Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) System Act in the Philippines Report (2025)

Save the Children Philippines achieved a significant win with the passage of the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) System Act (Republic Act 12199) on May 8, 2025. This landmark legislation strengthens the government’s commitment to the holistic development of children under five years old, addressing the critical period of early childhood when brain development is most rapid.

Save the Children Philippines has been a longstanding partner of the ECCD Council and a leading civil society actor advancing system-wide reforms for children. In 2019, it co-launched the Nurturing Care Framework with the ECCD Council, laying out the foundation for an integrated approach to survival, learning, responsive caregiving, participation, and protection in the early years.