• 
■>>(JPffirr of l i u ' . M l n i i
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
]
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
]
First Regular Session 
]
SENATE 
S. No. 
3 6 9
*19 JUL11 PI :30
recl:v :ij m.
Introduced by SEN. SHERWIN T. GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
PROMOTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PUBLIC MATH AND SCIENCE HIGH 
SCHOOLS IN PREVIOUSLY UNDERSERVED AREAS, AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
A progressive and economically potent society must be built by a formidable 
army of scientific minds. Without a solid workforce of scientists, mathematicians, 
engineers, and other skilled professionals, the Philippines will continue on with an 
economy perennially on the brink, yet never achieving, full industrialization and the 
prosperity that comes with it. In order to fulfill our destiny as the next true Asian tiger 
economy, we must ensure that we have invested in the human capital necessary to 
achieve this.
Sadly, despite the increasing government commitment to improving the state of 
Philippine education, recent editions of the Global Competitiveness Survey have 
consistently ranked the Philippines in the bottom 50% of participating countries in 
terms of the quality of math and science education at the tertiary level. National 
performance in math has worsened, with grade 10 students posting an average score 
of about 37% in the National Achievement Test for S.Y. 2016-2017 and therefore


exhibiting Low Proficiency with respect to the subject matter. The increased budget for 
education has yet to pay dividends when it comes to science education.
A universal tenet of quality education, consistently reported by reputable 
education 
experts 
and 
enshrined 
in 
the 
1987 
Constitution, 
is 
ensuring 
equitable access to education. This entails ensuring access to all forms of 
education, 
including 
specialized 
math 
and 
science 
curricula. 
However, 
this 
type of valuable, oft-sought-after education is only available to the lucky few 
that are admitted to the Philippine Science High School system, one of the 
Regional Science High Schools, or those who are fortunate enough to live near 
one of the other science high schools scattered across the country.
Therefore, 
this 
legislation 
seeks to 
close the 
educational 
access gap 
between different sectors of Philippine society. The establishment of a new 
structure of accessible math and science high schools across the Philippines 
will allow capable and willing students who have been hindered by geographic 
and economic barriers to pursue a science-based education in numbers that 
are as of yet unheard of in the Philippines. In time, this investment in human 
capital will pay dividends as these ambitious young students become the next 
science-related 
professionals 
of 
our 
country. 
Considering 
the 
enormous 
dividends that the cultivation of these brilliant minds will pay to society in the 
future, this is a worthy investment for us to make.
Support for the passage and approval of this legislation 
is earnestly
sought.
ALIAN


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
]
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
]
First Regular Session 
]
,\aF (©riirr cC {!;r Z, 
(■‘■‘I
•19 JUL11 PI 30
S. No.
SENATE
369
RCCLIV-l) C..
Introduced by SEN. SHERWIN T. GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
PROMOTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PUBLIC MATH AND SCIENCE 
HIGH SCHOOLS IN PREVIOUSLY UNDERSERVED AREAS, AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House o f Representatives o f the 
Philippines in Congress assembled:
1 
SEC. 1. S hort Title - This Act shall be known as the "Equitable
2 
Access to Math and Science Education Act".
3 
SEC. 2. D eclaration o f Policy. - It is hereby declared a policy of the
4 
State to provide equitable access to quality education in the pure and applied
5 
sciences, mathematics, and technology for all Filipinos as a means to nurture
6 
future generations of scientists, 
mathematicians, engineers, 
and other
7 
professionals who will serve the nation as catalysts for scientific, technological,
8 
and industrial progress.
9 
Pursuant to this declaration, the State shall work hand-in-hand with
10 
local government units (LGUs) to eliminate economic and geographical barriers
11 
that restrict the access of otherwise willing and qualified students to said
12 
education.


1 
SEC. 3. Coverage. - All provinces of the Republic of the Philippines
2 
which do not have at least one (1) public math and science high school
3 
currently operating within their respective geographical boundaries at the time
4 
this Act takes effect shall be required to fulfill the establishment requirements
5 
prescribed by Section 4 of this Act.
6 
For the purposes of this Act, the term public math and science high 
1 
school shall refer to a school principally financed through national or local
8 
government funds that implements an advanced curriculum focused on science,
9 
mathematics, and technology subjects, for grade 7-12 students.
10 
SEC. 4. Establishment o f Schools. - All provinces covered by the
11 
preceding Section of this Act are hereby mandated to work with the Department
12 
of Education (DepEd) to establish at least one (1) public math and science high
13 
school within their respective provincial capitals.
14 
Schools established in compliance with this Act may be established
15 
through the construction of new school facilities, the conversion and/or
16 
reorganization of an existing school, or the renovation and re-opening of
17 
currently non-operational school facilities or other idle government-owned
18 
property: Provided, 
these schools must be fully operational by Academic
19 
Year 2020-2021: Provided, further. That any utilization of idle government-
20 
owned assets shall follow pertinent procedures as prescribed by law: Provided,
21 
finally. That schools which have been designated by the DepEd as fully compliant
22 
under this Act may start operations earlier than the prescribed deadline.
23 
SEC. 5. School Operations. - Schools established in compliance with
24 
this Act shall be operated by the DepEd, with the proper participation of the
25 
applicable LGUs and other community shareholders as prescribed by law. Said
26 
schools shall be funded in full under the budget of the DepEd and shall be
27 
included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
28
SEC. 6. Admissions. - Schools established in compliance with this Act


1 
shall accept applicants based on the results of a competitive entrance
2 
examination. A student may be eligible to apply for admission to said school only
3 
if he or she has established continuous residence within the establishing
4 
province for at least one (1) year by the date of examination.
5 
SEC. 7. Curriculum- - Schools established in compliance with this Act
6 
shall implement a six-year integrated junior-senior high school curriculum that
7 
focuses on advanced science, mathematics, and technology subjects under the
8 
guidance of the DepEd and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
9 
The revised curriculum of the Philippine Science High School system for Grades
10 
7-12 shall be used as a basis for the formulation of said curriculum.
11 
SEC. 8. Higher Education Bond. -  A graduate of a school established in
12 
compliance with this Act shall be required to enroll in a four or five-year
13 
Bachelor's Degree in Science program at an accredited college or university.
14 
Said graduate must enroll in a course-of-study in one of the following fields:
15 
pure and applied sciences, mathematics, engineering, technology, or any other
16 
field deemed appropriate by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). A
17 
graduate who shifts or transfers to a course in any unrelated field prior to
18 
completion of the degree program shall pay a fine equivalent to the total full
19 
cost incurred by the government in subsidizing the secondary education
20 
program 
of 
said 
graduate, 
as 
calculated 
by 
the 
DepEd.
21 
Any fine collected under the terms of this provision shall be allocated to any
22 
government program that promotes the advancement of science, mathematics,
23 
and technological education in the Philippines.
24 
SEC 9. Appropriations. - The amount of Five Hundred Million Pesos
25 
(P500,000,000.00) is hereby initially appropriated to implement the provisions
26 
of this Act. Thereafter, such amount necessary to effectively carry out the
27 
provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations
28 
Act.


1 
SEC. 
10. 
Im plem enting 
Agencies. 
- 
The 
DepEd, 
in
2 
coordination with the DOST and the CHED, shall be responsible for implementing
3 
the provisions of this Act. Within (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the
4 
implementing 
agencies 
shall 
promulgate 
the 
implementing 
rules 
and
5 
regulations as may be necessary to ensure the efficient and effective
6 
implementation of this Act.
7 
SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - Should any part of this Act be declared
8 
unconstitutional, the rest of the provisions of this Act shall continue to be in
9 
effect and subsisting.
10 
SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. - The provisions of other laws, decrees,
11 
executive orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby
12 
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
13 
SEC. 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
14 
publication in the Offic/a/ Gazette and/or in at least two (2) national
15 
newspapers in general circulation.
Approved,