Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _________ 
 Introduced by Hon. Charisse Anne C. Hernandez 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In November 1990, Republic Act No. 6972 or the Barangay - Level Total Development 
and Protection of Children Act" was enacted, establishing a day care center in every barangay with 
a total development and protection of children program. 
After a decade, Republic Act No. 8980, also known as the ECCD Act, was passed in 
December 2000. This legislation strives to establish an all-encompassing strategy and nationwide 
framework for Early Childhood Care and Development. 
These laws acknowledge the crucial developmental phase of childhood, which spans from 
birth up to six (6) years of age, thus they promote and protect the rights of children against all 
forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, and other unfavorable conditions that will impede their 
development. 
Millions of Filipino children are being attended to by our day care workers, by tending to 
their physical and mental wellbeing, overseeing cleanliness, and guaranteeing that youngsters are 
gaining knowledge and engaging in social interactions, allowing parents to focus on their work or 
chores. Daycare workers have a crucial role in the development of children as they not only 
guarantee a safe and sanitary environment but also foster their growth and progress. 
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For Filipino families who are economically disadvantaged, having access to government-
operated day care centers that demand minimal fees is a significant aid.  
Section 12, Article II of the Constitution provides that the State recognizes the sanctity of 
family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It 
shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception. The natural 
and primary right and duty of parents in the rearing of the youth for civic efficiency and 
development of moral character shall receive the support of the Government. 
Section 18, Article II of the Constitution provides that the State affirms labor as a primary 
social economic force. It shall protect the rights of workers and promote their welfare. 
This bill aims to recognize the indispensable contribution of Child Development Workers 
(CDW) by proposing to have a CDW I with Salary Grade 6 and CDW II with Salary Grade 8 in 
all Child Development Centers and Day Care Centers nationwide. They shall be entitled to security 
of tenure and have access to continuing education and skills training and knowledge enhancement 
programs. Benefits such as overtime pay, hazard and subsistence allowance, medical examination 
and treatment, and access to livelihood, loans, grants, and skills enhancement services, shall also 
be guaranteed to child development workers. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
CHARISSE ANNE C. HERNANDEZ 
          Representative 
          Lone District, Calamba City


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _________
 Introduced by Hon. Charisse Anne C.  Hernandez 
AN ACT 
INSTITUTING THE MAGNA CARTA FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT WORKERS AND 
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR  
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Magna Carta for Child 
Development Workers."  
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the vital role of children and youth 
in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and 
social well-being. Towards this end, the State shall adopt policies that will improve the social and 
economic welfare of child development workers who provide pre-school education and social 
development services to children.  
SEC. 3. Coverage. - This Act shall cover all child development workers under Republic 
Act No. 10410, otherwise known as the "Early Years Act of 2013", herein defined as persons 
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primarily engaged in the provision of early child development services and programs such as care, 
social development, education, protection, and other needs of children aged four (4) years old and 
below in all government-sponsored care centers.  
 
SEC. 4. Plantilla Positions and Security of Tenure in Child Development Centers. - At 
least one (1) Child Development Worker I and one (1) Child Development Worker II plantilla 
positions shall be created in all child development centers nationwide. The duly appointed child 
development workers shall enjoy security of tenure and shall be protected and governed by civil 
service rules and regulations. No child development worker shall be removed or transferred from 
office without just cause, due process, or prior consultation with 8 the concerned child 
development worker.  
 
SEC. 5. Creation of Special Personnel Selection Board. - A Special Personnel Selection 
Board (SPSB) for child development worker positions shall be created to screen candidates and 
create a pool of at least five (5) qualified applicants for possible appointment to the subject 
positions. The SPSB shall be composed of the local social welfare and development officer 
(LSDWO) as chairperson, and the local health officer, human resource management officer, and 
local government unit (LGU) first level employees' representative as members. 
 
SEC. 6. Recruitment and Selection. - Upon publication and posting by the local Human 
Resource Management Office (HRMO) of vacant permanent child development worker positions 
in particular child development centers, all qualified applicants shall submit their application, 
together with complete requirements, to the HRMO for preliminary evaluation; Provided, That all 
qualified incumbent child development workers hired under casual, contractual, and job order 
employment status shall automatically be considered candidates and given priority for appointment 
to permanent child development worker positions. 
The local chief executive, as the appointing authority, shall exercise sound discretion in 
appointing, from the SPSB-recommended pool pursuant to Sec. 5 of 30 this Act, a child 
development worker in particular child development center. Under no circumstances shall an 
applicant be discriminated against on the basis of gender, religion, age, status, race, or political 
affiliation. 


 
SEC. 7. Qualifications, Positions and Salary Grade. - A child development worker 
possessing the following qualifications shall be hired to the position of: 
(a) Child Development Worker I, with Salary Grade 6, must possess the following 
qualifications: 
(1) Must be of legal age; 
(2) Must have completed at least the K-12 Program or two (2) years of college 
education or its equivalent; 
(3) Must be certified by either the ECCDC council or the deputized local Social 
Welfare and Development Office (LSWDO) to have complied with existing requisites and 
trainings in early childhood care and development; 
(4) Must not have been convicted by final judgment of any crime; and 
(5) Must not have a pending case in relation to Republic 19 Act No. 7610, otherwise 
known as the "Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and 
Discrimination Act" and other similar laws protecting children. 
Child development workers legitimately serving as such upon the approval of this Act who 
are above seventeen (17) years old but below eighteen (18) years old and does not possess any of 
the above-stated disqualifications, shall continue in service to serve as such and are considered 
qualified to be covered under this Act; Provided, that their retentions had been recommended by 
their direct supervisor on the basis of their performance. 
Child development workers who have not completed the K-12 Program and have no 
college education upon the approval of this Act shall be given two (2) years within which to 
complete equivalent training to be able to continue in the service, in accordance with Section 12 
of this Act. The necessary training courses shall be prescribed by the ECCDC Council. 
(b) Child Development Worker II, with Salary Grade 8, must possess the same 
qualifications mentioned in paragraph (a) of this section and must have five (5) years of work 
experience and at least twelve (12) hours of relevant training. 
Qualifications and exceptions applicable to this section shall be subject to conditions 
imposed by the Civil Service Commission (CSC). 
 


 
SEC. 8. Prohibition on Discrimination. - A child development worker shall have the right 
to be protected from discrimination based on age, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnic 
grouping, civil status, disability, creed, religious or political affiliation. There shall be no 
discrimination whatsoever in the entrance to the occupation, or during its exercise, or in the 
termination of services based on any ground other than professional consideration. 
  
SEC. 9. Working Hours. - The normal hours of work of any child development worker 
shall not exceed eight (8) working hours a day or forty (40) working hours a week; Provided, that 
the LSWDO may require child development workers to render service beyond their working hours 
during emergency situations such as natural disasters and man-made calamities: Provided, that 
emergency response and survival kits shall be provided and that working hours should be 
conducted in child-friendly spaces. 
 
SEC. 10. Code of Conduct of Child Development Workers. - Within six (6) months from 
the approval of this Act, the Early Childhood Care and Development Council (ECCDC), in 
consultation with a national organization of child development workers, shall formulate a Code of 
Conduct for Child Development Workers in line with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) Rules 
and Regulations and adhere to the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. 
Each child development worker shall be provided with a copy of the Code at the expense of the 
government. 
 
SEC. 11. Additional Compensation and Allowances. - Child development workers shall be 
provided with the following additional compensation, whenever applicable: 
(a) Overtime Pay - for services rendered beyond the required working hours as prescribed 
in Section 8 hereof; 
(b) Hazard Allowance - child development workers in rural and urban areas, exposed to 
situations, conditions, or factors in the work environment or place where foreseeable but 
unavoidable danger or risks exist which adversely endanger their health or life and/or increase the 
risk of producing adverse effect on their person in the exercise of their duties, to be validated by 
the proper authorities, shall be entitled to hazard allowance in an amount to be determined by the 
LSDWO of the local government unit concerned; and 


(c) Subsistence Allowance - Child development workers who render service within the 
premise of an isolated Child Development Center shall be entitled to subsistence allowance 
equivalent to the meals they take in the course of their duty, which shall be computed in accordance 
with prevailing circumstances as determined by the local government unit concerned.  
 
SEC. 12. Right to Self-Organization. - Day care workers shall have the right to freely form, 
join or assist organizations in order to defend and protect their mutual interests and to obtain 
redress of their grievances. 
 
SEC. 13. Other Benefits and Privileges. - Child development workers shall be entitled to 
the following additional benefits and privileges: 
(a) Married Child Development Workers - Whenever possible, married couples who are 
both child development workers shall be assigned in the same municipality or city; 
(b) Free Legal Services - Legal representation and consultation services for child 
development workers shall be immediately provided by the Public Attorney's Office in civil and 
criminal cases filed by or against child development workers arising out of or in connection with 
the performance of their duties as such; 
(c) Free Medical Examination and Treatment - Annual medical examinations shall be 
provided by government hospitals, free of charge, to all child development workers. Child 
development workers suffering from work related ailments shall be treated without cost in 
government hospitals; and 
(d) Access to Livelihood, Loans, Grants, and Skills Enhancement - The DSWD and the 
LGUs, in coordination with other concerned government agencies, shall provide organized child 
development workers with a mechanism for accessing livelihood, loans, grants, and skills 
enhancement services. 
(e) Other Benefits. - All CDWs shall automatically become members of the Government 
Service Insurance System (GSIS), the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG), and the 
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), subject to premium payments by both 
employers and employees, and shall be entitled to maternity/paternity, sick, and vacation leaves as 
provided for by existing laws. 
 


SEC. 14. Training, Education and Skills Enhancement - The ECCDC, in coordination with 
the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills 
Development Authority (TESDA), shall provide for a system of continuing education, skills 
training, and knowledge enhancement programs for child development workers. The CHED and 
TESDA shall adopt an equivalency system of education that shall recognize and duly credit the 
actual work experiences and prior learning of child development workers as formal or academic 
training units. 
 
SEC. 15. Support from Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), Private Volunteer 
Organizations and Other Private Institutions. - Non-governmental organizations or private 
volunteer organizations, and other private institutions are hereby encouraged to assist or support 
the government in the implementation of programs and projects for child development workers. 
Pursuant thereto, all Child Development Centers may accept such assistance or support from 
NGOs. 
 
SEC. 16. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to cover the salaries and benefits of child 
development workers shall be charged from the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA), Special 
education Fund (SEF), and Gender and Development (GAD) Fund of LCDs concerned; Provided, 
That the national government shall provide subsidy for at least one (1) child development worker 
per center in the fourth, fifth, and six class municipalities. A portion of the contribution form the 
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), as provided under Republic Act no. 
10410, as well as additional funds generated from donations, fees, and contributions collected by 
the ECCDC from whatever source, shall be set aside for the purpose.  
 
SEC. 17. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within six (6) months from the approval 
of this Act, the ECCDC, DSWD, and DILG, in consultation with the CSC and national 
organization of CDWs, shall formulate the necessary rules and regulations to implement the 
provisions of this Act.  
 
SEC. 18. Penal Provisions. - It shall be unlawful to violate the right of any child 
development worker to security of tenure, to deprive them of any rights as provided under this law, 


or condition the same on political support for any public official. Any person who violates the 
provisions of this Act shall be punished with a fine of not less than Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20, 
000.00) or imprisonment of not less than two (2) months but not more than one (1) year, or both 
at the discretion of the Court. In addition to the penalties stated above, the offender shall be 
dismissed from government service if the offender is a public official. 
 
SEC. 19. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional or 
invalid, other parts or provisions hereof not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and 
effect. 
 
SEC. 20. Repealing Clause. - Section 6 of Republic Act No. 6972, otherwise known as the 
"Barangay-level Total Development and Protection of Children Act" and all laws, executive 
orders, presidential decrees, presidential proclamations, letters of instructions, rules and 
regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SEC. 21. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.  
 
Approved,