Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. 3404 
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FREE CHILDCARE CENTERS IN EVERY MUNICIPALITY 
AND CITY IN THE PHILIPPINES AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The State recognizes its constitutional duty to defend and strengthen 
the right of children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and 
special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation, and 
other conditions prejudicial to their development. 
As such, the government enacted into law the Republic Act 6972, 
otherwise known as the Barangay-Level Total Development and Protection of 
Children Act, as well as signed the ratification of the Convention on the Rights 
of the Child in 1990. 
While these laws support the welfare of children, there is currently a gap 
in existing legislation that needs to be filled regarding the well-being of the 
parents of infants and toddlers who are struggling to find a balance between 
caring for their children while pursuing their respective careers.   
It has been the primary goal of existing barangay daycare centers to 
prepare the children for formal schooling. With said primary goal in mind, 
existing barangay daycare centers have since only accommodated children 
between the ages of three years to four years and eleven months, despite being 
intended for all children below the age of five.  
As a result of placing a minimum age to avail of the services of the 
designated barangay daycare centers, the parents of children below the age of 
three are forced to request help from their family members, if not hire domestic 
helpers to care for their child, while those who are not as fortunate are forced 
to stay at home and neglect their careers. 
August 7, 2025
4:11 pm


A study conducted by the World Bank on labor force participation in the 
Philippines found that among its Asian neighbors, the Philippines has one of 
the highest gender disparities in labor. The study shows that the gap between 
female labor force participation, which is at forty-nine percent (49%), has only  
increased by a mere 0.3 percentage points1 between the years 1990 to 2015.  
A large proportion of women are held back from gainful employment 
opportunities due to responsibilities to their respective families, more 
particularly, the caring of their children between the time they are born until 
two years of age2. For women who cannot afford the cost of early childhood 
care, the most convenient option is to forego any economic opportunities to 
care of their infants and toddlers. 
As the disparity in women’s participation in the labor sector has been a 
constant hurdle in the State’s goal of achieving gender equality, the present 
bill seeks to address this gap by providing free childcare centers to women and 
parents or guardians who are solo-parents, indigent, temporarily displaced, 
and/or are looking for job opportunities. By establishing childcare centers in 
every city and municipality, infants and toddlers are given the care they are 
entitled to while giving their parents a fair chance to advance their respective 
careers.  
It is the hope of this bill that the Philippines will eventually close the 
gender disparities in the country by providing full support to childcaring 
services. This bill intends to provide safe and nurturing spaces for infants and 
toddlers, while giving parents peace of mind as they work for a brighter future 
for their children.   
  In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is urgently sought. 
REP. PM VARGAS   
Fifth District, Quezon City 
1 World Bank Blogs. https://blogs.worldbank.org/eastasiapacific/overcoming-barriers-
womens-work-philippines Accessed Online on November 22, 2022 
2 Investing in Women. Determinants of Female Labor Force Participation in the Philippines 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. 3404 
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FREE CHILDCARE CENTERS IN EVERY MUNICIPALITY 
AND CITY IN THE PHILIPPINES 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 “Free Childcare 
Services Act” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to recognize 
the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a 
basic autonomous social institution.  
Further, under Article XV Section 3 (2) of the Constitution, the State is 
responsible for defending the right of children to assistance, including proper 
care and nutrition, and special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, 
cruelty, exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to their development.  
SECTION 3. Establishing Free Childcare Services in Every Municipality 
and City. – Every municipality and city shall establish a free childcare center 
(hereinafter “Center”) for all qualified parents and/or legal guardians with 
children below three (3) years old, who are not yet fit for daycare centers. The 
Center may be established in the municipal/city hall or a separate facility 
equipped with basic facilities and shall be manned by trained and equipped 
personnel from the local government unit.  
SECTION 4. Objectives of the Services. – The Free Childcare Services shall 
ensure that:  
1) Parents and/or legal guardians who are indigent, solo-parents, or
temporarily unemployed shall be afforded safe, adequate, and proper
childcare for their children while they are at work or looking for work;


2) Children below three years old of qualified working parents and/or legal 
guardians are entitled to the following:  
 
a. Enhancement of the physical, social, emotional, cognitive and 
language development; 
b. Proper and adequate feeding and sustenance; 
c. Safe and secure space fit for childcare and development; 
 
SECTION 5. Implementing Agency. – The program shall be implemented by 
the municipality or city of the local government unit (LGU). The LGU may call 
upon private volunteers, who are responsible members of the community, and 
utilize them to assist in the care of children and provide consultative services 
for medical, educational, and other needs of the children; provided, the LGU 
personnel and private volunteers undergo or have undergone the selection 
process and obtain all  qualifications which have been set by the Department 
of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). 
 
SECTION 6. Functions of the Department of Social Welfare and 
Development. – The Department shall formulate the criteria for the selection 
and qualification of: 
 
a. the childcare workers employed by the LGU and the private 
volunteers called upon by the LGU; and 
b. parents who may avail of the services of the childcare facility 
 
Further, the Department shall formulate the minimum standards for childcare 
services and facilities to be implemented by the LGU; 
 
Finally, to safeguard the proper implementation of the program, the DSWD 
shall conduct regular monitoring and set up a feedback mechanism for the 
program. 
 
SECTION 7. Funding. – The funds for the establishment of the childcare 
center shall be appropriated from the national budget and shall be included 
in the General Appropriations Act as part of the budget of the Department of 
Social Welfare and Development. The maintenance of the Center established 
shall be the responsibility and shall be charged to the local government unit. 
The LGUs concerned, in consultation with the DSWD, shall set aside from any 
available local revenue an amount deemed appropriate as annual counterpart 
fund to support the maintenance and operation of the Center herein 
established. 
 
SECTION 8. Non-Impairment Clause. – Nothing in this Act shall be 
construed as to diminish, impair, or repeal rights recognized, granted, or 
made available to disadvantaged, marginalized, or specific sectors under 
existing laws. 
 


SECTION 9. Separability Clause. If any provision or section of this Act is 
held invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions and sections not affected 
thereby shall remain in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. All laws, presidential decrees, executive 
orders, or issuances or any part thereof which are inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 11. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or any newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,