EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 778, January 13, 2009

TRANSFORMING THE COUNCIL FOR THE WELFARE OF CHILDREN INTO THE EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

WHEREAS, Republic Act (RA) No. 8980, also known as the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Act, promulgated a comprehensive policy and a national system for early ECCD, and provided funds therefore and for other purposes;

WHEREAS, the functions of the Council for the Welfare of Children have expanded to include not only its original functions under Presidential Decree No. 603 and Executive Order No. 233, series of 1988, but also that as National ECCD Coordinating Council, pursuant to Section 8 of RA 8980;

WHEREAS, there is a necessity to promote the welfare and benefits of young children aged 0 to 6 years, who are the principal beneficiaries of the ECCD Act, as well as to ensure that the objectives of the National ECCD System as defined by RA No. 9080 are achieved;

WHEREAS, Section 31, Chapter 10, Book III of the Administrative Code of 1987 grants the President the continuing authority to reorganize the Executive Branch of government:

NOW, THEREFORE I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

Section 1. Transforming the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) into the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council. - The Council for the Welfare of Children is hereby transformed into the ECCD Council, attached to the Office of the President, which will support the implementation of the full range of health, nutrition, early education and social services programs that provide for the basic holistic needs of young children from birth to age six (6) and to promote their optimum growth and development.

Section 2. Composition of the Council. - The ECCD shall be composed of the Governing Board and its Secretariat. The Governing Board shall be headed by a Chairperson (with the salary grade and emoluments of a Cabinet-rank Secretary) to be appointed by the President.

The following shall be members of the Governing Board

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)

Department of Education

Department of Health and the National Nutrition Council

Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines

The heads of the concerned departments, agencies and institutions shall as much as possible attend the meetings of the Council. In their absence, department, agency, and/or institution head shall designate senior permanent representatives who may attend and participate at meetings of the Council for them.

The President shall also appoint an Executive Director who shall head the ECCD Secretariat.

Section 3. Secretariat. - The Secretariat of the CWC shall be transformed into the ECCD Secretariat. Moreover, technical staff may be seconded from various departments or agencies as necessary.

Section 4. Transfer of Other Functions of CWC to DSWD. - The functions and staff of the CWC now ECCD Council which are not part of ECCD are hereby transferred to the DSWD.

Section 5. Budget. - The Department of Budget and Management is hereby directed to provide the necessary funding support of more or less One Hundred Million Pesos (P100,000,000.00), chargeable against appropriate fund for the purpose of ECCD, and subject to existing and pertinent budget and auditing rules and regulations.

Section 6. Repeal. - All executive orders, rules and regulations and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Order are hereby revoked, amended or modified accordingly.

Section 7. Effectivity. - This Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in a national newspaper of general circulation

DONE in the City of Manila, this 13th day of January in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Nine.

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

By the President:

(Sgd.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA

Executive Secretary