FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. 1118 
Introduced by Senator Manny Villar 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
SENATE 
~ 
Or- THE SECRETARY 
This bill intends to prepare the Filipino youth to meet the technological 
challenges of the 21 st Century - by promoting their scientific and technical literacy in the 
field of computer education. 
Under the proposed measure, the basics of computer applications and 
programming will be integrated in the school curriculum. A Board on Computer 
Education is created. Private sectors' participation is enlisted through the grant of fiscal 
incentives to private sector participants. A voucher system is institutionalized with 
respect to the country's nineteen (19) poorest provinces to make these provinces at par 
with the rest of the country in terms of computer literacy. Community linkages among 
the participants are likewise enjoined to hasten the nationwide upgrading of computer 
skills. 
Approval of this bill is, thus, fervently called for. 


SENATE 
-
w. 
~ CIfFiCE OF THE. SECI'!ETARV 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
10 
JUt 12 AS :31 
SENATE 
s.B.1118 
Introduced by Senator Manny Villar 
AN ACT 
TO INTEGRATE A COMPUTER EDUCATION PROGRAM 
INTO THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State to 
promote functional computer literacy in all schools, at the earliest possible stage, and in 
a manner that is most efficient and effective in producing a population that is highly 
skilled in the creation, use and manipulation of computer software. In this regard, private 
sector initiative and participation shall always be encouraged to achieve this policy 
objective. 
SEC. 2. Board on Computer Education; Creation Power and Functions. -A 
Board on Computer Education, hereafter referred to as Board, is hereby created to 
implement the provision of this Act and for this purpose shall have the following powers 
and shall exercise the following functions: 
(a) 
supervise the accreditation of the computer schools which will participate in 
the program; 
(b) 
assess and provide for 'the necessary training of the personnel of computer 
schools on methods of teaching; 
(c) prepare the curriculum for computer-aided logic math and science education 
in the elementary level; 
(d) monitor the performance of the computer schools; 
(e) evaluate the abilities of the students enrolled in the program; 
(f) 
issue and implement all rules and regulations provided for in this Act; and 
(g) exercise all other powers and functions which may be necessary to carry out 
the proviSions of this Act 
SEC. 3. Board Composition - The Board shall be composed of the following 
Members: 
(a) 
One (1) representative from the Department of Education (DepEd) to be 
nominated by the Secretary of DepEd; 
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(b) 
One (1) representative from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) 
to be nominated by the CHED Chairman; 
(c) 
One (1) representative from the Department of Science and Technology to 
be nominated by the Secretary of Department of Science and Technology; 
(d) 
One (1) representative from the duly accredited professional organizations 
of computer programmers and system analysts to be nominated by the 
recognized leadership of these organizations; 
(e) 
One (1) representative from the National Economic Development Authority, 
to be nominated by the Secretary-General of the National Economic 
Development Authority; • 
The representative from DepEd shall serve as the Chairman of the Board. 
The Chairman and the Members shall be appointed by the President of the 
Republic of the Philippines for a term of five (5) years and shall have the rank and 
compensation of a Bureau Director. 
SEC. 4. Promotion of the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Scheme and other 
Similar Arrangements. -The provision of Republic Act No. 6957, as amended, shall be 
applied to the construction, operation and servicing of computer education and its 
facilities: Provided, That any contractual arrangement that will be utilized for this 
purpose shall additionally provide for the following: 
(a) A training program for teachers not only on computer literacy but also on the 
maintenance and servicing of computer education facilities; and 
(b) An apprenticeship program for the interested students of the public school 
being serviced whereby they may be employed as apprentices for the 
education component of for the facilities maintenance component of 
computer education. 
The build-operate-transfer arrangement or a.ny other similar arrangements 
provided for in Republic Act No. 6957, as amended, may be bidded out and awarded at 
the school district level, in accordance with the implementing rules and regulations to be 
issued by the Board. 
SEC. 5. Institutionalization of the Voucher System for Specialized 
Computer Education in the Nineteen (19) Poorest Provinces. - In addition, to 
whatever contractual arrangements which may be utilized under the provisions of 
Section 4 hereof, there shall be created a voucher system for specialized computer 
education in the country's nineteen (19) poorest provinces whereby each of these 
provinces shall be given the amount of Five Million Pesos (Php 5,000,000.00) each year 
from the annual budget allocated for the implementation of the specialized computer 
education program, or such amount as may be later provided by the law, to enroll in a 
computer school of his or her choice, to finish advanced and specialized computer 
courses such as, but not limited to, advanced programming, computer aided design, 
hardware design, networking, or such other courses that may be identified by the Board. 
Each student shall be entitled to only one voucher. The Board shall issue the 
implementing rules and regUlations to ensure that the students do not enroll in more 
than one school, or that enrollment figures reflect actual enrollment. Student found guilty 
of violating this one-voucher-per-student rule shall be subject to the penalties provided 
hereunder. 
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SEC. 6. Accreditation of Computer Education Service Providers.- All entities 
shall participate in the activities described in Sections 4 and 5 hereof must be 
accredited by the Board as bona fide participants. The accreditation must be renewed 
for every. period of not less than one year but not more than five years. Accreditation 
shall be based on the following criteria: 
(a) The curriculum meets the standards provided for by the Board; 
(b) The quality of the computers and other peripherals to be provided and other 
physical infrastructure to be built, operated or used which must ensure quality 
of education and minimum health and safety standards; 
(c) The capability of the service provided instructors. The Board will issue 
minimum standards for evaluating teaching ability; and 
(d) With respect to renewal applications, the performance of the students on 
performance measures to be designed by the Board. 
SEC. 7. 
Curriculum of Publicity-funded Computer Education. -
The 
computer literacy program acknowl~dges the vital participation of the private sector in 
the scheme, but the curriculum shall be prepared by the Board. 
The curriculum should make use of computer-assisted education to teach 
elementary stUdents the basic courses of math, science and logic. These courses will 
prepare the student for the demands of computer programming and system analysis, as 
well as strengthen the learning student receives from the formal education system. 
The Board will also prepare the curriculum for computer programming and 
popular software utilization, which will be taught at the high school level. 
• 
SEC. 8. Monitoring and Incentive on Performance. - Monitoring of the 
program shall be done to maintain the quality of education being given to the students. 
·Performances measures shall include, but not limited to the following: 
(a) periodic renewal accreditation or license to operate; 
(b) testing; 
(c) national competitions; and 
(d) unannounced visits to participating schools. 
The Board shall formulate or commission the formulation of a performance index 
which will be used in assessing the performance of the participating schools. The latest 
result of the evaluation of all schools shall be published before the start of every school 
year. 
The Board shall formulate a system of rewards and incentives to promote 
excellence among the service providers. 
SEC. 9. Tax-free Importation of Computer Hardware and Software. - All 
entities who have been accredited. or who have obtained contracts as participants in 
the activities provided for in Sections 4 and 5 hereof shall be given fiscal incentives. 
These incentives shall include the tax-free importation of all computer hardware, 
software, peripherals and documentary materials. However, these incentives shall last 
for a period of not more ten years from the effectivity of this Act. 
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The Board shall issue the implementing rules and regulations for the availment of 
the incentives described herein. 
SEC. 10. Phased Implementation. - The computer education program shall be 
implemented in phases to ensure that program and infrastructure requirements shall be 
met, to prepare the private sector for the demand for computer schools and equipment, 
and to prime-up the local demand for computer-literate workers. 
, 
The implementations shall be done in accordance with the following objectives: 
(a) the graduation, one year from the effectivity of this Act, of a corps of high 
school students who can manipulate the most popular computer application 
programs in the areas of word processing, database encoding and 
spreadsheets; 
(b) the graduation, three years from the effectivity of this Act, of a corps of high 
school students who are not only literate in the applications described in 
paragraph (a) herein, but also in the basic programming and system analysis; 
and 
(c) the immediate use of computer-aided education which will compliment the 
academic instructions in math, science and logic. 
SEC. 11. Community Linkage. - Other software and computer programming 
may be taught by the schools and service providers under community link-up system 
whereby additional training on the use of special software can be paid for by interested 
business or manufacturing firms in the community. The business community will also be 
encouraged to expand and update their manufacturing procedures to achieve efficiency 
through computerization or computer-controlled processes. 
SEC. 12. Budget and Funding. - An initial of One Hundred Million Pesos 
(P1 00,000,000.00) to be disbursed from the earnings of the lotteries conducted by the 
Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office is hereby appropriated for the payment of the 
services to be provided under Sections 4 and 5 of this Act as well as for the expenses 
related to the establishment and operation of the Board. Thereafter, the necessary for 
the continuous implementation of this Act shall be included in the yearly General 
Appropriations Act. 
The administrative expenses related to the implementation of this Act shall be 
both more than three percent (3%) of the annual appropriations for this Computer 
Education Program. 
SEC. 13. Penalties. -Any person found guilty of violating the provisions of 
Section 5 hereof shall be meted the following penalties: 
(a) The student shall pay ,the full cost of tuition, with interest thereon. The 
payment may be in cash or in its equivalent in terms of community service. 
(b) The accreditation of the service providers found guilty of padding their 
enrollment figures, or for knowingly permitting a student to violate the 
provisions of Section 5 hereof, without prejudice to the payment of twice the 
amount of reimbursement resulting from the padded enrollment as fine. 
SEC. 14. Rules and Regulations. - Within forty-five (45) days from the effectivity 
of this Act, the Board shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the 
effective implementation of this Act. 
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SEC. 15. Separability Clause. - In the event that any provisions of this Act is 
declared unconstitutional, the validity of the other provisions shall not be affected by 
such declaration. 
SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, or 
portions thereof, inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 17. Effectivity. - This' act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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