BALER, Aurora -- Senator Edgardo J. Angara yesterday outlined the implementation scheme for the proposed early education system in the Philippines.

Angara said the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) program would cost the government P500 million a year for the first five years and benefit some 17 million children aged 0-6.

“We are able to minimize the initial funding requirement because the basic infrastructure for the child development centers is already there. We will be using the existing daycare centers throughout the country, turning them into more education-oriented institutions,” he said.

Angara said this conversion of established daycare centers is necessary because ECCD entails more than just child-minding and child care. It includes the provision of health, nutrition, early education and social development services for the children.

“Right now, there are around 44,000 barangays while there are 49,000 registered daycare centers in the country. Ideally, this would mean at least one daycare center for each barangay, and more for the larger communities in rural areas,” he said.

Community training for home-based programs will also be provided, to arm parents with the information, skills and support systems needed as the primary caregivers and educators of their children.