Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
No, 3248
4

No.

House Bil

Introduced by REP, LEX ANTHONY CRIS A. COLADA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Consistent with the State policy of equal access to education, Republic Act
No. 10618, otherwise known as the Rural Farm Schools Act was enacted on
September 2013. Its main thrust was to provide an alternative mode of secondary
education in the society and to encourage nonformal, formal and indigenous learning
systems as well as self-learning, independent and out-of school study programs that
will efficient respond to the community needs.

This bill seeks to amend Rural Farm Schools Act to further emphasize the
need to a community-led projects and programs. It also aims to provide more tax
incentives to encourage the establishment in every province, and if possible in every
municipality to have at least one rural farm school nationwide. The amendments also
seeks to clarify and enhance the provisions in its implementing rules and regulations.

With the support of the government to the establishments of rural farm
schools act, it was expected to visualize more generation of jobs in the rural,
achievement of food security and localize economic resilience.

In view of the foregoing, this representation seeks for the imqiediate-passage
of this bill, —S

LEX ANTHONY CRIS A. COLADA
Party rys , AAMBIS-OWA
Z



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
Vo. 3246
4

House Bill No.

Introduced by Rep. LEX ANTHONY CRIS A. COLADA

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATIONS OF THE RURAL
FARM SCHOOLS AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10618, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “RURAL FARM
SCHOOLS ACT”

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 10618, otherwise known as the Rural

Farm Schools Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the following
terms shall be defined as follows:

(a) Alternative delivery mode refers to the non-traditional education
program recognized by the Department of Education (DepED) which
applies a fiexible learning philosophy and a curricular delivery program
that includes nonformal and informal sources of knowledge and skills.
An alternative delivery mode may include the use of facilitator-aided
and interactive self-instructional print and audio-based learning
materials, [video tapes,] face-to-face structured learning groups, semi-
structured and unstructured discussions, one-on-one tutorials, study
groups and self-learning groups, demonstration sessions, [home]
FAMILY visits, mentoring and remediation

b) Rural Farm School refers to a parallel learning system and an
alternative delivery mode of secondary education. It provides for
facilitative and experiential tearning on the core subjects of the
secondary education curriculum with focus on agri-fisheries, and
ENTERPRISES, designed to address the HUMAN, SOCIAL, MORAL,
SPIRITUAL AND PROFESSIONAL needs of children in rural,
agricultural and fishing communities.

(cxxx



(d) Private Rural Farm Schoo! refers to a rural farm school operated by
a COMMUNITY-LED, private entity, a non-government organization or
a farm association. COMMUNITY-LED REFERS TO THE ELEMENT
OF INITIATIVE COMING FROM THE COMMUNITY-BASED
ENTITIES MAKING EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH A FAMILY FARM
SCHOOL (FFS).

(e) xxx
(f) xxx
XXX

() FAMILY ENTERPRISE PROJECT REFERS TO A STUDY OR
RESEARCH SUBMITTED BY THE STUDENT WITHIN HIS/HER
FORMATION IN THE FAMILY FARM SCHOOL TO IMPROVE THE
FAMILY ENTERPRISE AND FAMILY INCOME. IT IS PRESENTED
BY THE STUDENT AND HIS/HER FAMILY BEFORE A PANEL OF
EXPERTS REPRESENTING RELEVANT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
INSTITUTIONS TO FURTHER IMPROVE THE PROJECT. THIS IS
IMPLEMENTED AFTERWARDS BY THE STUDENT'S FAMILY.

SEC. 2. Section 4 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows.

“SEC. 4, Establishment of Rural Farm Schools. - Rural farm schools
are hereby established to provide alternative delivery mode of
secondary education. x x x

The DepED shall institutionalize high standards of quality assurance in
rural farm schools. These standards shall involve prescribing
guidelines and policies on the operation and management of rural farm
schools. [as well as basic curricular content to ensure the credibility
and academic integrity of rural farm schools.) THE CURRICULAR
MUST PROVIDE FOR THE FAMILY FARM SCHOOL PEDAGOGY
AND SYSTEM TO ENSURE THE CREDIBILITY AND ACADEMIC
INTEGRITY OF RURAL FARM SCHOOLS.

XXX

SEC. 3. Section 11 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

SEC. 11. Skills Training and Extension Support. ~The DepED, the
DAR, the DA, the Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA) and the Agricultural Training Institute (AT!) shall
provide continuous technical skills training and provision of extension
materials including, but not limited to, books, student workbooks,
teaching session guides and other materials or equipment on the
subjects offered, and other extension services to the tutors of PUBLIC
AND COMMUNITY-LED/PRIVATE rural farm schools.



SEC.

SEC.

TESDA SHALL PRIORITIZE TO PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIP SLOTS
FOR COMMUNITY-LED/PRIVATE RURAL FARM SCHOOLS WHO
HAVE ACQUIRED TESDA ACCREDITATION.”

4, Section 14 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows

SEC. 14. Tax Exemption. — ALL IMPORTATIONS MADE BY THE
RURAL FARM SCHOOLS SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM TAXES AND
DUTIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC
ACT NO. 10863, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE CUSTOMS
MODERNIZATION AND TARIFF ACT.

Any donation, contribution, bequest or grant which may be made to a
tural farm school duly accredited under Section 12 of this Act shall be
exempt from the donor's tax and the same shall be considered as
allowable deduction from the gross income in the computation of the
income tax of the donor in accordance with the provisions of the
National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) of 1997, as
amended: Provided, That the rural farm school has likewise been
accredited by the Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC).

ALL LANDS, BUILOINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE
ACTUALLY, DIRECTLY AND EXCLUSIVELY USED FOR
EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES BY THE RURAL FARM SCHOOLS
SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM PAYMENT OF REAL PROPERTY TAX.

5. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in the Official Gazette.