First 5 years: The critical window
As an educator, I have spent years in classrooms, daycare centers, and community learning spaces, conversing with parents, teachers, daycare workers and other adults working with children. And if there is one truth that has stood out for me in these encounters, it’s that even before they reach the first grade, the story of many Filipino children has already been largely written.
Children do not succeed in school not because of innate abilities, but because of what happened—or did not happen—before they even set foot in a classroom. Early childhood care and development (ECCD) covers the years from birth to 5 years old. These years are most crucial for brain development: when language takes shape, when emotional habits are formed, and when curiosity, trust and social connections are built. Republic Act No. 10410 or the Early Years Act recognizes the importance of these early years. However, as someone who has worked with daycare centers and community programs, I can say that the law has yet to translate into the level of investment and implementation that Filipino children deserve.
In a typical daycare center, a daycare worker is responsible for 30 to 40 children with only a few, worn out books, old toys, and other outdated learning materials within grasp. These daycare workers are heroic in their work as they are underpaid, receive limited professional training, and expected to stretch limited resources to meet the needs of children who may arrive at the daycare center hungry, tired, or dealing with difficult circumstances at home. They also have no security of tenure and are in danger of losing their jobs when elections result in a new set of local government officials.
The story at home is just as dire. According to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom 2) Final Report (2026), access to learning resources at home is just as bad with only 48 percent of households with young children owning educational toys, and just 40 percent having children’s books. Books and toys are not supposed to be treated as luxuries; they are basic learning tools that develop a child’s imagination, language, and understanding of the world around them. For many families living in poverty, the absence of these materials at home means they miss out on opportunities to learn through play and storytelling long before they reach a daycare center or preschool.
Thus, quality public ECCD services become even more crucial. For a large number of Filipino children, these centers are the only places where they can encounter books, puzzles, blocks, and guided play that support their development. Their encounter with books in the daycare center could well be their first encounter with literature. Their time in the daycare centers could be the only time their minds are stimulated for learning and exploration during their early years.
The statistics from the Edcom 2’s final report paint a dismal picture for these precious ECCD years. Only 21 percent to 29 percent of children aged 3 to 4 are enrolled in early childhood programs; over 4,600 barangays lack a functional child development center, and only 14.2 percent of existing centers have been upgraded since 2013; and more than 200,000 malnourished children aged 2 to 4 are not served by the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Supplemental Feeding Program. These depressing figures embody the gaps in participation, infrastructure, and nutrition that have long plagued Filipino children.
The research is clear: the first five years of life are a critical window. Quality early learning experiences—rich language exposure, nurturing relationships, proper nutrition, and opportunities for play—help shape how children think, feel, and interact with the world. When these are absent, the gap does not simply disappear when a child starts school. Instead, teachers spend years trying to help children catch up. Governments spend decades trying to help children catch up.
So what can the Philippines do to correct this issue in equity and education? The interventions are surprisingly straightforward. There has to be continued and stable investments in ECCD to ensure better facilities and adequate learning materials. Investments also have to be made in professionalizing the ECCD workforce. Daycare workers and early childhood teachers have to be properly trained and receive compensation that reflects the complexity and importance of their work. We need stronger coordination among government agencies because ECCD is not just about education: it involves health, nutrition, and social protection. The Department of Education has to work with the Department of Health and DSWD, as well as local government units so that ECCD services are delivered in an integrated and seamless manner.
If we are serious about nation-building, we must begin where it truly begins: in the earliest years of life. Investing in our children is the best way to guarantee a stable and secure future for our country.
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Ani Rosa S. Almario, Ph.D., is a Filipino educator and publisher who serves as the vice president of Adarna House and the cofounder and director of The Raya School. She is the publications consultant of the Edcom 2 annual reports.
