Incluye glosario.

Incluye bibliografía

Foreword -- Acronyms and abbreviations -- Glossary -- Overview -- 1. Introduction -- 2. The situation of children in the Philippines -- 3. Government policies, goals, and intervention programs -- 4. Creating an integrated, national early childhood development program-- 5. Financing early childhood development -- Bibliography

The situation of children in the Philippines is considerably worse than it need be for a country of its per capita income. Ill health, malnutrition, and poor psychosocial development among preschoolers are costing the country substantial amounts in terms of premature deaths, permanent disabilities, and lost productivity and income. The benefits to the nation of improved child development greatly outweigh the costs. However, the benefits will arise over a long period, whereas making an investment in children is an immediate priority. The cost of inaction is high. Every year lost can be measured in deaths, disease, and often permanent disabilities. This book argues that the Philippines should be investing more in child development and that doing so will have a high payoff. The objective is to convince those who control resources in the central and local governments, and in the nongovernmental and donor communities, that they should finance an integrated investment package that has a real prospect of meeting the national goals for children.