Senator Win Gatchalian is urging incumbent child development workers (CDWs) to take the recently approved National Certificate (NC) III on Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD).

Gatchalian proposed the allocation of P80 million under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority’s (TESDA) 2025 budget to create the program, which provides scholarships for incumbent CDWs whose highest educational attainment is high school or lower.

The Early Childhood Care and Development System Act (Republic Act No. 12199) requires incumbent CDWs to undergo reskilling and upskilling and pass a certification from the TESDA. The assessment and certification shall be free of charge. The law also provides that senior high school graduates and high school graduates who completed two years of tertiary education are eligible to be CDWs. They, too, are required to undergo assessment and certification.

To ensure consistency with Republic Act No. 12199, the Department of Budget and Management and the Civil Service Commission shall also revise the titles and review the qualification requirements of Day Care Workers I and II.