RECEIVED

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS,
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 366

Introduced by: REP. RAUL V. DEL MAR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Today, little noticed by educators and educational planners is the need to
stress the economic setting of education, the need to have the educational skills and
training of the young and the graduates, in these difficult times, in line with the
demands of business and industries to be competitive in the business world. One of
the realistic ways to do this is to upgrade, to raise to a higher level the English
language proficiency of Filipino students and graduates of our educational system

Indeed, the accepted view is that without English language proficiency,
without the “ability to communicate in the world of economic enterprise’, it is difficult
for a Filipino graduate to get jobs anywhere in this country and anywhere in the
world, jobs that their education deserve. English language proficiency is now the
name of the game where the Filipinos used to play in superior position. The key to
better jobs here or overseas is English, not because it is the language of foreigners
but because it is the language of research, science and technology, areas which
global business and employment is very much into

The attached bill, therefore, seeks to provide for the use of English as the
medium of instruction in pre-schools, elementary and high schools and to prescribe
the teaching in specialized English in tertiary levels of our present educational
system. The pre-school and elementary levels are crucial because the language
proficiency must start at the childhood stage, the formative years; it would be more
difficult to do so in older years.

In the tertiary level where English is already the medium of instructions, there
must be in place a program of teaching specialized English for specialized
education. This simply means that the teaching of English, both in written or oral
form, must employ or focus on the language or terminology of business and

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industries, on written and oral communications commonly used in the diverse areas
of trade and business, having in mind the Concentration or specialization of the
students, whether a diploma or degree course or a technical or vocational education

It may be stressed that this bill passed on third and final reading in the House
of Representatives during the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Congress but was not
approved by the Senate, for lack of ime upon congressional adjoumnment

'n view of all the foregoing, approval of this Bill is earnestly requested.

1

die DEL MAR


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 366

Introduced by: REP. RAUL V. DEL MAR

AN ACT
TO STRENGTHEN AND ENHANCE THE USE OF ENGLISH AS THE MEDIUM OF
INSTRUCTION IN PHILIPPINE SCHOOLS

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Strengthening and

Enhancing the Use of English as Medium of Instruction Act’.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - \t is the declared policy of the State to
provide the citizenry with the opportunities to have quality education to learn,
communicate, grow and change in the pursuit of a higher standard of life. Towards
this end, the government undertakes to align the education of the young with the
requirements and realities of business life and competitive in the global environment
by strengthening, enhancing and developing the use of the English language as the
medium of instruction in all levels of education, from the preschool to the tertiary
level.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the following terms
‘or acronyms shall refer to and/or means as hereunder defined:

(2) “Medium of Instruction (MOl)” refers to the language or dialect used in

teaching.


(b) “School Year (SY)" refers to the part of the year during which school is
in session typically from June to March

() “Parents, Teacher and Community Association (PTCA)" refers to a
group of parents and teachers organized for welfare of a school and its pupils

(@) “Regional or native language" refers to the regional language or any
dialect prevailing from June to March

(e) “Academic Subjects” refers to curricular subjects in the areas of
general education, science and technology.

SEC. 4. Medium of Instruction (MOI). - The MOI in all subjects taught shall
be as follows:

(a) English, Filipino or the regional/native language may be used as the MOI
in all subjects from preschool until Grade II

(b) English and Filipino shall be taught as separate subejcts in all levels in the
elementary and secondary.

(c) In all academic subjects in the elementary grades from Grade IV to Grade
Vi and in all levels in the secondary, the MOI shall be English.

(d) In the tertiary level, the current language policy as prescribed by the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shall be maintained.

(€) In addition to formal instruction, the use of English shall be encouraged as
language of interaction in the school. Corollary to this, the organization of English
clubs such as book, oratorical, debating, writing and related associations shall be
encouraged. In school publications, the use of English shall be given priority as far
as practicable.

SEC. 5. Government Examinations and Entrance Examinations. -
Government examinations and entrace examinations to public school and state
colleges and universities at all level shall use English as the language of
assessment: Provided, however, That it may include questions in Filipino for whcih
the credit for such questions shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the total points in
the examination.


SEC. 6. Support Facilities. - All the requirements, devices and support
facilities necessary to strengthen, enhance and develop English as the MOI such as
training and orientation for teachers, teachers’ manuals, learning modules and
workbooks, textbooks, audiovisual aids and other auxiliary teaching and learning
materials shall be formulated, developed and provided by the Department of
Education (DepED).

SEC. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DepED, in
consultation with the CHED, the Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA) and other concerned government agencies shall promulgate
within sixty (60) days the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) that shall be
necessary to implement the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 8. Congressional Oversight Committee. - There is hereby created a
congressional oversight committee composed of three Members from the Senate
and three Members from the House of Representatives. The Members from the
Senate shall be appointed by the Senate President based on the proportional
representation of the parties or the coalitions therein with at least one Members
representing the Minority.

The committee shall be headed by the respective Chairpersons of the Senate
and the House of Representatives’ Committee on Education

The Congressional Oversight Committee on Educaton shall, in aid of
legislation, perform the following:

(a) Participate in the crafting of the IRR;

(b) Approve the final draft of the IRR;

(c) Set the guidelines and the overall framework to minor and ensure the
proper implementation of this Act;

(4) Ensure transparency and require the submission of reports from
government agencies concerned on the conduct of programs, projects and policies
relating to the implementation of this Act;

(e) Determine inherent weaknesses in the law and recommend the necessary
remedial legislations or executive measures; and

(f) Perform such other duties an functions and repsonsibilities as may be
necessary to effectively attain the objectives of this Act.


The Congressional Oversight Committee on Education shall be assisted by
the secretariat of the committees of both the House of Representatives and the
Senate and shall be assisted by personnel who may be seconded therefrom. It may
likewise retain the services of consultants.

SEC. 9. Separability Clause. - If any provisions of this Act is declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other
provisions thereof

SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. - All executive orders, laws and department
orders and part thereof contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general

circulation,

Approved,