S.B. NO. 790 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr, 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The first three months of the school year, June, July and August, are the peak 
periods for typhoons in the country. Thus, it has become impractical and unwise to 
commence the school year during the typhoon season as students, parents and school 
authorities have to deal with floods, landslides, diseases, lack of transportation, and 
damaged school buildings. In the urban and metropolitan areas, traffic congestion 
becomes worse with the onset of the rainy season due to floods and bad road conditions. 
Also, in flood-prone areas, school buildings are used as evacuation centers. These 
facilities can be better put to use if they are not being utilized as classrooms and are ready 
and properly equipped for such emergency measures during the height of the rainy 
season. 
This bill proposes the revision of the school calendar by transferring the 
commencement of the school year from June to September. By moving the school 
opening to September or about 3 months later, the country will avoid inconvenience and 
needless damage to life and property. In fact, the country can expect to realize untold 
savings in life and limb, man hours, health costs, and fuel, among others, with such 
proposal. School authorities but also the government and the economy. 
Revising the school calendar would benefit not only students, parents and 
Immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 


14"' CONGRESS OF THE 
1 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
S.B. NO. 790 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
AN ACT 
REVISING THE SCHOOL CALENDAR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE 
SECTION 24, CHAPTER 9, TITLE VI, BOOK IV OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 
22, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF 1987" 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assem bled: 
SECTION 1. School Calendar of Elementary and Secondary Levels. - Section 24, 
Chapter 9, Title VI, Book IV of Executive Order No. 292 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
"SEC. 24. School Year, - (1) The school year for public and private schools shall 
consist of not less than forty (40) weeks for the elementary and secondary levels 
[and thirty-six (36) weeks for the college level or eighteen (18) weeks a semester]. 
(2) The opening date shall be fixed by the Secretary, but it shall not be earlier than 
the first day of [June] SEPTEMBER nor later than the last day of [July] 
OCTOBER of each year unless prevented by fortuitous events. 
xxx xxx xxx" 
SECTION 2. School Calendar of Higher Education or Post-Secondagj Level. - 
The school year for higher education or post-secondary level shall commence on the first 
week of September and shall continue for thirty-six (36) weeks or eighteen (18) weeks a 
semester. 
SECTION 3. Rules and Regulations. - Within thirty (30) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher 
Education respectively shall issue and publish the necessary rules and regulations to 
implement the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 4. Separability Clause, - If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, such sections or parts not affected thereby shall remain in full 
force and effect. 
SECTION 5. Repealing Clause, - All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, 
presidential proclamations, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the 
provisiom of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect tifieen (15) days afier 
its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of 
general circulation. 
Approved,