The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is moving to strengthen early childhood care by adding infant and toddler development programs to its official performance scorecards for local government units.

It announced that it is exploring plans to include the Infant and Toddler Early Development program as a scored indicator under the Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit.

The department also plans to integrate the program into the criteria for the prestigious Seal of Good Local Governance.

This initiative supports Republic Act 12199, which amended the Early Childhood Care and Development Systems Act (ECCD).

The law transferred the ECCD Council to the DILG, giving the department a more direct role in advancing early childhood initiatives nationwide.