EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
]
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
]
First Regular Session 
]
SENATE
S. No. 
367
o ' lljv iL i, f l ’l;
*19 
JUL11 
PI 28
r e c e i\ ’: d -V.
Introduced by SEN. SHERWIN T. GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
INSTITUTING A PROGRAM FOR THE MANDATORY CONTINUING 
EDUCATION OF TEACHERS IN  THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY LEVELS IN 
BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Despite increased spending in education and various efforts fo r reform , the 
Philippines has not substantially improved learning in its schools over the past few 
decades. Although progress has been made in the access o f education, the country 
still lags in educational aptitude and achievem ent compared to its regional 
neighbours.
Current literature supports the fact tha t teachers are the main drivers o f in­
school effects on student attainm ent. The difference made by a well-trained and 
effective teacher cannot be understated. Teachers are the essential link in the chain 
from  education spending to student learning, so im proving teacher effectiveness is a 
critical com ponent for improving student outcomes.
Teacher effectiveness depends on w hether they know w hat to teach and the 
best way to teach it. The environm ent in which teachers w ork has significantly


changed over the past decades, yet the method o f teaching has not been sufficiently 
adapted to the current times. Unless actions to update teaching in the new 
environm ent take place, there will not be a substantial im provem ent in the quality of 
our students.
Teaching is a noble and thankless profession. As o f this m om ent, there are no 
existing free programs for continuing teacher education in our country. Teachers are 
left to their own devices if they wish to further develop their training and education. 
Acknowledging the need to continually educate our teachers and to further develop 
the teaching profession, this Bill seeks to provide a m andatory teacher's education 
program to be implemented by the governm ent at no cost to our teachers.
Teaching is a learned skill. It must be nurtured and developed. In order for 
teachers to realize their full potential, they must be given the opportunity to hone 
their craft. The establishm ent o f a program for m andatory continuing education for 
teachers will im prove and enrich the effectiveness of teachers in delivering the 
education that the students o f our country greatly deserve.
In view o f the foregoing, passage o f this bill is earn
SHERWIN T.
HALIAN


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
]
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
]
First Regular Session 
]
SENATE
S. No. 
367
> . * .  
0 f ( t f P  o f  111? 
I 
'.'I 
”
'19 JUL11 PI :28
RcCEl. :3 j
Introduced by SEN. SHERWIN T. GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
INSTITUTING A PROGRAM FOR THE MANDATORY CONTINUING 
EDUCATION OF TEACHERS IN  THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY LEVELS IN 
BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR
Be it  enacted b y the Senate and the House o f Representatives o f the 
Philippines in Congress assembled:
1 
SEC. 1. S hort Tide. - This Act shall be known as " The Continuing Education
2 
fo r Teachers A c t'.
3 
SEC. 2. Declaration o f Policy. - The State recognizes the vital role o f teachers
4 
in nation-building and developm ent through a responsible and literate citizenry. It is
5 
the declared policy of the State to protect and promote the right o f all citizens to
6 
receive quality education. It is likewise universally recognized tha t the teacher is the
7 
key to the effectiveness o f the teaching-learning process by drawing out and
8 
nurturing the best in the learner as a human being and a w orthy m em ber o f society.
9 
Towards this end, the State shall endeavour to provide and ensure quality education
10 
by strengthening the education and training o f teachers nationwide and equipping
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them  w ith the necessary training and skills so that they may keep abreast with
12 
developments in instructional and teaching techniques.


1 
SEC. 3. D efinition o f Terms. - For purposes o f this Act, the following term s
2 
are defined as follows:
3 
a) "Education A ctivity"shd\\ refer to an organized method o f learning
4 
chosen by the Provider to conduct the continuing education of
5 
teachers;
6 
b) "M andatory Continuing Education” sh^W refer to an institutionalized
7 
system whereby teachers shall com plete once a year, at least
8 
sixteen (16) hours of m andatory continuing education activities or
9 
any num ber o f hours not less than tw enty four (24), as may be
10 
determ ined by the Executive Committee, such as but not lim ited to
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training in professional education and general education and
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teaching methods in their field o f specialization;
13 
c) " Program"sh^W refer to the system determ ined by the Departm ent
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o f Education (DepEd) w ith which to deliver and im plem ent the
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continuing education o f teachers;
16 
d) "P rovid er" shall 
refer to the person or entity that shall 
be
17 
determ ined by the Executive Comm ittee to conduct the Education
18 
Activities tha t will continually educate the teachers concerned.
19 
e) "T eacher" shaW refer to all persons engaged in teaching at the
20 
prim ary and secondary levels, w hether on full-tim e or part-tim e
21 
basis, 
and all 
other 
persons 
perform ing 
supervisory 
and/or
22 
adm inistrative functions in all schools In the aforesaid levels and
23 
qualified to practice teaching under Republic Act No. 7836.
24 
SEC. 4. Coverage. - The National Governm ent shall engage and undertake a
25 
com plete 
and 
comprehensive 
national 
program 
("Program ") 
for 
m andatory
26 
continuing education for all prim ary and secondary teachers in both private and
27 
public educational institutions as well as form al and non-form al institutions of
28 
learning. Teachers who possess a post-graduate degree are not covered by this Act,
29 
but they may voluntarily attend and participate in the Program.
30 
SEC. 5. Im piem entation o f the Program - The Program shall consist o f at
31 
least tw enty four (24) hours o f mandatory continuing education activities each year
32 
or any num ber o f hours not less than tw enty four (24) per year that may be
2


1 
determ ined by the Executive Committee to be preferably conducted at least eight
2 
(8) hours per day on consecutive days, at the end of every school year and before
3 
the resumption o f classes. As far as practicable, the Program shall be conducted in
4 
the school district where the teachers belong to as determ ined by the DepEd.
5 
This Section shall in no case, be a restriction on the ability o f the Executive
6 
Committee concerned to provide for the m anner in which the required hours of
7 
continuing education must be completed.
8 
SEC. 6. Guiding Principles. - In the form ulation and im plem entation of the
9 
Program, the State shall be guided by the following principles:
10
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12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
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21 
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23
24
25
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28 
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a) The Program should include training and practice in the different 
techniques, approaches and strategies that would help teachers to 
plan and im part instruction, provide appropriate reinforcem ent and 
conduct effective assessment. 
It shall 
likewise 
provide effective 
classroom management skills, preparation and use o f instructional 
materials and com munication skills, as well as training in 
new 
developments in the school curriculum ;
b) The State shall ensure th a t the Program is not only beneficial for the 
students but must also be beneficial for the teacher's professional 
grow th and developm ent;
c) The State shall provide a Program tha t is globally com petitive and at 
the same tim e customized and suited to the Philippine education 
setting;
d) The Program shall be free and no cost shall be passed on to the 
teachers fo r attendance and com pletion;
e) The State shall ensure that the Program shall be implemented in a 
venue tha t is accessible and will not cause undue burden to the 
teachers. It shall ensure tha t the venue is accessible by the usual 
modes o f travel and is at a place which will be most convenient for 
teachers;


3
1
2
f) 
The 
Program 
must 
likewise 
provide, 
upon 
its 
com pletion, 
an 
assessment tha t shail adequately quantify the effectiveness of the 
Program.
4 
SEC. 
7. 
Standards fo r Education Activities. 
- All continuing teacher's
5 
education activities must meet the foliowing standards:
6 
a) The activity shali have significant intellectual or practical content, and the
7 
prim ary 
objective 
shall 
be 
to 
increase 
the 
participant's 
professional
8 
competence as a teacher and his or her abiiity to deliver quality educational
9 
services in an efficient and com petent manner;
10 
b) The activity shali have a curriculum  dealing w ith m atters directly-related to
11 
the practice of teaching, professionai responsibiiity, or ethical obligations of
12 
teachers;
13 
c) The activity shail have programs of learning reiated to classroom subjects and
14 
other related academic activities which enhances teaching and non-teaching
15 
skills, as well as im provem ents in w riting and oral advocacy.
16 
This Section shali in no case, be a restriction on the ability of the Executive
17 
Committee concerned in form ulating additional standards and regulations w ith
18 
regard to the program and education activities.
19
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SEC. 8. The Executive Com m ittee on Continuing Teacher Education. - The
21 
DepEd shall create their respective Executive Comm ittee which shall be directly
22 
responsible for the effective im plem entation of this Act w ithin ninety (90) days from
23 
the effectivity o f this Act.
24 
The Executive Committee in the DepEd shall be composed o f the Departm ent
25 
Secretary, as the ex-officio chairman, and a Commissioner o f the Professional
26 
Regulations Commission as an ex-officio member. The Chairman shall appoint the
27 
other members of the com m ittee who shall be composed of the following:
28 
a) A 
public 
school 
teacher 
chosen 
from  
at 
least three 
(3) 
candidates
29 
recommended 
by 
a 
government-recognized 
public 
school 
teacher's


organization from  Luzon;
2 
b) A 
public school teacher 
chosen 
from  
at 
least three 
(3) candidates
3 
recommended 
by 
a government-recognized 
public school 
teacher's
4 
organization from  the Visayas;
5 
c) A 
public school teacher 
chosen 
from  
at 
least three 
(3) candidates
6 
recommended 
by 
a government-recognized 
public school 
teacher's
7 
organization from  Mindanao;
8 
d) A 
private school teacher 
chosen 
from  
at 
least three 
(3) 
candidates
9 
recommended 
by 
a government-recognized 
private school 
teacher's
10 
organization from  Luzon;
11 
e) A 
private school teacher 
chosen 
from  
at 
least three 
(3) 
candidates
12 
recommended 
by 
a governm ent-recognized 
private school 
teacher's
13 
organization from  the Visayas;
14 
f) A 
private school teacher 
chosen 
from  
at 
least three 
(3) 
candidates
15 
recommended 
by 
a governm ent-recognized 
private school 
teacher's
16 
organization from  Mindanao.
17 
SEC.9. The Program fo r Continuing Teacher Education. - Subject to the rules
18 
that shall be adopted by the respective Executive Committees, the Program shall be
19 
conducted by the Executive Comm ittee concerned or by an accredited service
20 
provider.
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SEC. 10. Appropriations. 
- The am ount o f One 
Hundred 
Million 
pesos
22 
(PlOO,000,000.00) shall be appropriated fo r the initial im plem entation o f this Act
23 
which shall be incorporated in the Annual Budget o f the DepEd. Thereafter, the
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am ount necessary to carry out the im plem entation o f the Program as determ ined by
25 
the Executive Committee o f the DepEd shall be incorporated in the General
26 
Appropriations Act.
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SEC. 11. Annual Report to Congress. - The DepEd shall respectively render
28 
an annual report to the Congress reporting on the accomplishm ent o f the Program.


1 
SEC. 12. Evaluation o f the Program - W ithin three (3) years from  the
2 
effectivity of this Act and every three (3) years thereafter, the DepEd shall
3 
respectively conduct an assessment on the im pact o f the Program to the quality of
4 
education in the country.
5 
SEC. 13. Im plem enting Guidelines. - The Executive Comm ittee o f the DepEd
6 
shall respectively issue the rules and regulations to im plem ent the provisions of this
7 
Act w ithin One Hundred Tw enty (120) days from  the effectivity of this Act.
8 
SEC. 14. Separability Clause. - If any provision o f this Act is declared invalid
9 
or unconstitutional, the provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and
10 
effect.
11 
SEC. 15. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
12 
presidential proclamations, rules and regulations or parts thereof contrary to or
13 
inconsistent w ith this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
14 
SEC. 16. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
15 
publication in the Official Gazette or at least tw o (2) national papers o f general
16 
circulation.
Approved,