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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
1st Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representatives ERIC G. YAP, PAOLO Z. DUTERTE, and 
EDVIC G. YAP 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The 1987 Constitution highlights the importance of education to children—mandating 
that elementary education shall be compulsory to all of them. However, in addition 
to elementary education, early childhood education is also critical to the development 
and well-being of the nation’s children. 
According to the UNICEF, early childhood education encompasses all forms of 
education, both formal and informal, of children from birth until eight (8) years of age. 
The UNICEF also attests that early childhood education is the foundation of a child’s 
journey, and that every stage of the child’s future education relies on the early 
childhood education’s success because failure to provide the said right to education 
limits children’s futures by denying them opportunities to reach their full potential. 
Despite the education’s advantages, children from poor families are the least likely to 
attend early childhood education programs. The UNICEF reports that more than 175 
million children – nearly half of all pre-primary-age children globally – are not 
enrolled in early childhood education, most especially those from low income 
countries like the Philippines.  
It is in this regard that this bill mandates all cities and municipalities to establish and 
maintain an early learning program that provides learning services to pre-
kindergarten children, including those with special needs. The proposed measure 
highlights that the said program will focus on enhanced educational and 
comprehensive services and support through parent involvement and education.  
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
PAOLO Z. DUTERTE 
 ERIC G. YAP 
EDVIC G. YAP  
May 11, 2023
9:04 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
1st Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representatives ERIC G. YAP, PAOLO Z. DUTERTE, and 
EDVIC G. YAP 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS FOR INDIGENT PRE-
KINDERGARTEN CHILDREN 
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 "Early Learning 
Program Act". 
SEC 2. Purposes. - The purposes of this Act are: 
1) To make widely available to pre-kindergarten children a high quality,
child-centered, 
and 
developmentally-appropriate 
early 
learning
program;
2) To make widely available to parents of pre-kindergarten children who
desire the services, a program in which they can enroll their pre-
kindergarten children; and
3) To provide resources to ensure that all children enter elementary school
ready to learn how to read and write.
SEC 3. Definitions. – 
1) Early Learning Programs - refer to programs that provide services for
children who have not attended kindergarten or elementary school.
Such programs are designed to provide indigent pre-kindergarten
children with a high-quality, child-centered, and developmentally-
appropriate learning program and with resources to ensure that all
children enter elementary school ready to learn how to read and write;
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2) Parent - refers to a biological parent, an adoptive parent, a stepparent, 
or a foster parent of a child, including a legal guardian or other person 
standing in loco parentis; 
 
3) Secretary - refers to the Secretary of the Department of Education 
(DepEd). 
 
SEC 4. Early Learning Program. - The Secretary shall establish and maintain 
an early learning program that provides learning services in every city or municipality. 
The program shall: 
 
a) Be developed pursuant to guidance provided by the educational 
authorities, and experts in early childhood development; and 
 
b) Be designed to improve child development through: 
 
i. 
Improved access to and increased coordination with health care 
services; 
 
ii. 
Increased access to enhanced early learning environments; 
 
iii. 
Increased parental involvement. 
 
The program shall be designed to service pre-kindergarten children, including 
those with special needs, who shall receive enhanced educational and comprehensive 
services and support, through parent involvement and education. 
 
SEC 5. Assessment. - The Secretary shall conduct an evaluation of the 
effectiveness of the early childhood programs established and conduct needs and 
resources assessment, and use such an assessment to: 
 
i. 
Determine where early learning programs are lacking or are inadequate 
within a given city or municipality, with particular attention to poor 
urban and rural areas, and what special services are needed; and, 
 
ii. 
Specify which programs might be expanded or upgraded with the use 
of funds received under this Act. 
 
SEC 6. Appropriation. - The amount necessary to effectively carry out the 
provisions of this Act is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National 
Treasury. 
 
SEC 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected 
shall remain valid and subsisting. 
 
SEC 8. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or 


 
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inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 
 
SEC 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,