Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. _5949

Introduced by Hon. MUJIV S. HATAMAN of the Lone District of Basilan and
Hon. AMIHILDA J. SANGCOPAN of Anak Mindanao (AMIN) Party-List

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to include human rights and peace education subjects in the
junior and senior curricula of all private and public secondary schools.

Sections 5 and 11 of Article II of the Constitution state that:

“Section 5. The maintenance of peace and order, the
protection of life, liberty, and property, and the promotion of the
general welfare are essential for the enjoyment by all the people of
the blessings of democracy.”

xxx Boag xx

“Section 11. The State values the dignity of every human
person and guarantees full respect for human rights."

Human rights refer to the supreme and inalienable rights to life, dignity and
self-development, which are inherent to all human beings from birth until death.
These rights include the right to civil and political rights, the right to life and
liberty, freedom of thought and expression, equality before the law, social,
cultural and economic rights, the right to food, the right to work and the right to
education. On the other hand, peace education refers to the process of acquiring


the values and knowledge, and developing the attitudes, skills and behaviours to
live in harmony with oneself, with others and with the natural environment.

Human rights and peace education are popular issues among organizations
and government agencies that recognize the importance of the subjects and the
need to include them in the school curriculum. The youth, who are in their early
and critical stages of their growth and development as human beings, should be
made aware of their human rights and responsibilities. Likewise, it is also
important that at an early stage, the value of peace, tolerance and respect for
differences of peoples and cultures are instilled among children and youth.

Executive Order No. 27, Series of 1986, entitled “Education to Maximize
Respect for Human Rights,” was issued by President Corazon C. Aquino on July
4, 1986, mandating the Department of Education to include the study and
understanding of human rights in the curricula of all levels of education and
training in all schools in the country. Also, Executive Order No. 570, Series of
2006, entitled “/nstitutionalizing Peace Education in Basic Education and
Teacher Education,” was issued by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on
September 26, 2006, allowing the Department of Education to actively promote
the culture of peace in the education system by incorporating peace education
concepts, skills and values in the learning content of basic education.

This proposed bill mandates the inclusion of human rights and peace
education subjects in the junior and senior curricula of all public and private
secondary schools to make students gain greater respect for human rights, and
promote a culture of peace by building and nurturing a climate conducive to peace
through peace advocacy and peace education programs.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. pee

Introduced by Hon. MUJIV S. HATAMAN of the Lone District of Basilan and
Hon. AMIHILDA J. SANGCOPAN of Anak Mindanao (AMIN) Party-List

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE INCLUSION OF SUBJECTS ON HUMAN
RIGHTS AND PEACE EDUCATION IN THE JUNIOR AND SENIOR
CURRICULA OF ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECONDARY
SCHOOLS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. All public and private secondary schools are hereby
mandated to include the subjects on human rights and peace education in the
junior and senior curricula to inculcate in the students the importance of human
rights, the concepts of peace and the value of promoting and strengthening the
culture of peace.

For purposes of this Act, human rights refer to rights inherent to all human
beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or status,
including the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom

of opinion and expression, and the right to work and education. Peace


education refers to the process of acquiring values and knowledge, developing
attitudes, skills and behaviors, and living in harmony with oneself, with others
and with the natural environment.

SEC. 2. The Department of Education shall adopt the course content
standards for the subjects on human rights and peace education which include the
following: (a) human rights and peace education; (b) programs and projects to
provide venues for information and discussion of human rights and peace
education including the utilization of informal education and other means; and
(c) international conventions, agreements, declarations or covenants on human
rights and peace education which were ratified by the Philippines.

SEC. 3. The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be
charged to the current appropriations for the Department of Education.
Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for its continued implementation shall
be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 4. Within ninety (90) days from the approval of this Act, the
Secretary of Education shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the
effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,