Manila, May 15 -- A lawmaker on Thursday said the newly signed Early Childhood Care and Development System (ECCD) Act will help reduce infant and child mortality by ensuring access to proper health and nutrition from pregnancy through early childhood.

Las Pinas Representative Camille Villar lauded President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s signing of Republic Act No. 12199, which aims to institutionalize a comprehensive approach to early childhood care.

"This law will boost our government's policies in nurturing our children, from birth to toddler years. I am glad that this law saw the light of day," Villar said.

Villar, who is one of the law's principal authors in the House of Representatives, said the new law would ensure that adequate heal...