Filipino children with disabilities have long faced unequal access to early childhood services.
With the signing of Republic Act 12199, or the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Systems Act, the government took a key step to close these gaps and support all children from the start, Save the Children Philippines said.
The landmark legislation affirms the state’s responsibility to ensure the holistic development of children from birth to age eight. It mandates the ECCD System, which covers health, nutrition, education, and social services, to uphold inclusive and equitable standards.
“Children with disabilities often face delayed identification due to gaps in screening, social stigma, or lack of awareness among parents and frontline workers. These missed opportunities during early childhood have life-long consequences. This law addresses those gaps head-on,” said Joy Sampang, Save the Children Philippines’ ECCD Technical Advisor.
Under the new law, children with disabilities must be accommodated through the most appropriate languages and means of communication. They are also entitled to learning and play environments that maximize both academic and social development.
This will be especially critical as Child Development Centers are established in every barangay across the country, Sampang said.
“We welcome the creation of Child Development Centers and ECCD offices across all provinces, cities, and municipalities. This opens the door to moving from separate, disconnected efforts toward an integrated, systems-focused ECCD model. We are offering our technical support to ensure that the provisions are effectively translated into action through the drafting of the Implementing Rules and Regulations,” said Sampang.