Section 2Sec./Art. 2

Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to safeguard and promote the right of every child to holistic well-being, growth, and dedicated care, reorganizing the age-appropriate stages of development. The State commits to creating nurturing environments for children that ensure a healthy and sustainable program for nutrition, age-appropriate development, and special protection will full recognition of the nature of childhood, as well as the necessity to provide developmentally appropriate experiences to address their needs. The State shall also support parents and parent-substitutes in their roles as primary caregivers and as their children's first teachers. Further, the State hereby recognizes the age from zero (0) to eight (8) years as the first crucial stage of educational development.

Without limiting the primary right and duty of parents to rear their children, the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council shall be responsible for children below five (5) years of age, while the responsibility to help develop children in the formative years between age five (5) to eight (8) years shall be with the Department of Education (DepEd) consistent with Republic Act No. 10533 or the "Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013".

Towards this end, the State shall institutionalize an ECCD System, as defined in Section 4 of this Act, that is comprehensive, integrative, and sustainable, even during times of emergency, that involves multisectoral and interagency collaboration at the national and local levels in government; among the public and private sectors and non-government organizations (NGOs); and professional associations and academic institutions.

Pursuant to Republic Act No. 11650 or the "Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act", the ECCD System shall promote the inclusion of children with disabilities, where they shall be accorded the services stipulated under the law and provided with reasonable accommodation and accessible environments, and advocate respect for cultural and linguistic diversity.

The ECCD System shall be anchored on complementary strategies that include service delivery for children below five (5) years of age, educating and training parents and parent-substitutes on responsible caregiving, encouraging the active involvement of parents and communities in ECCD programs, and raising awareness about the important efforts that improve the quality of life for young children and families.