Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
 ESTABLISHING PUBLIC BASIC EDUCATION SCHOOLS IN 
GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED AND DISADVANTAGED AND CONFLICT-
AFFECTED AREAS, PROVIDING ACCESS ROADS LEADING TO LAST MILE 
SCHOOLS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Section 1, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution mandates the State to 
protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and 
to take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all. Yet despite 
significant strides in education reform and infrastructure development, many 
Filipino learners—especially those in geographically isolated, disadvantaged, and 
conflict-affected areas (GIDCA)—continue to be left behind.  
In 2023, the Department of Education (DepEd) identified about 2,000 
“Last Mile Schools” across the country. These  schools, often located in far-flung 
barangays, cater to learners in areas with poor access to roads, electricity, 
internet connectivity, and adequate classrooms, Many operate with less than 
four teachers, use makeshift learning spaces and serve communities with 
predominantly Indigenous Peoples (IP) populations. In some cases, students 
must walk more than two hours just to reach school—conditions that discourage 
attendance and compromise learning outcomes.  
The gaps are reflected in national learning assessments. The 2023 
Southeast Asian Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) revealed that only 1 in every 10 
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grade 5 students in the country achieved proficiency in reading, while barely 
17% met minimum expectations in mathematics. Meanwhile, EDCOM II (Second 
Congressional Commission on Education) reported in the same year that the 
Philippine education system is deep crisis, particularly in terms of equity. The 
report emphasizes the urgency of investing in rural and marginalized areas to 
ensure inclusive learning and break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. 
 
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that more than 4 million 
Filipinos aged 5 and older have not completed any grade level—underscoring 
how physical inaccessibility and lack of resources continue to hinder educational 
attainment in remote areas.  
 
This proposed measure seeks to address these structural inequities by 
institutionalizing the establishment of Last Mile Schools, defined as public 
education institutions located in underserved and remote areas, especially those 
with large Indigenous Peoples population. In addition to constructing schools, 
this bill mandates the creation of access roads, electrification, and digital 
infrastructure, ensuring that education is not only available but also accessible 
and relevant.  
 
The bill also ensures full recognition of the Indigenous Cultural 
Communities, as stipulated in the Indigenous People’s Rights Act of 1997 (RA 
8371), by embedding cultural sensitivity in the establishment and operation of 
these schools. 
 
It is worth noting that this version of the measure was already passed on  
Third Reading during the9th Congress and was duly submitted to the Senate. 
The re-filing reaffirms the State’s commitment to realizing equitable, inclusive 
and accessible education for every Filipino, particularly the most underserved. 
  
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REP. PM VARGAS 
Fifth District, Quezon City 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
 ESTABLISHING PUBLIC BASIC EDUCATION SCHOOLS IN 
GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED AND DISADVANTAGED AND CONFLICT-
AFFECTED AREAS, PROVIDING ACCESS ROADS LEADING TO LAST MILE 
SCHOOLS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress Assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Last Mile Schools 
Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the State 
to promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels, and take 
appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all. 
The State recognizes and promotes the rights of Indigenous Cultural 
Communities within the framework of national unity and development. To this 
end, the State shall recognize the right of indigenous families and communities 
to retain shared responsibility for the upbringing, training, education, and well-
being of their children, consistent with the rights of the child. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act: 
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a. Basic education refers to the intended basic learning needs that provide 
the foundation on which subsequent learning can be based. It includes 
kindergarten, elementary, and secondary education as well as alternative 
learning systems for out-of-school learners and those with special needs; 
 
b. Basic Education School refers to learning institutions accredited by the 
Department of Education (DepEd) to deliver services addressing the 
intended basic learning needs of students; 
 
c. Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICC)/ Indigenous Peoples (IPs) refer to 
the same definition stated in Section 3h, Chapter 2 of Republic Act No. 
8371, or ‘The Indigenous People’s Rights Act of 1997”, which describes it 
as “a group of people or homogenous societies identified by self-ascription 
by others, who have continuously lived as organized community or 
communally bounded and defined territory, and who have, under claims 
of ownership since time immemorial, occupied, possessed and utilized 
such territories, sharing common bonds of language, customs, traditions 
and other distinctive cultural traits, or who have, through resistance to 
political, social and cultural inroad of colonization, non-indigenous 
religions and cultures, became historically differentiated from the majority 
of Filipinos. ICC/IPs shall likewise include peoples who are regarded as 
indigenous on account of their descent from the populations which 
inhabited the country, at the time of conquest or colonization, or at the 
time of inroads of non-indigenous religions and cultures, or the 
establishment of present state boundaries, who retain  some or all of their 
own social, economic, cultural and political institutions, but who may have 
been displaced from their traditional domains or who may have resettled 
outside their ancestral domains”, and 
 
d. Last Mile Schools refer to public basic education schools with gaps in 
resources and facilities which are located in geographically isolated and 
disadvantages and conflict-affected areas (GIDCA).  
 
SECTION 4. Establishment of Last Mile Schools. – The Last Mile Schools are 
hereby established, under the administration of the DepEd, to cater to the basic 
education of learners throughout the country’s GIDCA. 
 
 
The establishment of Last Mile Schools in locations situated by the ICC’s 
shall be undertaken in consideration of the rights of the IPs, in accordance with 
Republic Act No. 8371. 


 
SECTION 5. Access to Education. – The DepEd shall collaborate with the 
concerned government agencies for the delivery of the infrastructures necessary 
to ensure  access to education in the Last Mile Schools, namely: 
 
a. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), for the construction 
of access roads leading to the location of Last Mile Schools; 
b. Department of Energy (DOE) and National Electrification Administration 
(NEA), for the installation of electricity; and 
c. Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), for 
the installation of information and communications technology. 
 
SECTION 6. Criteria. – The indicators used in identifying a pubic school to be 
included in the Last Mile Schools are the following:  
 
a. Having fewer than four (4) classrooms; 
b. With makeshift or nonstandard rooms; 
c. Absence of or irregular electricity; 
d. Have not been allocated funds for repairs or new construction projects in 
the last four (4) years unless destroyed; 
e. With travel distance of more than one hour from the center of a city or 
municipality, or with difficulty of terrain or of such nature as to be 
considered difficulty of access to existing educational institutions; 
f. Having multigrade classes or rooms; 
g. With less than five (5) teachers; 
h. Having a student population of less than one hundred (100) learners; 
i. With at least seventy-five percent (75%) IP learners; and  
j. Having such other circumstances that make it difficult for learners to 
access school facilities. 
 
SECTION 7. Implementation. – The school building program for the Last Mile 
Schools shall be established and completed within a period of five (5) years after 
the effective date of this Act. 
 
 
To facilitate synchronicity, harmony, and complementarity of plans, 
resources, and efforts of both the national government and the local government 
units (LGUs) towards the attainment of the objectives of this Act, the DepEd shall 
plan and implement the programs, projects, and activities that address the needs 
of the Last Mile Schools, in coordination and collaboration with the National 
Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), DPWH,  DICT, DOE, NEA, 


Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of 
Environment and National Resources (DENR), National Disaster Risk Reduction 
and Management Council (NDRRMC), and concerned LGUs. 
 
SECTION 8. Appropriations. – The funds needed for the implementation of this 
Act shall be included in the budgets of the concerned Departments, agencies and 
Government-owned 
Controlled 
Corporations 
in 
the 
annual 
General 
Appropriations Act. 
 
SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within ninety (90) days 
from the approval of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall, in consultation 
with the NCIP, DPWH, DOE, NEA, DSWD, DENR, NDRRMS, and Union of Local 
Authorities of the Philippines, formulate the rules and regulations implementing 
the provisions of this Act. 
 
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the 
other provisions hereof. 
 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 9. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,