THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
.h34 JrJN 3o 
:03 
OF THEPHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENAT%E 
, S. B. No. 
Introduced by Senator LUISA “LOP‘ P. EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 14, Section 1 provides: 
“The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to 
quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make 
such education accessible to all.” 
Reading is a fbndamental skill for learning. Students who are not reading at 
grade-level are very unlikely to graduate &om high school, while those who do are likely 
to succeed in life. 
Parents are the best first teachers. Parents can help to increase their children’s 
reading levels for example, by reading with their child thirty minutes a day. Evidence 
shows that greater parental support of children’s literacy success makes a significant 
difference. One-on-one tutoring is a key component of bringing students up to reading at 
grade-level . 
Family involvement is widely recognized to improve student performance. 
Preparing children to learn, through parent involvement plays a crucial role in preventing 
students from falling behind. 
With proper support and teaching, all children can learn to read at grade-level by 
the end of the third grade. The purpose of this bill is to support effective programs that 
provide assistance to parents who want to help their children become successfir1 readers. 
LUISA “LOP’ P. ~JERCITO ESTRADA 
Senator 


Introduced by Senator LUISA “LOI” P. EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO 
PARENTS 
WHO 
WANT 
TO 
HELP 
“HEIR 
CHILDREN 
BECOME 
SUCCESSFUL READERS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives ofthe Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Parents as First Teachers 
Challenge Grant Act.” 
Section 2. Purpose. - The purpose of this Act is to support effective and proven 
efforts that provide assistance to parents who want to help their children become 
successfid readers by the end of the third grade. 
Section 3. Definition. - As used in this Act, 
(1) 
Eligible Child - means an individual eligible to attend pre-school, 
kindergarten, or lSt, 2nd, or 3rd grade; 
Secretary - means the Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports. 
(2) 
Section 4. 
Grants for national or regional networks. - The Secretary is 
authorized to award at least two (2) grants to non-profit community groups or 
organizations or consortia thereof per region, to enable such groups, organizations, or 
consortia to create successfbl programs or activities that help a parent: 
(1) 
be a good teacher to the eligible child; 
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(2) 
assist the parent’s eligible child in attaining reading skills while assisting 
the eligible child to learn to read. 
Section 5. Recipient Criteria. - 
(a) 
Grants for National or Regional Networks. - In order to receive a grant 
under section 4, a group, organization, or consortium shall establish a 
training institute and comprehensive counseling program, where such 
group, organization or consortium will work with parents to improve their 
eligible children’s reading. 
Section 6. Applications -. 
(a) 
In General - Each entity desiring a grant under this Act shall submit an 
application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require. 
Applications for Grants for National or Regional Networks - Each 
application submitted for a grant under section 4 shall: 
(1) 
(b) 
demonstrate the likelihood that the proposed program or activity 
will have a substantial regional or national impact; 
demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of the proposed program or 
activity; and 
describe how the proposed program or activity will be coordinated 
with private sector programs and activities, and government 
programs and activities that provide support for parent’s eligible 
children. 
(2) 
(3) 
(c) 
Applications for Grants for Successfbl Programs or Activities. - Each 
application submitted under subsection (a) for a grant under section 4 (2) 
shall - 
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(1) 
describe a program or activity that is capable of successfbl 
expansion or replication; 
contain evidence of community support for the proposed program 
or activity fi-om the private sector, a school, and another entity; 
contain information demonstrating the cost-effectiveness of the 
proposed program or activity; and 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 
provide an assurance that the applicant will coordinate the 
proposed program or activity with government programs and 
activities that provide support for parents of eligible children. 
Section 7. 
(a) 
Authorization of appropriations. - 
Appropriations - To effectively carry out the purpose of this Act, 
the amount of Twenty Five .Million Pesos (P25,000,000) for each 
fiscal year is hereby authorized to be included in the General 
Appropriations Act. 
Entitlement - Subject to subsection (a), each entity receiving a 
grant under this Act for a fiscal year shall be entitled to payments 
for such year under the grant. 
(b) 
Section 8. Separability CZause. - E any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
remain valid and subsisting. 
Section 9. 
Repeazing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to 
or inconsistent with the provision of this act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 
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Section IO. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect fifteen (1 5) days after 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
GWtere disk1 YELL0 W/1454- successful reader 
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