FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
7 J& .-3 A10 :I 1 
First Regular Session 
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S E N A T E  
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Senate Bill No. 
7 1 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Lack of funds has been the perennial problem in our public education 
system. The government has not been able to provide enough resources to 
support the ever increasing student population in public schools. 
As a result, the Department of Education has projected shortages in the 
public school system to reach 49,000 teachers: 24 million textbooks; 44,000 
classrooms; and 4.8 million desks. The shortage in textbooks, classrooms, and 
desks taken altogether needs at least P20 billion to eradicate. 
The present budgetary allocation of the Department of Education cannot 
address the deficiency in the public education system with almost 90 percent of 
its annual appropriation already earmarked for personal services leaving only 10 
percent of its annual budget to address the shortage. Such is the reason why our 
public education system has continued to lag behind our ASEAN neighbors. 
This bill seeks to eradicate the shortage in the public education system by 
providing for a one-time appropriation to address the deficiency. It seeks to 
create a center within the DepEd which will develop a program to eliminate the 
deficiency in classrooms, textbooks, and desks by using the most appropriate 
design and cost efficient method of building and acquiring the needed materials. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of tills bill is earnestly sought. 
Senator 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
7 
-4 .!ii. :\ 1 
First Regular Session 
1 
Senate Bill No. 671 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR A BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR REHABILITATION 
AND IMPROVEMENT, CREATING A BASIC EDUCATION REHABILITATION 
AND IMPROVEMENT FUND, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representafives in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Basic Education 
Rehabilitation and Improvement Act of 2007.“ 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the 
State to uphold the primacy of .education, accelerate social progress, and 
promote total human development. Accordingly, the State shall ensure a 
continuing level of educational rehabilitation and improvement through the 
provision of essential requirements necessary for quality education. Towards 
this end, the State shall endeavor to provide pupils and students in the public 
school system with educational facilities that are adequate, up-to date and that 
will meet the requirements for the education and training of a citizenry in a global 
and technologically enabled world. 
SEC. 3. Objective. - The objectives of this Act are: 
a) 
To eliminate the shortages in basic education inputs of classrooms, 
textbooks, and desks in our public school system; 
To improve the delivery of educational instructions necessary for 
quality education; and 
To foster an environment in school which is conducive for teaching 
and learning; 
b) 
c) 
SEC. 4. Education Rehabilitation and Improvement Center. - There is 
hereby created an Education Rehabilitation and improvement Center (ERIC) in 
the Department of Education (DepEd) which shall be headed by a Director and a 
staff appointed from among the personnel of the Department of Education. The 
ERIC shall adopt a program to resolve the shortage of classrooms, desks, and 


textbooks in the public school system. The ERIC shall perform the following 
functions: 
a) 
b) 
Develop a program to eliminate the deficiency of classrooms, 
desks, and textbooks in the public education system; 
Cause the preparation of plans and specifications for various 
models of public school buildings taking into consideration the type 
of community, functionality, and costs without sacrificing strength 
and durability, and aesthetics. 
Determine the allocation and distribution of the funds appropriated 
and authorized to be appropriated under this Act among the 
different regional, division, district, and school levels in accordance 
with guidelines to be issued by the Secretary of Education. 
Act as administrator and trustee of the Education Rehabilitation . 
and Improvement Fund as provided hereunder; 
c) 
d) 
SEC. 5. Education Rehabilitation and Improvement Fund. - There is 
hereby created a trust fund, to be known as the Education Rehabilitation and 
Improvement Fund for which the sum of Twenty Five Billion Pesos 
(P25,000,000,000.00) shall be appropriated. The total amount allocated herein 
shall be used exclusively for the construction, rehabilitation and/or repair of 
school buildingdclassrooms, the procurement of textbooks and desks pursuant 
to the program, as determined by the ERIC. 
Provided, That the primary objective in the use of any allocation under this 
act shall be to eliminate classroom, textbook, and desk shortages in the public 
school system. 
Provided, further, That all unexpended balance, after the completion of the 
work and / or procurement authorized for each fiscal year, shall at once revert to 
the National Treasury to the credit of the appropriation provided for under this act 
and shall not be withdrawn from it nor expended except for the purpose indicated 
herein. Such unexpended balance for any fiscal year shall be added to the 
appropriation for the next fiscal year and expended accordingly. 
SEC. 6. Bidding. -Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, 
funds allocated under the provisions of this Act shall be executed through public 
bidding in accordance with existing government rules and regulations. If there are 
no bidders or if the work and/or procurement can be executed at a reasonably 
lower rate than the most advantageous bid, such work and/or procurement shall 
be executed by the ERIC. 
SEC. 7. Appropriation. -The amount needed to implement this program 
shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year. 
SEC. 8. Penal Clause. - It shall be unlawful for any public officer or 
employee to allocate, distribute, or release the funds authorized under this Act in 
violation of Section Five hereof. Any public officer or employee violating any of 
the provisions of this Act shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than six 
(6)year and a fine of not more than one million pesos (PI ,000,000.00) without 


prejudice to their liability under Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and 
Corrupt Practices Act. 
SEC. 9. Separability. - If for any reason, any provision of this Act is 
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected thereby 
shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
SEC. I O .  Effectivity Clause. -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,