1 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Eighteenth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ________ 
Introduced by Representative Cyrille “Beng” F. Abueg-Zaldivar 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Similar House Bill (H.B.) has previously been filed in the Sixteenth and 
Seventeenth Congress as H.B. No. 4532 and H.B. No. 4763, respectively. Both bills 
were referred to the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture. This present 
bill is now a substantial reiteration of the previous legislative measures.  
The proposed bill seeks to provide efficient and effective delivery of services, 
supervision, and administration of the Department of Education (DepEd) Schools 
Division Office of Palawan into two (2) separated Schools Division Offices to be known 
as the Schools Division Office of Palawan South and Schools Division Office of 
Palawan North.  
In 1900, the Division of Palawan was attached to the Division of Mindanao and 
Jolo based in Zamboanga. On October 1, 1901, this Division was renamed Division of 
Mindanao, Jolo, and Calamianes. During that time, Palawan was known as Calamianes. 
In July 1902, Philippine Act No. 477 separating the Division of Paragua, former name 
of Palawan, from its mother Division was enacted. The Division of Paragua was 
composed of the entire mainland of Paragua and other islands within its jurisdiction 
under the Governor of the province, who concomitantly acted as the Division 
Superintendent. Every pueblo or town then constituted a school district.  
The present Division of Palawan is beset with many challenges caused by the 
province’s geographical characteristics. Adequate instructional and field supervision is 
difficult to achieve, thus affecting the faculty and students’ performance. Records show 
that the Division’s regional and national achievement tests performance falls below the 
regional and national mean. Moreover, the total number of students, in addition to the 
September 7, 2021
10:14 am
10162


2 
teaching and non-teaching personnel of the Division of Palawan, is equivalent to four 
(4) divisions in MIMAROPA Region IV-B.
Separating the DepEd Schools Division of Palawan into two (2) Divisions will 
provide better supervision and administration of schools in the province. The mother 
Division shall be the Schools Division of Palawan South, comprised of schools in the 
municipalities of Aborlan, Narra, Quezon, Sofronio Española, Brooke's Point, Bataraza, 
Rizal, and Balabac. The Schools Division of Palawan North shall be comprised of 
schools in the municipalities of Roxas, San Vicente, Dumaran, Araceli, Taytay, El Nido, 
Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Linapacan, Cagayancillo, Cuyo, Magsaysay, Agutaya, and 
Kalayaan.  
With the creation of separate Schools Division for Palawan South and Palawan 
North, desired efficiency and effectiveness of DepEd services to the public will be 
attained. Likewise, instructional supervision to check compliance and implementation 
of curriculum requirements will be conducted regularly.  
In accordance with the State’s policy of providing quality education for its 
citizens, the approval of this bill is earnestly recommended.  
  CYRILLE “BENG” F. ABUEG-ZALDIVAR 
Representative. 2nd District of Palawan 


1 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Eighteenth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ________ 
Introduced by Representative Cyrille “Beng” F. Abueg-Zaldivar 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING SEPARATE SCHOOLS DIVISION OFFICE IN THE 
PALAWAN SOUTH AND PALAWAN NORTH, DIVIDING THE EXISTING 
SCHOOLS DIVISION OFFICE OF PALAWAN, AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1.  There is hereby established, under the supervision of the 
1 
Department of Education (DepEd), Schools Division Offices in the Palawan South 
2 
and Palawan North in the Province of Palawan, effectively dividing the existing 
3 
Schools Division of Palawan. The Schools Division of Palawan South shall have 
4 
jurisdiction over all basic education schools within the municipalities of Aborlan, 
5 
Narra, Quezon, Sofronio Española, Brooke’s Point, Bataraza, Rizal, and Balabac. 
6 
The Schools Division of Palawan North shall have jurisdiction over all basic 
7 
education schools within the municipalities of Roxas, San Vicente, Dumaran, 
8 
Araceli, Taytay, El Nido, Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Linapacan, Cagayancillo, Cuyo, 
9 
Magsaysay, Agutaya, and Kalayaan.  
10 
The DepEd shall determine the staff complement and the qualification 
11 
standards assigned in the Schools Division Offices.  
12 
SEC. 2. The Secretary of Education shall immediately include in the 
13 
Department’s program the operationalization of the Schools Division Office of 
14 
Palawan South and Schools Division Office of Palawan North, the funding of which 
15 
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
16 
10162


 
2 
 
SEC. 3. Within sixty (60) days from the approval of this Act, the Secretary 
1 
of Education shall formulate and issue the rules and regulations implementing the 
2 
provisions of this Act.  
3 
SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
4 
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.  
5 
Approved,