Palace allocates P700M for construction of child development centers

The Marcos administration has allotted P700 million for the construction of child development centers, with the aim of addressing the limited access of the public to these facilities.

At a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said it was found out that 229 low income class local government units have no child development centers.

''Nabanggit din na kakailanganin ng P700 million funding requirement para suportahan ang pagpapatayo ng CDC sa mga nasabing low income LGU. Upang mapabilis na matugunan ang pangangailangan para sa child development centers ng 229 identified low income LGUs, inutusan ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos ang Department of Budget and Management (DBM) na maglaan ng pondo para dito,'' Castro said. 

(It was mentioned that P700 million funding requirement was needed to support the construction of CDCs in low income LGUs. In order to hasten the establishment of child development centers, President Bongbong Marcos ordered the DBM to allot funds for this.)

She said the DBM has already approved the allotment of the P700 million for the construction of child service facilities. 

''Alinsunod sa direktiba ng Pangulo, inaprubahan ng DBM ang paglalaan ng 700 million pesos allocation mula sa fiscal year 2025 local government support fund upang mabigyan ang 229 low income LGUs ng kinakailangang pondo para mapabilis ang pagpapagawa ng basic child service facilities,'' she said. 

(In line with the President's directive, the DBM has approved the allocation of P700 million from the fiscal year 2025 local government support fund to provide the 229 low income LGUs with the needed funds to build basic child service facilities.) 

Castro said the DBM is already coordinating with the Department of Education, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Department of Health regarding the matter. 

Education Secretary Sonny Angara earlier said establishing CDCs is ''a low-hanging fruit in terms of expense and also a much-needed investment in the country’s education sector.''

Early childhood has been an aspiration of the country since 1978, but, according to data in EDCOM 2’s Year Two Report, 5,800 barangays still don’t have CDCs, the Presidential Communications Office said. — RF, GMA Integrated News