TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
of ll)f ‘T’aftar^)
25 AUG 27 P2:28
RECEIVED BY: 
'
S. No.
SENATE
1293
Introduced by Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" T. Go
AN ACT
INSTITUTING THE MAGNA CARTA FOR DAY CARE WORKERS, PROVIDING 
FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Early childhood education lays the foundation for lifelong learning, cognitive 
development, and social integration. In the Philippines, this important developmental 
phase is supported by Child Development Workers (CDWs), commonly known as day 
care workers, who provide essential care and learning to children across communities.
Day care workers serve as early educators, counselors, and community 
builders. They provide structured learning and emotional support to children during 
their formative years, especially in rural and marginalized communities where access 
to formal education is limited. Their role is indispensable to both local governments 
and the broader national agenda for inclusive and quality education.
Despite their invaluable contributions, many day care workers remain among 
the most underrecognized and undercompensated members of the public workforce. 
According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), there are 
currently 67,733 Child Development Workers across the country, holding both tenured


and non-tenured positions. Alarmingly, 6,307 of these workers are voiunteers and 
receive little to no formal compensation for the vital services they provide.
This bill seeks to institutionalize a Magna Carta for Day Care Workers, providing 
them with a clear framework for security of tenure, just compensation, and access to 
social protection and professional development. By doing so, the measure aims to 
uplift the status and welfare of day care workers and support the effective delivery of 
early childhood services.
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
SENATOR CHRISTOPHEw LAWRENCE


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
dciutr
of tijr
25 AUG 27 P2 28
RliCEIVtD BV;
SENATE
S. No. 1293
Introduced by Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" T. Go
AN ACT
INSTITUTING THE MAGNA CARTA FOR DAY CARE WORKERS, PROVIDING 
FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Magna Carta for Day
2 
Care Workers."
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the vital role of children
4 
and the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral,
5 
spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. Towards this end, it is the State's policy to
6 
promote and improve the social well-being and economic welfare of day care workers
7 
who provide pre-school education and social development service to the children. The
8 
State shall likewise adopt policies that will protect the rights and enhance the dignity
9 
of day care workers.
10 
Sec. 3. Coverage. - This Act shall cover all persons engaged in Early Child
11 
Development in government-sponsored day care centers whose primary function is to
12 
assist in the provision of care, social development, education and other needs of the


1 
children.
2 
Sec. 4. Qualification. - A Day Care Worker must be of legal age, possesses at
3 
least a career sub-profession eligibility and must have training in Early Childhood Care
4 
and Development; Provided, however, that an incumbent day care worker who has
5 
been serving for the last five (5) years upon approval of this Act and who does not
6 
meet the prescribed educational qualification standard shall not be disqualified,
7 
Provided, further, that such day care worker shall complete the Day Care Worker
8 
training course provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development
9 
(DSWD) within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act.
10 
Sec. 5. Recruitment - A qualified Day Care Worker shall file his/her application
11 
with the local government unit concerned.
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Sec. 6. Salary. - A qualified Day Care Worker shall receive a salary equivalent
to:
Level 1 - High School graduate level to below second year college and length of 
service of at least five (5) years shall receive the salary equivalent to salary grade 6;
Level 2 - Second year college level shall receive salary equivalent to salary grade 
8; and
Level 3 - College graduate level shall receive salary equivalent to salary grade 10.
19 
Sec. 7. Working Hours. - A qualified Day Care Worker is required to render
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eight (8) working hours a day or a total of forty (40) working hours a week. Provided,
21 
that the municipal social welfare officer may require a Day Care Worker to render
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services beyond his/her required working hours during emergency situations such as
23 
calamities.
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Sec. 8. Additional Compensation and Allowances. - A qualified Day Care Worker
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is required to render eight (8) working hours a day or a total of forty (4) working hours
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a week. Provided, that the municipal social welfare officer may require a Day Care
27 
Worker to render services beyond his/her required working hours during emergency


1 
situations such as calamities.
2 
Sec. 9. Married Day Care Workers. - Whenever possible, married couples who
3 
are both Day Care Workers shall be assigned in the same municipality or city.
4 
Sec. 10. Transfer and Tenure of Office. - No Day Care Worker shall be
5 
transferred from one center to another without his/her prior knowledge and/ or
6 
consent. As provided under existing laws, no Day Care Worker shall be terminated
7 
from work without due cause.
8 
Sec. 11. Leave Benefits. - As provided for in existing laws, a Day Care Worker
9 
is entitled to maternity/paternity, sick, and vacation leaves. Day Care Workers with
10 
outstanding performance based on evaluation may avail study leave.
11 
Sec. 12. Free Medical Examination and Treatment - Pre-employment and
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annual medical examinations shall be provided by government hospitals, free of
13 
charge, to all Day Care Workers. Day Care Workers suffering from work-related
14 
ailments shall be treated free of charge in government hospitals.
15 
Sec. 13. Insurance and Retirement Benefits. -Qualified Day Care Workers shall
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automatically become members of the Government Service and Insurance System
17 
(GSIS). Day Care Workers, having fulfilled service requirements of the applicable
18 
retirement laws, shall be given a one-step salary grade increase upon retirement which
19 
shall be the basis of computation of retirement pay and other retirement benefits.
20 
Sec. 14. Freedom to Organize. - Day Care Workers shall have the freedom to
21 
organize themselves without prior communications with the local government units to
22 
which they are assigned. Organizations of Day Care Workers shall be consulted in the
23 
formulation of national policies and programs that will benefit the sector. Under no
24 
circumstance shall any Day Care Worker be dismissed on the basis of his/her
25 
membership in any organization of Day Care Workers.


1 
Sec. 15. Code of Conduct for Day Care Workers. - Within six (6) months upon
2 
approval of this Act, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in
3 
consultation with the national organization of Day Care Workers, shall formulate a
4 
Code of Conduct for Day Care Workers. Each Day Care Worker shall be provided a
5 
copy of the Code.
6 
Sec. 16. Support from Non-Government Organizations. - Non-government
7 
organizations or private volunteer organizations are hereby encouraged to assist the
8 
government in the implementation of programs and projects for Day Care Workers.
9 
Sec. 17. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Interior
10 
and Local Government and DSWD, in consultation with the Civil Service Commission
11 
and the national organization of Day Care Workers shall formulate the rules and
12 
regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this Act within six (6) months
13 
from its effectivity.
14 
Sec. 18. Appropriations. - Salaries and benefits of Day Care Workers shall be
15 
charged to the local government units concerned. Training needs of Day Care Workers
16 
shall be charged to the annual appropriations of the DSWD.
17 
Sec. 19. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared
18 
unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder of this Act or any provisions hereof not
19 
affected thereby shall continue to be in force and effect.
20 
Sec. 20. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
21 
order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent or contrary to the provision
22 
of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
23 
Sec. 21. Effectivity. - his Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following
24 
its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,