FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session 
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SENATE 
S.B. No. 3432 
9 
SEP -9 P J :52 
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR ALAN PETER "COMPANERO" S. CAYETANO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The importance of education as the great equalizer, creating and equalizing 
opportunities for men and women, is beyond debate. Education is also a formidable tool 
towards enlightenment and greater national productivity. Despite this being common 
knowledge, it is disheartening to know that in a presentation made by the Department of 
Education (DepEd) itself in 2008, that for every 100 students that enter Grade I, only 
around 68 will finish Grade VI, only 48 will finish high school, and of the original 100, 
only 17 will finish college. Data from the National Statistics and Coordination Board 
(NSCB) show that 1 in 6 school-age children is being deprived of access to education -
and the number is increasing. 
Data from the Department of Education (DepEd), as cited by the Alternative 
Budget Initiative (ABI) group says that for school-year 2006-2007, the elementary 
achievement rate was only at 59.94 percent. High school achievement rate was lower at 
46.64 percent. No doubt, these ratings fall short of the desirable level. The Philippines 
also ranked 101s\ of 125 countries in education quality using survival rate as proxy 
indicator. This means that at such level, we fared no better than the poorest countries in 
Asia and Africa such as Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and Myanmar -- an alarming wake up 
call on the state of education in our country. 
It is with the foregoing context that this bill seeks to strengthen the literacy 
programs nationwide by enhancing the powers and functions, network, as well as staff 
and budgetary support of the Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC), and encouraging 
wider and stronger partnership between the Council and the local government units, 
non-governmental organizations, and other institutions that may significantly contribute 
in addressing literacy needs in the country. 
The LCC was established in November 1991 through the enactment of Republic 
Act No. 7165. The LCC is mandated as a policy-making and advisory inter-agency body 
composed of representations from the Department of Education (DepEd), Department 
of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the National Economic and Development 
Authority (NEDA), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Philippine Normal University 
(PNU), the Philippine Senate, House of Representatives and representatives from non-
government organizations. The crEjation of the LCC was envisioned to advance the 
country's commitment toward the universalization of literacy. For its almost two decades 
of existence, the LCC has brought to the level of the local communities and the greater 
number of people's and non-government organizations the national government's 
aspiration to reduce illiteracy, consistent with the mandate of the Constitution, the 


UNESCO Declaration on the elimination of illiteracy, and the Millennium Development 
Goals (MDGs) to increase the country's literacy rate by 50% by year 2015. 
Like any law, however, Republic Act No. 7165 is not perfect and may be 
improved to respond to current needs and demands. The steadily increasing student 
population, the increasing number of unreached school-age population as well as the 
out-of-school youth, and even the need to respond to adult literacy concerns may be 
addressed through a coordinated and cooperative effort of the LCC through the 
leadership of the DepEd and DILG, in close partnership with local government units and 
various NGOs and peoples' organizations (POs). All these are meant to complement 
the efforts of the DepEd through' the public elementary and secondary schools 
nationwide. 
With a strengthened and well-coordinated literacy program nationwide, we pray 
that someday the promise of being emancipated from ignorance and poverty will be 
achieved in every corner of our country. That day will pave the way towards greater 
national productivity, and a sustained national development. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
~ 
-=<--. 
SENATOR ALAN PETER "COMPANERO" S. CAYETANO 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session 
SENATE 
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S. B. No. 
3432 
,;,.' J r:-: 
9 
SEP -9 [):3:'12 
~ 
.... 
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR ALAN PETER "COMPANERO" S. CAYETANO 
AN ACT 
STRENGTHENING 
LITERACY 
PROGRAMS 
NATIONWIDE 
BY 
AMENDING 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7165, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 'AN ACT CREATING THE 
LITERACY COORDINATING COUNCIL, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES' 
Be it enaqted by the Senate and ttle House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 1 of RA No. 7165 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
. 
"SECTION 1. DECLARA nON OF POLICY. - It [is] SHALL BE the policy of the 
State to give the highest priority [for the total eradication of illiteracy.] TO THE 
UNIVERSALIZATION OF LITERACY. 
"TOWARD THIS END [For this purpose], it shall encourage and rationalize the 
formulation of policies and the implementation of programs on [nonformal, 
informal and] FORMAL AND ALTERNATIVE learning systems. [,as well as 
self-learning, independent, and out-of-school study programs particularly 
those that respond to community needs.]" 
THE 
STATE 
SHALL 
INSTITUTIONALIZE 
AN 
INTER-AGENCY 
COORDINATING 
AND 
ADVISORY 
BODY 
TO 
SYNCHRONIZE 
AND 
STRENGTHEN 
POLICIES 
AND 
EFFORTS 
TOWARD 
THE 
UNIVEHSALIZATION OF LITERACY. 
SEC. 2. A new Section 3 is hereby inserted to read as follows: 
SEC. 3. DEFINITION OF TERMS. - FOR PURPOSES OF THIS ACT, THE 
FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL MEAN: 
A) ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM (ALS) -- IS A PARALLEL LEARNING 
SYSTEM TO PROVIDE A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO THE EXISTING 
FOF\MAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTION. IT ENCOMPASSES BOTH THE 
NON-FORMAL AND INFORMAL SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE AND 
SKILLS; 
B) BASIC LITERACY - IS THE ABILITY OF A PERSON TO READ AND WRITE 
WITH UNDERSTANDING AND SIMPLE MESSAGE IN ANY LANGUAGE OR 
DIALECT; 


C) COUNCIL -
REFERS TO THE LITERACY COORDINATING COUNCIL 
CREATED UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7165; 
D) FORMAL EDUCATION (FE) -
IS THE SYSTEMATIC AND DELIBERATE 
PROCESS OF HIERARCHICALLY STRUCTURED AND SEQUENTIAL 
LEARNING 
CORRESPONDING TO THE GENERAL CONCEPT OF 
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING. AT THE END 
OF EACH LEVEL, THE LEARNER NEEDS A CERTIFICATION IN ORDER 
TO ENTER OR ADVANCE TO THE NEXT LEVEL; 
E) INFORMAL EDUCA TlON (IE) - IS A LIFELONG PROCESS OF LEARNING 
BY 
WHICH 
EVERY 
PERSON 
ACQUIRES 
AND 
ACCUMULATES 
KNOWLEDGE, 
SKILLS, ATTITUDES AND 
INSIGHTS FROM 
DAILY 
EXPERIENCES AT HOME, AT WORK, AT PLAY AND FROM LIFE ITSELF; 
F) NON·FORMAL EDUCATION (NFE) - IS ANY ORGANIZED, SYSTEMATIC 
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY CARRIED OUTSIDE THE FRAMEWORK OF 
THE FORMAL EDUCATION SYSTEM TO PROVIDE SELECTED TYPES OF 
LEARNING TO A SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION; AND 
G) UNIVERSALIZATION OF LITERACY·· REFERS TO THE PROCESS OF 
MAKING A TARGET POPULATION LITERATE. 
SEC. 3. Section 3 of R.A. No. 7165 is hereby aml~nded to read as follows: 
"SEC. [3] 4. COMPOSITION. -
The Council shall be composed of THE 
FOLLOWING MEMBERS [eight (8) members as follows: the Undersecretary for 
Nonformal Education of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports; The 
Undersecretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government in 
charge of Local Governments; the Director of the Philippine Information Agency; 
the President of the Philippine Normal College; a representative from the 
National Economic and Development Authority 
designated by the Director-
General; a representative of the Committee on Education and Cultum of the 
Senate to be designated by the President of the Senate; a representative of the 
Committee on Education and Culture of the House of Representatives to be 
designated· by the Speaker, and the representative of non-government 
organizations involved in literacy education who shall be appointed by the 
President of the Philippines for a period of three (3) years.]: 
1) THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DEPED), AS 
THE CHAIRMAN WHO MAY DESIGNATE AN UNDERSECRETARY AS HIS 
PERMANENT 
REPRESENTATIVE; 
2) THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR AND LOCAL 
GOVERNMENT (DILG) OR HIS DULY AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE; 
3) THE CHAIRMAN OF TI-IE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION 
(CHED), OR HIS DULY DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE; 
4) THE DiRECTOR-GENERAL, TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS 
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (TESDA), OR HIS DULY DESIGNATED 
REPRESENTATIVE; 
5) THE DIRECTOR·GENE~AL OF THE PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY 
(PIA) OR HIS DULY DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE; 


6) THE 
DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE 
NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND 
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (NEDA) OR HIS DULY DESIGNATED 
REPRESENTATIVE; 
7) THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, ARTS AND 
CULTURE 
OF 
THE. SENATE 
OR 
HIS 
DULY 
DESIGNATED 
REPRESENTATIVE; 
8) THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON BASIC EDUCATION AND 
CULTURE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OR HIS DULY 
DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE; AND 
9) A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE NETWORK OF NON-GOVERNMENT 
ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN THE PROPAGATION OF LITERACY. 
THE COUNCIL SHALL APPROVE AND CONFIRM THE APPOINTMENT 
OF REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE NGOs. FOR THIS PURPOSE, 
GUIDELINES 
FOR 
THE 
APPOINTMENT 
OF 
SUCH 
NGO 
REPRESENTATIVE SHALL BE PROMULGATED BY THE COUNCIL. 
SAID REPRESENTATIVE SHALL SERVE FOR A PERIOD OF THREE (3) 
YEARS, SUBJECT TO A REAPPOINTMENT. 
[The members of the Council shall annually elect a Chairman from among 
themselves except the two (2) representatives of Congress.] 
"The Council shall meet mgularly [once a month] and may hold special 
meetings to consider urgent matters upon the call of the Chairperson or any 
three Council members." 
SEC. 4. A new section 5 is hereby inserted to read as follows: 
SEC. 5. POWERS OF THE DULY DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVES. -
DULY 
DESIGNATED 
REPRESENTATIVES 
TO 
THE 
LITERACY 
COORDINATING COUNCIL SHALL BE AFFORDED EQUAL OPPORTUNITY 
TO VOTE AND PARTICIPATE IN ANY DELIBERATION DURING MEETINGS 
OF THE COUNCIL. 
LIKEWISE, THEY SHALL BE AFFORDED, WHENEVER NECESSARY, 
REIMBURSEMENT OF ANY ACTUAL EXPENSES INCURRED DURING LCC-
RELATED FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES, SUB.IECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF 
EXISTING LAW ANDIOR PERTINENT RULES AND REGULATIONS. 
SEC. 5. Section 4 of RA No. 7165' is hereby amended to read as follows: 
"SEC.[4] 6. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNCIL. - The Council 
shall have the following POWERS AND functions: 
1. [To help] Act as the overall advisory and coordinating body, providing policy 
and program directions for all LITERACY endeavors in the country; 
2. ENJOIN THE SERVICES, EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES, INCLUDING 
BUT NOT LIMITED TO, COOPERATION, ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT OF 
APPROPRIATE GOVERNMENT AGENCIE:S OR NON-GOVERNMENTAL 
ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN LITERACY; 


[2] 3. [To] Recommend strategies on the development of a mass movement for 
the PROMOTION OF LIFE SKILLS AND EDUCATION TOWARDS THE [total 
eradication of illiteracy in the country by the year 2000] UNIVERSALIZATION OF 
LITERACY; 
[3] 4. [To] Formulate measures on MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF THE 
LITERACY SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING the establishment and 
maintenance of a national data bank and 
information exchange and 
dissemination system to support literacy development efforts at the national and 
local levels; 
[4] 5. [To] Assist in identifying successful management schemes of literacy 
programs, and adopt measures to boost research and development work in 
literacy, by government agencies, and non-governmental organizations, involve 
in literacy work; 
6. [To recommend ways and means of raising funds in order to support the] 
FORMULATE POLICIES TOWARDS MAXIMIZING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 
SECTOR SUPPORT AND INVOLVEMENT ON literacy programs, projects and 
activities; 
7. [To recommend] PROPOSE measures on how to organize and strengthen 
support structures for literacy 'at the regional, PROVINCIAL and local levels; and, 
8. 
THE: 
COUNCIL 
SHALL HAVE 
THE 
AUTHORITY 
TO 
PROVIDE 
COUNTERPART FUNDING FOR LITERACY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS OF 
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS SUBJECT TO GUIDELINES THAT MAY BE 
ISSUED BY THE COUNCIL FOR THE PURPOSE. 
9. [To] Perform such other fun(;tions as may be necessary in furtherance of the 
purposes of this Act." 
SEC. 6. Section 5 of Republic Act No. 7165 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
"[SEC. 5. The Administrative and research shall be detailed from the existing 
personnel of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports without prejudice 
to the designation by the Council of such additional staff members as it may 
deem for proper discharge of its functions and responsibilities.]" 
"SEC.[!i] 7. THE COUNGIL SECRETARIAT. -
THE COUNCIL SHALL 
ORGANIZE A SECRETARIAT TO BE HEADED BY AN E:XEGUTIVE 
DIRECTOR AND SUCH OTHER SUPPORT STAFF AS MAY BE DETERMINED 
BY 
THE 
COUNCIL. 
THE 
COUNCIL 
SHALL 
DETERMINE 
THE 
SECRETARIAT'S 
STAFFING 
PATTERN, 
QUALIFICATIONS., 
DUTIES, 
RESPONSIBILITIES AND FUNCTIONS, AS WELL AS COMPENSATION AND 
CLASSIFICATION PLAN AND OTHER EXISITING CIVIL SERVICE RULES 
AND REGULATIONS." 
"The administrative and research staff shall be INITIALLY detailed from the 
existing personnel of the Department of Education [Culture and Sports] (DEPED) 
without prejudice to theiR [designation] PERMANENT APPOINTME:NT [by] TO 
the Council. THE EXISTING SI:CRETARIAT OF THE COUNCIL MAY ALSO BE 
MADE PERMANENT BY THE COUNCIL. [such additional staff members as it 
may deem necessary for the proper discharge of its functions 
and 
responsibilities. ]" 


THE AMOUNT NECESSARY FOR THE PAYMENT OF EMPLOYEES' 
SALARIES, BENEFITS AND OTHER EMOLUMENTS SHALL BE TAKEN 
FROM THE ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS AFFORDED ON THE COUNCIL' , 
PROVIDED, THAT SUCH OBLIGATIONS SHALL NOT EXCEED FORTY 
PERCENTUM (40%) OF THE TOTAL ANNUAL APPROPRIATION OF THE 
LCC. 
SEC. 7. Section 6 of Republic Act No. 7165 is hereby deleted. 
SEC. 8. Section 7 of Republic Act No. 7165 is hereby deleted: 
SEC. 9. A new section is hereby inserted to read as follows: 
SEC. 
8. AUTHORITY TO L.OCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS. -" 
Any law, 
executive order, department order, ordinance and the like, to the Gontrary 
notwithstanding, 
the 
Local 
Government Unit (LGU), 
through the 
local 
sanggunian, and/or the Local School Board as defined in the 1991 Local 
Government Code, are hereby authorized to provide funding for programs aimed 
at promoting and ensuring the universalization of literacy. 
SEC. 10. A new section is hereby inserted to read as follows: 
SEC. g" ANNUAL REPORT. -
THE COUNCIL SHALL SUBMIT TO BOTH 
HOUSES OF CONGRESS AN ANNUAL REPORT WHICH MAY INCLUDE 
AMONG OTHER THINGS, PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN AND 
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH WILL REQUIRE 
LEGISLATIVE 
ACTION TO PROMOTE AND ENSURE THE UNIVERSALIZATION OF 
LITERACY. 
' 
SEC. 11. A new section is further hereby inserted to read as follows: 
SEC. 10. IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS. - THE COUNCIL, IN 
CONSULTATION WITH THE APPROPRIATE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND 
NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS, SHALL PROMULGATE WITHIN 
SIXTY (60) DAYS THE IMPL.EMENTING RULES AND REGUL.ATIONS THAT 
SHALL. BE NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT. 
SEC. 12. Appropriations - Over and above the presEmt budget of the CounCil, an 
additional amount of FIFTY MILLION PESOS (PhP 50,000,000.00) is hereby initially 
appropriated for the to carry out the functions of the Council under this Act. Thereafter, 
the sum needed for the operation and maintenance of the Council shall be induded in 
the annual Budget of the Department of Education. 
Annually, the Council shall prepare programs and projects and activities to be 
funded through the General Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 13. Separability clause. -" If any part, Section or provision of this Act is declared 
invalid or unc:onstitutional, the other parts thereof not affected thereby shall remain 
valid, 
SEC. 14. Repealing clause. - Ali laws, acts, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
administrative orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with or contrary to the 
provisions of this Act are deemed amended, modified or repealed accordingly. 
SEC. 15. Eff~ictivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after completion of its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,