EDCOM II: Education essential to national progress, survival

The final report of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), submitted to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., calls for urgent reforms in the country’s education system, describing them as essential to national progress and survival.

Titled “Turning Point: A Decade of Necessary Reform,” the report reflects three years of assessment since EDCOM II was established in January 2023 under Republic Act No. 11899. The commission conducted one of the most comprehensive national evaluations of Philippine education, drawing on the experiences of learners, families, teachers, and communities.

“Through its research-driven and consultative approach, EDCOM II demonstrated how Congress could use its oversight power not merely to question but to understand, not merely to monitor but to improve,” said EDCOM II Co-Chair and House Committee on Higher and Technical Education Chair Jude Acidre.

The report highlighted gaps in early nutrition and stunting, prompting reforms such as the proposed Anti-Stunting Action Plan (ASAP) Council Act of 2025. This initiative seeks a coordinated national roadmap for stunting reduction and prevention.

President Marcos reinforced this direction on 3 December 2024, when he ordered the alignment of nutrition programs under the Department of Budget and Management’s Program Convergence Budgeting (PCB) framework, requiring key agencies to plan and fund interventions in a strategic and complementary manner.

Funding for the First 1,000 Days initiative increased sharply, expanding both nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions nationwide. From ₱240 million in 2024, the budget rose nearly fivefold to ₱977 million in 2025, supporting comprehensive nutrition interventions in Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project sites.

Beyond nutrition, EDCOM II also focused on where early learning actually happens—within communities. Access to early childhood services expanded through increased investments in Child Development Centers (CDCs).

The 2025 national budget allocated ₱1 billion to establish 238 CDCs in low-income local government units nationwide, including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Additional funding for 2026 will support the conversion of existing day care centers to CDC standards, the hiring of Child Development Workers (CDWs), and the piloting of alternative delivery modes through the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council.

A major milestone was the passage of Republic Act No. 12199, or the ECCD System Act, in May 2025. The law included a provision to provide plantilla positions for all Child Development Workers and Teachers (CDTs), alongside funding for their professionalization and upskilling through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

TESDA has committed substantial investments to strengthen early childhood care and development services nationwide, allocating ₱240 million in scholarship funding for 9,796 incumbent Child Development Workers (CDWs) to attain NC III certification in ECCD Services.

An additional ₱80 million was earmarked under the 2025 General Appropriations Act, alongside ₱160 million from TESDA’s scholarship programs, ensuring sustained professional development support in the sector.

The ECCD System Act likewise strengthens support for lower-income local government units.

“As we look beyond EDCOM II, three courses of action must define the future of Philippine education: co-responsibility, collaboration, and community. These are not mere ideals; they are the foundation upon which the future of education must be built,” Acidre said.