Introduced by: FtEP. GLOFtlA MACAPAGAL-ARFtoYO
EXPL.ANATOFtY NOTE
This bill seeks to replace the present K to 12 education program in the country covering
Kindergarten and 12 years of education with a K + 10 + 2 program covering compulsory
Kindergarten and 10 years of basic education with, for those seeking to proceed to
professional degree studies such as accounting, engineering, law, medicine, an additional two
years of post-secondary, pre-university educaton.
Grades 11 and 12 were added to the country's basic education program on the
assumption that with the two additional years, senior high school (SHS) graduates should be
able to immediately get a job, or put up their own business should they chcose not to pursue
college. Unfortunately, the realfty of the market seems to be that the private sector continues
to prefer hiring college or university graduates over those who finish the K-to-12 program.
According to a December 2020 study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies
(PIDS), only one in five senior high school graduates enter the labor force, with the rest opting
to continue with their education. Anecdotal evidence indicates that they opt to continue with
their education upon realizing that the private sector prefers to hire college of university
graduates. The PIDS study further revealed that in the labor market, there is "no clear
advantage nor disadvantage [among] SHS graduates compared to [Grade 10] or second year
college completers." Furthermore,  a 2022 Pulse Asia survey showed that a plurality of 44% of
Filipinos said they were dissatisfied with the K to 12 (K-12)  system.
The failure of the K to 12 program to provide its graduates with promised advantages
exacerbates the additional burden on  parents and students imposed by two additional years
of basic education. In a country like the Philippines where the poverty incidence is 18%, there
should be an option for the young to graduate from basic education soonest, after four years of
high school, so that they can help their parents in their farms or micro-businesses. If they want
to go on to a professional education, that is when they can prepare themselves by having two
years of post-secondary or pro-university education after high school to enhance their chances
of succeeding in college or university and onward to professional licensure.
In the light of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly requested.
GLORl
Representative
2nd District, Pampanga


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF F`EPFtESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEEl\lTll CONGFIESS
First Regular Seston
HOusEBIuNojng3
Introduced by: FIEP. GLOFtIA MACAPAGAL-AFIFrovo
AN ACT
AMENDING   FiEFngBLic   ACT   NUMBEFtED   TEN   THousAND   FlvE   HUNDFtED
THIFITy   THE)EE   (Rji   No.   io533),   EhrTTTLED,   "AN   ACT   ENHANciNG   THE
pHiL]ppiNE     Basic     EDucAVoN     sysTEM     By     sTF[ENG"ENiNG     ITs
CuFtF]lcuLUM   AND   INCFtEASING   THE   NUMBER   OF   YEARS   FOFt    EIASIC
EDucATioN, AppFtopRiAIING FUNDs "EFiEFOFt AND FOFt OTHEFt puRrosEs"
Be  it enaded dy tt\® Senafo and  the  House Of Rapr®sentetiirce Of the
Philippines En Congrces assembkrd:
SECTION  1.  Section  4  Of  F3epublic  Act  No.  10553  is  hereby  amended  to  read  as
follows:
SEC. 4. EnAar7ced Basi-c EdL/cazton Program. - The enhanced basic education
program encompases at least one (1) year Of kindergarten education, six (6) years of
elementary education, and four (4) years Of secondary education, in that sequence.
Provided that, there shall be an additional two (2) years of post-secondary, pro-
university education as preparation for professional degree studies.
Kindergarten education shall mean one (1) year of preparatory education for children at
least five (5) years old as a prerequisite for Grade I.
Elementayeducationreferstothesecondstageofcompulsorybasiceducationwhich
iscomposedofsix(6)years.Theentrantagetothislevelistypicallysix(6)ycarsold.
Secondary education refers to tlie third stage of compulsory basic education. It
consists Of four (4) years of high school education.


Post-secondary, prouniversity education refers to the fourth stage of education,
compulsory only as preparation for professional degree studies.
Basic education shall be delivered in languages understood by the learners as the
language plays a strategic role in shaping the formative years of leamers.
For kindergarten and the first three (3) years Of elementary education, instruction,
teaching materials and assessment shall be in the regional or native language of the
learners. The Department of Education (DepED) shall formulate a mother language
transition program from Grade 4 to Grade 6 so that English shall be gradually
introduced as the language of instruction until such time when it can become the
primary language of instruction at the secondary level.
For purposes of this Act, mother language or first I.anguage a.D refers to language or
languages first learned by a child, which he/she identifies with, is identified as a native
language user of by others, which he/she knows best, or uses most. This includes
Filipino sign language used by individuals with pertinent disabilities. The regional or
native language refers to the traditional speech variety or variety of Filipino sign
language existing in a region, area or place.
SEC. 2. Section 12 of the same Act is herchy amended to read as follows:
SEC. 12. T/ar7sjtory Prowl.si-ons. - The Department Of Education, the Commission on
Higher Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority  shall
jointly  formulate the appropriate strategies and mechanisms needed to ensure smooth
transition from the existing enhanced basic education 0( to 12) eycle to the new
enhanced basic education or[ plus 10 Plus 2) cycle provided by this Act. The strategies
may cover changes in physical infrastructure, manpower, organizational and structural
concerns , to  include the students' pursuit of post-secondary technical or vocational
certificates,  and transitions for those availing of the ladderized education program.
Modeling for post-secondary. pre+universfty education may be implemented in
selected schools to simulate the transition process and provide concrete data for the
transition plan. Said strategies shall replace the need for lmplementing F]ules and
Regulations.
SEC. 3. Section 16 Of the same Act is hereby repealed.
SEC. 4. Section 1 7 Of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section 16.
SEC. 5. Section 1 8 Of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section 17 and amended
to read as follows:
SEC. 17. flepca/i.ng C/ause. - Conflicting provisions of F3epublic Act No. 10533 are
hereby repealed.


SEC. 5. Section 19 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section 18.
Approved,