Edcom 2 launches site on literacy, stunting
The Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom 2) has launched an online platform that aims to guide government and school officials in crafting policies on early childhood development.
Edcom 2’s Early Childhood Dashboard, launched on Saturday, discloses data on stunted children and struggling readers in the country—in particular, the number and percentage of stunted children aged 2 and below, based on the findings in the National Nutrition Council’s Operation Timbang Plus report in 2025.
Using data from the Community-Based Monitoring System of the Philippine Statistics Authority, the site also identifies specific barangays without a Child Development Center (CDC) or similar facilities providing early childhood education.
The data in the platform currently accounts for 25,869 barangays, 48,255 schools and 5,127,670 children assessed for reading.
It also maps the exact number and percentage of students in Grades 1 to 3 who are classified as “struggling readers” according to the results of the Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment held by the Department of Education at the end of school year 2025-2026.
‘Foundational issues’
In a statement, Edcom 2 said: “Recognizing that nutrition, early childhood care and literacy all shape the development of the same child, this comprehensive tool offers a common starting point for coordinated, localized action.”
According to the platform’s data, 4.3 percent of children across the country are stunted, while 11 percent of barangays have no CDC and 10 percent of students in Grades 1 to 3 are considered struggling readers as of the end of the previous school year.
Edcom 2 said this information is aimed at helping local government units (LGUs), school authorities and other stakeholders in addressing “foundational issues affecting Filipino children” and “guide localized interventions in early childhood development.”
“This platform embodies our belief that we must continue to strengthen transparency, because transparency enables collective action. And that information, when placed in the hands of people willing to act, can become a force for reform,” said Edcom 2 Executive Director Karol Mark Yee.
The platform also provides graphs comparing local data against national averages. This allows authorities to identify priority areas for intervention programs.
“This dashboard is not only a source of information. It gives LGUs, government agencies, civil society organizations, Church groups, companies, schools and universities a common starting point for coordinated action,” said Edcom 2 External Engagements Lead Jude Liao.
The platform can be accessed through the link https://edcom2.gov.ph/eccddashboard/
