTs, CDWs, and other
service providers in the
 30

implementation of the
different ECCD programs
upon request by the City/
Municipal Social Welfare
Development Officers;
• To assist City/Municipal
Social Welfare Development
Officers in his/her work
related to ECCD.
As a result of their higher qualifications, CDTs are able to work in National Child

Development Centers (NCDCs) while CDWs are not. While CDTs are viewed as full-time

employees, CDWs have recently begun transitioning from volunteer positions to paid roles

within local governments. This transition depends on the availability of funds from LGUs

and the number of open positions to support additional permanent staff members16

Regarding compensation, LGUs are still responsible for appointing and remunerating both

CDWs and CDTs.17

While a beginning CDT working in the public sector was scheduled to be paid 20,179

pesos (about US $390) per month in 2018,18 the actual amount received varies based on the

local government’s monthly salary schedules and is often much lower. Although the 2015

Standards and Guidelines outline that CDWs should have the same salary as CDTs,19

CDWs are often offered an honorarium from local barangays instead, especially when they

are not permanently employed. This honorarium can be as low as 800 pesos per month

(US$15) and as high as 8,000 pesos per month (US$150) depending on the city (some

wealthier cities may have the ability to make CDWs full-time employees and/or to allow

CDWs bonuses throughout the year).20 Supervision of these workers is provided by

Municipal Social Welfare Development Officers or City Social Welfare Development

Officers.21 These supervisors are responsible for monitoring centers, assessing training
 31

needs among service providers, and liaising with mayors to advocate for ECCD programs

and additional training needs.22

Introduction: ECCD Context and Policy Developments in the Philippines

The Philippines is home to 17 million children ages 0-6, less than half of whom

are enrolled in childcare, kindergarten, or grade 1.2 To improve early childhood

development services, the Government passed the Early Childhood Care and

Development (ECCD) Act in 2000, which formally recognized the need for an ECCD

system.3 The creation of the Early Childhood Care and Development Council (ECCD

Council) in 2009 marked an important milestone toward promoting the wellbeing of

young children under the ECCD Act and to ensuring that the objectives of the National

ECCD System are achieved.4,5 In 2013, the Early Years Act6 called for the

establishment of an ECCD system that covers comprehensive health, nutrition, early

education, and social services for children between the ages of 0-8, with children ages 0-4

falling under the auspices of the ECCD Council, and children ages 5-8 under the

Department of Education. The Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare

and Development, Department of Health, National Nutrition Council, and Union of Local

Authorities are represented within the ECCD Council and are encouraged to provide

financial and technical support toward the implementation of the National ECCD System.

Local Government Units (LGUs) are expected to oversee public programs in their

respective areas and implement all related services.

Legislation concerning ECCE: The Early Childhood Care and Development

(ECCD) Law which was enacted in 2000, recognizes the importance of early childhood
 32

and its special needs, affirms parents as primary caregivers and the child's first teachers,

and establishes parent effectiveness, seminars and nutrition counseling for pregnant and

lactating mothers. The Law requires the establishment of a National Coordinating

Council for the Welfare of Children which: (a) establishes guidelines, standards, and

culturally relevant practices for ECCD programs; (b) develops a national system for the

recruitment, training, and accrediting of caregivers; (c) monitors the delivery of ECCD

services and the impact on beneficiaries; (d) provides additional resources to poor and

disadvantaged communities in order to increase the supply of ECCD programs; and (e)

encourages the development of private sector initiatives. The Republic Act 6972, the

“Barangay (village) Level Total Protection of Children Act”, has a provision that requires

all local government units to establish a day-care centre in every village; the law

institutionalized the features of the day-care programme that provide for young children’s

learning needs aside from their health and psychosocial needs. Since the decentralization

of basic health and social services in 1990, the local government unit is directly

responsible for the management and operation of day-care centres. Pre-schools are

required to seek a permit to operate and register with the Department of Education.

DECS Order No. 107s, 1989, “Standards for the Operation of Pre-schools (Kindergarten

level)”, provides guidelines for the establishment of private pre-schools. The DepEd

requires the preparation of a feasibility study by prospective school administrators as an

initial step in applying for a permit to operate a pre-school programme. 3.2. Official

body/bodies in charge of supervision or coordination: Ät the national level, the

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is the agency responsible for

overall policy and programme development, setting and promoting guidelines and
 33

standards, providing technical assistance to the local government units through the

regional field offices, monitoring and evaluation. With the passage of the ECCD Act in

2000, the day-care programme, as well as home-based ECCD programmes for the under-

6 age group, while still a responsibility of the DSWD, will now be accredited by the

ECCD Coordinating Councils at the Provincial Level. The DSWD is usually considered a

leading member of this inter-agency committee but the Head of the School Division and

the Head of the Provincial Health Office are also members. The difference is that

standards and mechanisms for accreditation will be those that are developed in

collaboration with other agencies. It will surely build on the previous set of standards

already being used by the DSWD but it should now reflect the multidisciplinary nature of

ECCD. 3.3. Other entities involved in the provision (e.g. municipalities, local

governments) and main types of providers (e.g. public, private, mixed, community-based,

etc.): There are four modalities through which ECCD services are delivered, i.e. through

day care centres, homes, pre-schools and health centres or clinics: Centre-based ECCD:

A network of public, private and NGO-managed centres carries out the day-care

programme. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) used to

undertake the establishment of public day care centres, but this programme was devolved

to the Local Government Units (LGUs) after the enactment of the 1991 Local

Government Code. Home-based ECCD: The local government units (LGUs) also

currently implement another devolved program of the DSWD, namely the Parent

Effectiveness Service (PES) Program that was initiated in 1978. This home-based

intervention in ECCD aims to help parents, surrogate parents, guardians and other care

givers to enhance their knowledge, skills and attitudes in parenting. In an effort to extend
 34

coverage, a PES-on-the-Air program entitled Pamilyang Pinoy sa Himpapawid

(Philippine Family on the Air) was launched in 1993. School-based ECCD: Most private

pre-schools are located in highly urbanised areas and cater mainly to the higher income

groups. Consequently, there are many entrants to Grade I who have no exposure to pre-

school education and therefore manifest significant adjustment and learning gaps. Clinic-

based ECCD: This is an integral part of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services,

which are made available primarily through a network of public and private hospitals,

private clinics, municipality-based main health centres (MHCs) and barangay Health

Stations (BHSs). The MHCs and BHSs are government facilities that are primarily

responsible for the delivery of basic health care services to communities especially in the

rural areas. A doctor and a public health nurse man the MHCs. On the other hand, the

BHSs are simple clinics staffed by a rural health midwife who is assisted by a barangay

health worker. The public day-care system is the largest provider of early childhood care

and education services for 3- to 4-year-olds. In terms of public ECCD services, the

village health centres are the main service delivery points for decentralized maternal and

child health services that complement the group experiences in day-care centres. These

include immunization and a programme for the integrated management of childhood

illness, both designed to improve prevention and treatment of common childhood

diseases. 3.4. Type of personnel involved: Pre-school teachers. The primary service

provider in the public day-care system is the day-care worker, most of whom are

recruited from within the local community, since one of the requirements is that they live

near the centre. 3.5. Type of staff training (requirements): The following qualifications

for day-care staff are prescribed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development:
 35

female; between 18 and 45 years of age; high school graduate; physically healthy–if she

has any disabilities, these should not pre-empt performance of tasks as a day-care worker;

must be of good moral character; preferably with prior work experience with pre-school

children; willing to undergo training and accept technical supervision from the DSWD;

must render full-time service for a minimum of two years. The Department of Education

prescribes the following qualifications and profile for teachers (Education Order 107s,

1989) in pre-schools: 1) a Bachelor of Science degree with specialization in Early

Childhood or Kindergarten Education, Family Life and Child Development or

Elementary Education with at least 18 units in ECCD; an allied non-education college

degree with at least 18 units of ECCD; 2) male or female, between the ages of 21-35; 3)

training, experience and interest in working with young children; and 4) certified

physically and emotionally fit 3.6. Recent national policies and reforms: The objectives

of the National ECCD programs include: • improvement of infant and child survival rates

through expanded child health programs; • enhanced roles of parents and caregivers

through parent effectiveness seminars and counseling; • enhanced cognitive, physical,

social and emotional development of young children through the establishment of

additional child care centers under the Department of Social Welfare; • a smooth

transition from at-home care to pre or primary schools through a two-month bridging

program for entrants to primary school; • creating a system for early intervention and

prevention of developmental problems and disabilities; • enhanced capabilities of

caregivers through training of child care staff; • improvement of the quality of public and

private ECCD programs through registration and accreditation of programs; • promotion

of the ECCD programs through the establishment of linkages between local government
 36

units, the Departments of Health, Education, and Social Welfare, and the appointment of

an early childhood development official in every city to coordinate and supervise all

these activities. With the passage of the ECCD Act in 2000, the DepEd is now working

on refining the programme frameworks and standards in collaboration with other member

agencies of the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC). Under the ECCD Act, the

CWC has been given the additional mandate to function as the National Coordinating

Council for ECCD. These frameworks and standards will be applied to the curriculum,

teacher and caregiver qualifications, physical environment, and services. Since the

passage of the ECCD Act, the national government has increased inter-agency, inter-

ministry and multi-sectoral coordination for policy development and overall management

of national ECCD programmes. Although there were also coordinating efforts and

mechanisms in the past, such as the Inter-Agency Committee for ECCD within the

UNICEF-assisted country programme, the passage of the ECCD Act compels the

government agencies to identify or revisit specific issues that require joint decision-

making. There has been a marked increase in programming and standard-setting activities

that are jointly undertaken by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the

Department of Education, and the Council for the Welfare of Children, along with their

partners in civil society and academe. The law removed certain unclear and arbitrary

distinctions between various ECCD programmes, while at the same time leaving

undisturbed the difference in emphasis between the “socialization” function of the day-

care programme and the “educational” function of the pre-school or kindergarten, with a

convenient separation of programme management responsibilities between the two

government agencies. The DepEd would be responsible for all kindergarten or pre-school
 37

programmes, while the DSWD would oversee day-care initiatives. In July 26, 2005,

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in her State of the Nation’s address declared that

“We need to start early and we need to maintain the highest educational standards. I ask

Congress to legislate an extra year of studies not by adding a fifth year of high school but

by standardizing what is taught in the Barangay Day Care Centers.” As a result of this

proclamation, the National Pre-School Education Program was conceived. The program

aims to ensure that all 5-year old children have access to quality pre-school education.

Specifically, it aims to expand access and coverage to all fiveyear old children, initially

focusing on the poorest and disadvantaged; and upgrading the quality of pre-school

education in order to ensure that children are school ready integrating health and nutrition

components (weighing, de-worming and supplemental feeding). The program aims to

reach all 5-year olds by using existing day care centers and opening new pre-school

classes in areas where there are no existing day care centers and public pre-school

classes.

Challenges Facing the Childcare Workforce

Decentralization leads to uneven training and working conditions for childcare

workers. Because local barangays fund and design their own trainings for CDTs and CDWs,

there is minimal standardization across the country. Additionally, due to limited resources,

the ECCD Council’s support is weighted toward NCDCs, which are only part of the

childcare landscape. In addition, as of 2018, no national policy supports the tenure, or hiring

and dismissal, of childcare personnel. This leaves the working conditions and job security of

the workforce under the jurisdiction of elected officials at the local level. Additionally,
 38

transportation costs associated with getting to university or training facilities, which may not

be covered through local budgets, may prohibit childcare personnel from pursuing new

development opportunities, especially for those living in rural areas. Furthermore, achieving

equitable pay for CDWs and CDTs is difficult, particularly in rural areas where local

authorities usually do not have the available funds to integrate all childcare personnel into a

formal employment system.

Limitations in local budgets constrain opportunities for providing personnel with

training and ongoing support. Spending guidelines at the barangay level, which restrict

personnel allocations to 45 percent of budgets, limit investment in training and worker

formalization. The scale of training needed to support this workforce is massive;

however, to date, the ECCD Council has only trained 475 CDTs and 419 CDWs despite

the presence of 49,000 child development workers in the system. While civil society

organizations complement training offered by the ECCD Council, such offerings are

limited to specific geographical areas.

Changes in leadership lead to workforce turnover, as childcare personnel are not

excluded from the impacts of political changes. Particularly if local governments do not

view ECCD programs as a priority, the election of new barangay mayors can lead to

changes in childcare personnel. While the ECCD Council management team visits these

newly elected mayors to brief them on ECCD programs and training initiatives,

politically motivated hiring is common. Frequent turnover thus undermines investment in

training programs for the childcare workforce and the stability of childcare services.
 39

A Promising Approach: Advancing Training and Professional Development

Priorities and Personnel Protection

As of 2018, the ECCD Council as well as various NGOs (including Save the

Children), have initiated training programs for both CDTs and CDWs. While these

programs have been beneficial, they have yet to be implemented at scale. Furthermore,

even with standardized, effective training, the sustainability of efforts remains threatened

in the face of limited employment protection policies for ECCD personnel. In response,

government officials at the national and local levels along with NGO partners have come

to understand the need to simultaneously support two areas: (a) professionalization of the

workforce through training opportunities and (b) initiatives to improve working

conditions and rates of retention. While these initiatives have evolved separately, they

highlight the need for employing different approaches to supporting and strengthening

the early childhood workforce.

Onboarding

One key component of the ECCD Council’s efforts to better support childcare

personnel is through induction programs. ECCD Council representatives and trainers may

travel to local barangays to introduce the National Early Learning Framework (NELF)

and National Early Learning Curriculum (NELC) and discuss developmentally

appropriate services. However, sessions are dependent on the Council’s budget, and

typically local governments must fund the venue and materials while the Council

provides trainers for the sessions. Although CDTs and CDWs receive the same
 40

onboarding sessions, CDTs are more likely to participate in such sessions since they work

in NCDCs for which the Council is active in monitoring results.

In-Service Training and Supervision

The ECCD Council has initiated a number of training opportunities to support

childcare personnel. For example, the Early Childhood Teacher Education Program

(ECTEP) is a six-week training program that provides CDTs with 18 units of Early

Childhood Education, as well as experience employing newly learned strategies through a

practicum in a Child Development Center. Between 2014 and 2017, 322 CDTs were

trained under this initiative.29 Similarly, the Early Childhood Education Program (ECEP)

offers CDWs an opportunity to gain technical knowledge and skills for implementing

ECCD programs. Through lectures, workshops, and center visits, workers are encouraged

to learn how to bridge their newly acquired knowledge with their teaching practice.30

Although CDWs do not work in NCDCs, they may be recommended by the Mayor to

attend Early Childhood Teacher Education Programs (ECTEP) run by teacher education

institutions. After CDWs have successfully completed six weeks of training and 18 units

of coursework in ECCD, they become CDTs. 31The ECCD Council also partners with

state universities to offer training for supervisors through which they earn 12 units of

credit geared toward their leadership and managerial skills.

Creating Policies and Action Plans to Improve Retention of Childcare Personnel

Given the decentralized nature of childcare services, efforts to address issues in

retention have taken different forms. They have largely focused on instituting ordinances

which explicitly provide guidelines on hiring, compensation, and dismissal of workers.

 41

The following are examples of approaches which have been taken across different cities

and municipalities in the country.

Best Practices

Navotas City

To address challenges in retaining trained childcare personnel, cities have

developed and begun to incorporate policies and guidelines to improve the status of these

workers. For example, Navotas City, which has gradually expanded the number of

childcare centers in its municipality, has promoted 18 of 20 childcare workers to regular

employees (the remaining two workers were not promoted due to lack of qualifications).

The establishment of a city ordinance has enabled these 18 workers to receive regular

compensation and benefits, which include a clothing allowance, a midyear bonus, and

overtime pay. Gains from the adoption of this ordinance and the subsequent promotion of

childcare workers have reduced parental fees (which contribute to personnel pay) and

increased the focus on addressing quality issues. Since workers no longer rely on parental

contributions, they can focus more on the quality of services and less on increasing the

number of students enrolled. In addition, the City has begun hiring permanent assistants

to support CDWs such that there are now two assistants per center. To ensure that gains

are sustained, the city established a Committee on Discipline, which handles dismissal of

childcare workers and has continued to work on instituting guidelines to clarify the

recipients, requirements and services offered by programs. Despite the initial success of

the guidelines, some challenges have been encountered including inconsistent barangay

support, and issues around contracting.32 Undergirding these changes has been an
 42

increasing budget for ECD programs in Navotas City, which was partly facilitated by a

greater availability of information on the existing capacity of childcare personnel as well

as the potential benefits of additional support.

Mayorga Municipality

Since political turnover can have an impact on the status of childcare workers, in

2012 the Municipality of Mayorga instituted an ordinance, which provides guidelines for

the hiring and dismissal of childcare workers, and established a Day Care Workers

Board. The ordinance specifies that workers, among other requirements, must reside in

the barangay in which they hope to serve, be willing to undergo training and

accreditation, and be able to serve for a minimum of two years. Similarly, the ordinance

outlines grounds for termination, which include excessive absenteeism. Termination

proceedings. It is comprised of several members including the Mayor, Social Welfare and

Development Officer, and President of the Day Care Workers Association. For example,

to hire childcare workers, a barangay council must submit a list of prospective hires to the

Day Care Workers Board who will then evaluate and endorse certain candidates who can

then be hired by barangay councils. For dismissal, barangays are required to submit

reports and a rationale for dismissal, which are then investigated by the Board who makes

a final determination.

The Day Care Workers Board is envisioned to play a major role in enforcing these

guidelines in hiring and Additional efforts facilitated by civil society to advance worker

protection policies are detailed as follows:

 43

Partnership between Government and Civil Society to Advance Personnel

Protection In April 2016, Save the Children conducted a workshop focused on creating

ordinances at the local level to support the hiring, retention, and dismissal of childcare

workers. The goal of the “writeshop” was to enable local leaders to draft policies that

would lead to the professionalization of childcare workers and enable a better working

environment in order to prevent well-trained personnel from leaving their jobs. The

writeshop involved childcare and social workers, as well as representatives from LGUs of

six cities across the country, and officials from the Department of Interior and Local

Government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development. During the

writeshop, participants from different LGUs learned about efforts in different

cities/municipalities to support childcare personnel and were then assisted in drafting

policy statements which reflected the challenges encountered in their communities and

the actions they hoped could be taken to address them. The statements crafted by

participants reflected interest in institutionalizing ECCD programs, professionalizing

service providers, and revising existing ordinances to establish security of tenure and

benefits for service providers. Participants also developed action plans for

operationalizing these policy statements. Plans prioritized activities such as conducting

dialogue with various government officials, reviewing existing ordinances and laws,

identifying ECCD champions, and planning and budgeting for implementation of future

ordinances. Save the Children staff also committed to support LGUs in achieving goals

set out in their action plans through, for example, helping to identify champions and

providing additional support in understanding ECCD policies and ordinances. The

writeshop was successful in sparking interest and providing guidance around developing
 44

policies to improve retention of the early childhood workforce. However, there were

some challenges in sustaining momentum in some LGUs after the writeshop. For

example, when key decision-makers were not the ones present, it was difficult to get buy-

in on the language of policies later on. Additionally, given the number of priorities and

services for which officials in LGUs are responsible, it is important to provide follow-up

support to ensure that the beneficial effects of the writeshop are sustained. Sources: Save

the Children. 2016. “Report on Policy Writeshop on Hiring, Retention, and Dismissal of

Day Care Workers.” Key Informant Interview with Expert 2. (4.5.18).

National-Level Initiatives

There have also been efforts to introduce policies at the national level. For

example, in 2017, the House of Representatives passed a set of worker guidelines known

as the “Magna Carta” for day care workers, which is going through review and has not

yet been approved by the Senate. This Magna Carta calls for the creation of official

government positions for childcare workers, entitling them to a salary and additional

compensation, such 7 The Philipp ines Country Brief as overtime pay, as well as benefits

such as participation in the Government Insurance Scheme. The bill also mandates that

the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) provide continuing

education and skills training and knowledge enhancement programs for childcare

workers. 34 While a national policy would not eliminate the responsibility of local

governments for financing pay for childcare workers, the Magna Carta would include

some provisions for subsidies from the national government for smaller municipalities.

Reflections on Implementation: Enablers and Barriers

 45

The following section reflects on the enabling environment in the Philippines for

improving the quality of the childcare workforce. It highlights factors that have facilitated

the introduction of training and job protection policies as well as those that have created

barriers to implementation.

Enabling Conditions

Parallel efforts at local and national levels: Neither local nor national government

entities have the resources or authority to address the challenges facing the childcare

workforce alone, although they can effect change by partnering and working on parallel

efforts. For example, national-level stakeholders like the ECCD Council have provided

technical expertise and some funding for training initiatives in response to requests from

local governments, which in turn have provided their own resources. In the case of job

protection policies, there are instances of local governments successfully implementing

ordinances, while a debate occurs on the national stage that could lead to the adoption of

a national policy to reinforce and enhance local policies.

Strong civil society partners: Civil society organizations like Save the Children

have been important partners in providing technical support and promoting lesson sharing

around the workforce. This has been helpful in disseminating locally-developed

approaches to different areas of the country.

Noteworthy practices

1. Community-Based Approach to Reduce Malnutrition (by Save the Children) Noteworthy

aspects: Positive Deviance/Hearth (PD/Hearth) approach addresses malnutrition of children

under two years old holistically in a 12-day nutrition program involving mothers. Program
 46

strengthens family practices in childcare, hygiene, feeding practices, health-seeking behavior

and food security. Achievements: This approach has successfully rehabilitated malnourished

children by engaging communities to improve the nutrition and health of young children.

(UNESCO. (2017).

2. Healthy Start Home-Visiting Program (by Consuelo Foundation) Noteworthy aspects:

Partnership with the ECCD Council, Local Government Units, and local NGOs to provide

support to pregnant women and families with newborns in highly diverse settings through

intensive, community-based, homevisiting program. Achievements: Benefitted 444 families

across 14 sites in the Philippines and resulted in positive parenting behaviors and decreased

environmental risks. (UNESCO. (2017).

3. Early childhood teacher education program (ECTEP) Noteworthy aspects: Initiative

of the ECCD Council in the systematic professionalization of the ECCD service providers

through 6 weeks of intensive training classes. Successful completion of 6 course of study

will result in acquisition of 18 academic units as requisites for the Certificate Program on

Early Childhood Education (ECE). Achievements: Between 2014-2015, 214 teachers across

cities and municipalities in the Philippines benefitted from the program with increased

capacities in appropriate teaching strategies. (UNESCO. (2017).

Barriers to Implementation

Low status of childcare workers. Since community members do not often perceive

childcare workers as skilled, it can be difficult to introduce efforts that increase support

for these personnel. Although the introduction of the role of CDT has assisted
 47

professionalization efforts, there are some who believe that it has created disparities in

working conditions of the two main categories of workers.

Lack of active participation from key decision makers: Experience with policy

writeshops in the Philippines suggests that the most progress can be made when key

decision makers are at the table during the policy drafting process to weigh-in on the

language and content in real time. In some instances, these individuals were not present

which stalled momentum once the writeshop was complete. Active involvement from key

decision makers may spur heightened interest and thus, lead to faster, more tangible

action regarding protections for personnel. Representatives from government entities that

oversee LGUs, such as the Department of Interior, should also be present, as they ensure

the laws and mandates that local governments need to follow.

Budgetary constraints: Local governments are generally responsible for financing

pay and training for childcare workers though they often do not have adequate resources

for this support. The ECCD Council has limited resources as well, which means that their

support can only be provided to select areas, including those with the ability to take on

certain costs.

Policy Lessons

As policymakers look to introduce training and policies to provide job protection

for the early childhood workforce, the following are lessons to consider from the

Philippines’ experience.

Sensitize locally elected officials to the importance of ECD and the critical role of

childcare workers. Members of the ECCD Council in the Philippines have sought to raise
 48

awareness among locally elected officials on the importance of ECD in order to prevent

worker turnover and changing support for childcare programs. Creating champions at the

local level may help to ensure that ECD remains a priority over time, and assist in

facilitating relationships between local and national governments, as well as NGOs, in

order to garner support for trainings and other activities that aim to strengthen the

workforce.36

Impacts of training and professional development efforts cannot be sustained if they are

not also paired with efforts to improve the working conditions of personnel. In the

Philippines, both government officials and civil society representatives have recognized

the importance of protecting their investments in workforce development. In order to

ensure the benefits of training are sustained in the long-term and safeguarded against

turnover in leadership, it is important to also introduce policies which address the poor

working conditions and job security that members of the early childhood workforce face.

Formalizing childcare personnel roles is important for quality and equity though it

can be challenging to ensure enough resources for both pay and ongoing support. In the

Philippines, Child Development Workers have recently transitioned from volunteer

positions to paid roles within local governments. While this has been beneficial for

improving the status of these workers, there are still challenges related to providing both

types of existing childcare personnel with training and ongoing support given the scale of

resources needed. Financial and technical support from the central level and non-

governmental partners can help in addressing gaps.

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Administrative Order No. 29 Series 2004 mandates The Department of Social

Welfare and Development (DSW D), in prioritizing its commitment to the human

development concerns of children as a response to the country’s ratification on the

Convention on the Rights of the Child in July 26, 1990, recognizes the significant role of

the Day Care Center and other Early Childhood Education—Early Childhood Care and

Development (ECE -ECCD) program s in the development of children’s well being. As

mandated by law, the D SW D is responsible for regulating the quality of these program s

for children through various centers operated by local government units, nongovernment

organizations, people’s organizations, national government agencies, government-owned

and -controlled corporations and other private individuals. As more children are placed in

these ECE-ECCD centers, it is critical to ensure that their physical, intellectual, social and

emotional needs are met. Responsive, nurturing, stimulating, consistent care is vital and

can be provided only by a stable, w ell-trained staff in wellfunded settings. It is important

therefore that Day Care Centers, other ECE-ECCD centers and its Service Providers

undergo an accreditation process. The DSWD now sets forth these accreditation standards

and indicators to ensure effective and quality delivery of the Day Care Service and other

EC E-EC C D program s for children aged zero to 5.11 years through various centers and

its service providers. These standards focus on five art as that are deemed necessary in any

ECE-ECCD program. Specific, measurable and observable indicators are enumerated to

ensure that the standards for each area are met. The indicators are further divided into

three levels: Level 1— “Must” ; Level 2— “ Desired” ; and Level 3— “Exemplary” Level

1 contains the minimum quality indicators required of all ECE-ECCD program s.

Compliance to these Level 1 indicators corresponds to a O ne-Star Accreditation, which is

 50

the basic recognition of quality program . Indicators com prising Levels 2 and 3

{Appendix I and 2 respectively) allow program managers and service providers to further

improve the quality of their service. Compliance to these Levels corresponds to Two-

through Five-Star Accreditation.

Progress and Challenges in ECCD Governance

What is the current state of ECCD governance in the country since the passage of

the ECCD Act in 2000? This can be viewed by examining the developments within the

last ten years. Specifically, this highlights progress and challenges under the management

of the CWC/NECCDC (2000 to 2008) and under the present leadership of the ECCD

Council (2009 to the present). The data for this section were drawn from a review of

Annual Reports, the ECCD Midterm Review 9 and the ECCD Policy Review in the

Philippines 10 and other related documents. Under the CWC/NECCDCC: A key

achievement of the CWC/NECCDCC as the national coordinating body relates to the

establishment of the ECCD System in 79 of the 80 targeted provinces and all 28 targeted

highly-urbanized cities. While no targets were set for municipalities and barangays, 638

(42.67%) municipalities and 4761 (11.33%) barangays were covered (CWC, 2008). These

were accomplished using the ECCD process shown in Figure 4 (CWC, 2006) facilitated

by an inter-agency Technical Working Group of the Regional Committee for the Welfare

of Children and the Provincial Council for the Welfare of Children/ECCD Coordinating

Committee, respectively with technical support from the CWC/NECCDCC Secretariat.

While all these can be attributed to the collaborative partnership between and among the

coordinating mechanisms at the national, sub-regional and local levels, the involvement of
 51

the Local Chief Executives (governors, mayors, barangay chairpersons) and the local

ECCD Coordinating Committees at the provincial, municipal, city and barangay levels

played a critical role. The Sanggunian (Local Legislative Body) of the province, city,

municipality, barangay is a key stakeholder in ECCD; it approves ordinances, passes

resolutions and appropriates funds to support ECCD implementation. The

CWC/NECCDCC and the concerned Local Government Units (LGUs i.e. province/city/

municipality) co-f unded the ECCD programs/ projects/activities (P/P/A) that were

implemented. The program boosted and further increased availability of already existing

local health and nutrition services for 0 to 6 children. It also rehabilitated and improved

day care facilities and health centers. These P/P/As also covered parenting and family

support, strengthening capacity of service providers (such as day care workers, pre-school

teachers, Grade 1 teachers, social workers, doctors, nurses, midwives) and capability of

implementing structures, data banking for ECCD and monitoring and evaluation. The

creation of the ECCD Council in early 2009 brought significant changes in affected ECCD

operations under the management of the CWC/NECCDCC. Under the ECCD Council:

Through the leadership of Chairperson Teresa Aquino Oreta, the Council defined its two-

pronged thrust – strengthening center-based ECCD and modeling/scaling up homebased

ECCD to increase access of quality ECCD to children 0 to 6. In line with these thrusts and

in keeping with its function of policy development and standards setting, the Council has

made remarkable progress since it started operations in early 2009. As reflected in the

ECCD Council Accomplishment Report for January 2009 – June 2010, achievements

include: (1) Pilot testing of the 6-week summer ECE program for children entering Grade

1 with no prior ECE experience in the National Capital Region cum tracking the
 52

performance of these children in Grade 1. The results compared favorably with other

children who underwent regular ECE programs in day care centers and pre-schools; the

DepED recognized the importance of the pilot program by implementing its own 6-week

summer preschool program nationwide in April to May 2010; (2) State-of-the-Art Review

of Day Care Service in the Philippines: A Survey Research11 , the first-ever

comprehensive review of day care service since its inception in 1964 done in partnership

with the DSWD and LGUs. (3) HomeBased ECCD Demonstration Project12 was

conducted to test its viability of the program as a parallel program to center-based ECCD

in order to increase access to ECCD services for children 0 to 6; (4) Development of a

National Early Learning Framework; (5) Three-year Tracking of the Performance of

Children enrolled in DepEd’s 6-week Summer Pre-school Program starting SY 2010-2011

to SY 2012-2013 in partnership with DepED; (6) Development of the ECCD Management

Information System and National ECCD Resources Database; and (7) Formulation of the

ECCD Strategic Plan for 2011-2016. As cited earlier, the two policy issuances of 2009

resulted in the creation of the ECCD Council as the lead agency for early childhood in the

country. This policy change affected the ECCD mechanisms and structures at the sub-

regional and local levels that were established under the CWC/NECCDCC. For instance,

the 17 regional ECCD Coordinating Committees were abolished. This also had

concomitant effects at the local levels. A major challenge for the ECCD Council relates to

its stability as an organization. Compared with the CWC/NECCDCC the Council to date

has no approved organizational structure; nor its budget included in the General

Appropriation Act of the government; it continues to operate using the balance of funds

provided under the ECCD Act and nominally supported administratively by the Office of
 53

the President. In August 2010, the Office of the President referred to the Secretaries of

national government agencies who are members of CWC for comment and

recommendation on the proposed Executive Order transferring the National Early

Childhood Care and Development Council (NECCDCC) to the Council for the Welfare of

Children (CWC) under the DSWD as its attached agency. Reasons cited for the proposed

transfer are two-fold: the creation of two (2) separate entities to attend to the concerns of 0

to 6 years old and that of 7 to below 18 years old does not promote a multisectoral

approach in addressing the varied and complex issues confronting the children sector

which is contrary to the aims of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; and that

one of the top priorities of the present administration is the streamlining of attached

agencies under the Office of the President. Nevertheless, in August 2010, the Executive

Director of the ECCD Council was appointed by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III; a

new Chairperson has yet to be appointed. Given this organizational challenge, the ECCD

Council under the leadership of Chair Teresa Aquino Oreta, a leader with a vision, passion

and commitment for ECCD, has proactively pursued making the ECCD as an integral

component of the country’s national development agenda. The passage of the ECCD Act

is a significant step towards achieving the ideal mechanism for ECCD in the country.

However, as reported in the ECCD MTR (CWC, 2008) and ECCD Policy Review (CWC,

2009) some structures that have been established at the local levels are not fully functional

as they should be. Moreover, not all local ECCD coordinating committees were optimized

as a mechanism for the integration of services with some members remaining sectorally

focused along their mandates. The ECCD MTR also underscored as the overall challenge

the effective and efficient delivery of integrated ECCD services to all 0 to 6 Filipino
 54

children in a systematic, coordinated, and sustained manner to ensure their rights to

survival, development and protection. In summary, the ECCD Act provides the legal

framework for an ideal inter-agency, multi-sectoral structural arrangement aimed at

ensuring sustained collaboration at the national and local levels. However, as the

foregoing discussion indicates, a good policy does not necessarily translate into its

effective execution. On the other hand, the valuable insights and lessons learnt from a

decade of implementing the national policy on ECCD provide an excellent starting point

to further enhance early childhood policy development and implementation. A summary

of the gains and challenges in governance of early childhood in the country is presented in

a Table 1 to show that for every gain there is/are corresponding challenges that need to be

addressed. These are interrelated themes that continue to confront ECCD governance since

the enactment of the ECCD Act 10 years ago. The implementation of the ECCD Act has

shown some headway. In general, both the ECCD Mid-Term Review and the ECCD

Policy Review in the Philippines conclude that the major challenge in implementing the

ECCD Act relates to cross-sectoral coordination, that would ensure a comprehensive,

integrative and sustainable ECCD services aimed at improving the quality of life of

Filipino children 0 to 6.

Table of Summary of the Gains and Challenges

Gains Challenges
Policy Environment
A remarkable policy framework – the ECCD Enforcement still weak
Act • Lack of political commitment
of 2000 is comprehensive, integrative, and • Integration and convergence are concepts
holistic not yet internalized at all levels
 55

in approach and has integrated funds to • Inadequate financing

support
implementation of the policy
• Positive enabling policy environment with a
number of laws in place related to ECCD
• Resolutions and/or ordinances issued by
local
legislative bodies in support of ECCD
ECCD Governance Structures / Mechanisms
Presence of multi-sectoral and inter-agency Implementing a coherent cross-sectoral
coordination mechanisms at national and local coordination
levels a key challenge
• Existence of lead agency for ECCD • Functionality of local structures
• Roles for national agencies, local • Organizational stability of the ECCD
government Council/
units, etc. clearly spelled out in the ECCD Act issue of “attachment” or “transfer”
• Clarity of the concept of integration and
convergence

ECCD in a Devolved/Decentralized Set up

Positive efforts of local government units in Linkage of local plans
integrating ECCD in local development plans • Financing issue
in keeping with the Local Government Code • Uneven policy implementation, access and
of 1991 • Sense of ownership of the ECCD quality
program by the LGU of ECCD services
• Greater accountability from the Local Chief • Can lead to fragmentation of
Executives (governors, mayors, barangay resources/service
chairpersons) and the local legislative delivery Ownership of LGUs in a devolved
councils at the provincial, municipal, city, and set up
barangay levels. of national government commitments
• Issue of subsidiarity
• National government oversight and
regulations
Related Studies

Vicente C. Reyes, Jr. (1996), in his study regarding An Implementation Analysis of the

Day Care Law in the National Capital Region states that there is one constant and four main

variables. The constant is represented as the policy. The four variables are: (1) output, (2)

environment, (3) organization, and (4) process. These are the components of the implementation

continuum. Policy is represented as the goals and objectives of the government or any institution
 56

aspiring for change. RA 6972 as a policy is a uniform directive that has been disseminated to all

the implementing agencies. Outputs are changes in the conditions and welfare of certain sectors

of society after the implementation of a deliberate government intervention. Outputs can be

simplified to mean benefits enjoyed by the recipients of a service. The outputs can either be

distributive, proximate or final (Williams, 1980:3). The main indicator of the output variable in

the study is attendance. This indicator is defined as the number of children regularly attending

the activities of a day care center per barangay. One way of looking at the attendance levels in

day care centers is to see them as actual clients served given an entire market of potential clients.

The Barangay Day Care Ratio (BDCR), an example of a distributive output, is defined as the

percentage of barangays with day care centers over the total number of barangays in a

city/municipality. The BDCR – or the edict that declares that each barangay should have at least

one day care center – is a major requirement of the Day Care Law.

COVID-19 in the Philippines and School and Daycare Classes

Haligi ng Bata, Inc., (2020), reports that COVID-19 has also affected the Philippine education

sector, with the opening of school classes moved from the usual June schedule to October 5,

2020. Apart from the delay in class opening, the country has shifted to a blended mode of

learning after the government prohibited face-to-face classroom sessions to stop the spread of

the virus. Now, all students are essentially distance learners who use online and modular

course work in continuing their schooling and education at home.

Public Daycare Centers in the country have all been closed to traditional learning, with learners

staying at home and delaying their early childhood schooling. According to the teachers of our

project's daycare centers, they are urging parents to teach their children how to read, write, and
 57

count by borrowing some of the books, tooks, and educational materials provided earlier by the

Daycare Improvement Project and its donors. For now, the daycare teachers are pitching in to

help their respective community's public health center which continue to provide medical and

health support to all community residents regardless if they are positive or negative for

COVID-19.

Public Community Health Center Support Programs made possible by the Daycare

Improvement Project with daycare learners safe in their homes, the Daycare Improvement

Project has shifted its support to help indigent community health centers cope with the

demands not only of fighting a pandemic but also of their daily duties to provide health

services to the communities' residents. Through the project's exposure in the GlobalGiving

Platform, HBI received donations from Vitamin Angels in the form of Vitamin A Supplements

for children ages 6 months to 59 months. A total of 14 indigent community health centers,

including the health centers serving the communities where our daycare centers are located,

have received this support for approximately 1,200 children. 

Chapter III

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

This chapter discusses the research design, research setting, respondents,

sampling design, and instrument, validation of instrument, data gathering and statistical

tools to be used in the study.

Research Design
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The research design will utilize interview where a protocol will be established for

purpose of similar questions that will help in the data gathering and analysis procedure. It

will be taped-recorded per permission of the respondents and will be treated using

thematic analysis.

Research Setting

This research will be conducted in Island District of Isabela City Schools Division

utilizing eight (8) Day Care Teachers and one (1) Day Care Supervisor as respondents of

the study. There are eight (8) Barangay Day Care Centers included in the study. (See

Figure 2 for the Island District Map)

The eight (8) Day Care Centers are situated in the respective barangays. Sta.

Barbara Day Care Center, Diki Day Care Center, Lukbuton Day Care Center, Tampalan

Day Care Center, Carbon Day Care Center, Marang-Marang Day Care Center, Panigayan

Day Care Center, Lampinigan Day Care Center.

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Figure 2. Map of Isabela City Schools Division Island District

Respondents

The primary respondents are eight (8) day care teachers of the eight Day Care

Centers and one (1) Day Care Program Supervisor located in Island District Isabela City

Schools Division with a total of nine (9) respondents. Table 1 shows the number of

respondents.

Table 1
 60

Name of Schools and Total Number of Respondents

Number of Teacher-
Name of Day Care Center respondents

Sta. Barbara Day Care Center 1

Tampalan Day Care Center 1

Carbon Day Care Center 1

Diki Day Care Center 1

Marang-Marang Day Care Center 1

Lampinigan Day Care Center 1

Lukbuton Day Care Center 1

Panigayan Day Care Center 1

Day Care Program Supervisor 1

Total: 9

Sampling Technique

The eight (8) Day Care Teachers (total enumeration) and one (1) day care

Supervisor will be invited to answer thorough interview. Interview questions regarding

the day care program implementation in their respective Day Care Centers featuring the

important implementation factors will be asked.

Research Instrument and Its Validity

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The day care teachers will answer through interview several thematic questions

where Part I-A consists of personal information about their age, sex, civil status,

educational background, and monthly honorarium received. Part II will be the interview

proper following a script.

The researcher-made interview questions will be presented to a committee of

Selected District, Division and Day Care Supervisors who are experts in this field of

study. These group of validators will look into the Day Care Program implementation

factors.

Data Gathering Procedures

Courtesy call to the eight (8) barangay chairpersons and head of the City Social

Welfare and Development to inform regarding this research study. The same procedure

will also be done with the Schools Division Superintendent and Island District

Supervisor.

An invitation letter will be given to the eight (8) Day Care teachers and one (1)

Day Care Supervisor. The invitation letter contains the date, venue and purpose of the

interview meeting. During the individual meeting, the researcher will asked questions and

do the tape-recording as per permission from the respondents concerned. After the said

interview, the data gathered will be analysed based on the themes and on the handwritten

answers and tape-recorded answers coming from the respondents.

Since this is a qualitative research, no statistical tool will be needed to treat the

data gathered. But, the presentation will be shown using table forms according to themes.
62