FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article XIV, Section 1 provides: 
Section 1. The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to 
quality to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make 
such education accessible to all. 
Reading is a fundamental skill for learning. Students who are not reading at grade-level 
are very unlikely to graduate from high school, while those who do are likely to succeed in life. 
Parents are the best first teachers. Parents can help increase their children's reading 
levels, for example, by reading with their child thirty minutes a day. Evidence shows that greater 
parental support of children's literacy success makes a significant difference. One-on-one 
tutoring is a key component of bringing students up to reading at grade-level. 
Family involvement is widely recognized to improve student performance. By preparing 
children to learn through their active involvement, parents get to play a crucial role in preventing 
students from falling behind. With proper support and teaching, all children can learn to read at 
grade-level by the end of the third grade. 
The purpose of this bill is to support effective programs that provide assistance to parents 
who want to help their children become successful readers.* 
*This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
S. B. No. 127 
~~ 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS, THAT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO PARENTS 
WHO WANT TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN BECOME SUCCESSFUL READERS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This subsection shall be known as the “Parents as First 
Teachers Challenge Grant Act.” 
SECTION 2. Purpose. - The purpose of this Act is to support effective and proven 
efforts that provide assistance to parents who want to help their children become successful 
readers by the end of the third grade. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. -For the purpose of this Act, the term: 
(A) “Eligible child” means an individual eligible to attend preschool, kindergarten, or 
first, second, or third grade; and 
(B) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Education. 
SECTION 4. Grants for National or Regional Networks. - The Secretary is authorized to 
award at least two (2) grants to non-profit community groups or organizations, or consortia 
thereof per region, to enable such agencies, groups, organizations, or consortia to create 
successful programs or activities that help a parent - 
(A) Be a good teacher to the parent’s eligible child; and 
(B) Assist the parent’s eligible child in attaining reading skills while assisting the eligible 
child to learn to read. 
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SECTION 5. Recipient Criteria. - In order to receive a grant under section 4, a group, 
organization, or consortium shall establish a training institute and comprehensive counseling 
program, where such group, organization or consortium will. work with parents to improve their 
eligible children’s reading. 
SECTION 6. Applications. - 
(A) In General. - Each entity desiring a grant under this Act shall submit an application 
to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the 
Secretary may require. 
(B) Applications for Grants for National or Regional Networks. - Each application 
submitted for a grant under Section 4 shall- 
(1) Demonstrate the likelihood that the proposed program or activity will have a 
substantial regional or national impact; 
(2) Demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of the proposed program or activity; and 
(3) Describe how the proposed activity will be coordinated with private sector 
programs and activities, and government programs and activities that provide 
support for parents of eligible children. 
(C) Applications for Grants for Successful Programs or Activities. - Each application 
submitted under paragraph (A) for a grant under paragraph (B) shall- 
(1) Describe a program or activity that is capable of successful expansion or 
replication; 
(2) Contain evidence of community support for the proposed program or activity 
from the private sector, a school, and another entity; 
(3) Contain information demonstrating the cost-effectiveness of the proposed 
program or activity; and 
(4) Provide an assurance that the applicant will coordinate the proposed program 
or activity with government programs and activities that provide support for 
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parents of eligible children. 
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SECTION 7. Authorization of Appropriations. - 
(A) Appropriations. - There shall be appropriated an amount of Twenty Five Million 
Pesos (P 25,000,000.00) to carry out the provision of this Act during the fiscal year in which the 
same is enacted into law, as well as for each succeeding fiscal year thereafter. 
(B) Entitlement. - Subject to paragraph (A), each entity receiving a grant under this Act 
for a fiscal year shall be entitled to payments for such a year under the grant. 
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent 
with, the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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