Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3706

House Bill No.

Introduced by
HON. YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines provides for the recognition
and promotion of other forms of education, other than formal education. Article
XIV, Section 2, Paragraph (1) declares that the State shall establish, maintain
and support a complete, adequate and integrated system of education
relevant to the needs of the people and society; and paragraph (4) concisely
encourages non-formal, informal and indigenous learning systems S& well as
self-learning, independent and out-of-school study programs particularly those
that respond to cornmunity needs.

To this end, Republic Act 9155, otherwise known as the Governance of
Basic Education Act of 2001 stipulates the establishment of the Alternative
Learning System (ALS) to provide out-of-school children, youth and adults
population with basic education (of, Sec 2, RA 9158). The Alternative Learning
System is a parallel learning system to provide @ viable alternative to the
risting formal education instruction, encompassing both the non-formal and
informal sources of knowledge and skills.

Since its introduction in 2001, thousands of out-of-school youth and
persons in disadvantaged situations, including those who cannot afford formal
schooling for reasons of poverty, employment or other pressing circumstance,
have benefitted from the ‘Alternative Learning System. It has been recognized
as one of the most important initiatives in non-formal education in the last
fifteen years, addressing the needs of marginalized learners.

Nonetheless, there remains the need to institutionalize ALS as a major
component of our basic education system with a clearly defined role within the
overall education goals in our country, parallel to the formal educational
system. This will allow the ALS to build a more systematic and flexible
approach in responding to all types of learners outside the school system and
providing a viable alternative to the existing formal education instruction,


encompassing both the non-formal and informal sources of knowledge and
skills.

By institutionalizing the Alternative Learning System, the State shall
protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality basic education and
make it accessible to all by providing all Filipino children in the elementary
level and free education in the high school level. Furthermore, the ALS will
provide the development of livelihood skills, which manifest in the individual
specific competencies that prepare, improve, and enhance employability and
economic productivity.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

ly
Rep. YEDDA wa IE K, ROMUALDEZ
Representative, First District of Leyte



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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3706

House Bill No.

Introduced by
HON. YEDDA MARIE K, ROMUALDEZ

AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM
FOR INDIGENT ADULTS, OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH, INDIGENOUS
PEOPLES, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS AND
SENIOR CITIZENS, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREOF AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES:

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of the Representatives of

the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the “Alternative
Learning System Act of the Philippines”,

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
shall take the appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all.
The State shall likewise give the highest priority to the enactment of measures
that promote human development and the acceleration of social progress,
thereby reducing social, economic and political inequalities.

Towards this end, the State shall provide the marginalized and
disadvantaged sectors of society including indigent adults, out-of-school
youth, indigenous people, persons with disabilities and special needs and
senior citizens with opportunities to improve their knowledge, vocational


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efficiency and other skills through an alternative learning system parallel to

the existing formal education system.

Section 3. Statement of Purpose. This Act seeks to attain the following
objectives:

(a) To provide a viable learning alternative to the formal education
system that will address all learning needs of marginalized learners,
particularly indigent adults, out-of-school youth, indigenous peoples,
persons with disabilities and with special needs and senior citizens;

(b) To afford an opportunity for a systematic and flexible learning
program outside of the formal education system;

(0) To provide opportunities for quality learning especially in far-flung,

underserved and contlict-affected communities;

(d) To institute a mobile teacher program especially for persons who
are physically or economically unable to attend center-based

learning programs;

(e) To improve access to education and raise the level of literacy to

contribute to an individual's future.

Section 4. Coverage. This Act shall cover learners from marginalized
and disadvantaged sectors of society, who are not currently enrolled in the
forrnal education system particularly indigent adults, out-of-school youth,
indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and with special needs and

senior citizens.

The alternative learning system shall be institutionalized and

implemented in all municipalities of the country.


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Section 5. Definition of Terms. For the purposes of this Act, the

following terms are used to mean as follows

(a) Alternative Learning System (ALS) - refers to the system of
education, which provides a parallel learning system of a viable
alternative to the existing formal education. It includes the non-
formal, informal and indigenous learning systems as sources of
knowledge and skills;

(b) Adults - refer to persons at least eighteen (18) years of age and

above;

(c) Qut-ofSchool Youth - refers to children who belong to any of the

categories: at least 7 to14 years of age who are not enrolled in

school, or at least 15 to 24 years of age, who are not enrolled in

school, not employed and not a tertiary level graduate;

(d) Indigenous People - refers to a group of people or homogenous
societies identified by self-ascription and ascription by others, who
have continuously lived as organized community on communally
bounded and defined territory, sharing cornmon bonds of language,
customs, tradition and other distinctive cultural traits or who have,
through resistance to political, social and cultural inroads of
colonization, have become historically differentiated from the
majority of the Filipinos;

(e) Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs - refer to those
suffering from a restriction of different abilities, as a result of a
mental, physical or sensory impairment, to perform an activity in the
manner or within the range considered normal for a human being.

Such impairment may be permanent or transitory in nature.


(f) Senior
Philippines at least sixty (60) years old.

izen or elderly - refers to any resident citizen of the

(g) Alternative Learning System Accreditation and Equivalency (ALS
A&E) Test - is a paper and pencil test conducted by the Bureau of
Alternative Learning System designed to measure the
competencies of those who have neither attended nor finished

elementary or secondary education in the formal school system.

(h) Alternative Delivery Mode - refers to the non-traditional education

program that applies a flexible learning philosophy and curriculum

delivery program

Section 6. Administrative Supervision. The Department of Education

through the Bureau of the Alternative Learning System (BALS) shall exercise

general supervision and administration over the alternative learning system.

Section 7. Functions of the Bureau of Alternative Learning Systern.

The Bureau of Alternative Learning System (thereafter, the Bureau) shall have
the overall authority to set, promulgate and implement the detailed rules,
guidelines, terms, conditions, qualifications and regulations pertaining to the
alternative learning system. Subject to the overall supervision of the Secretary
of Education, the Bureau shall perform the following functions:

(a) Formulate the objectives and basic policies of the alternative learning
system;

(b) Formulate, adopt and supplement schemes and systems that will be
most effective and productive for ALS;


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(c) Formulate guidelines, policies, criteria for accreditation and evaluation

of establishments offering ALS;

(d) Formulate policies, guidelines, systems that will effectively administer
admission of students, delivery of instruction, and graduation;

(e) Formulate policies, guidelines and systerns that will efficiently transfer
of students from ALS to formal education and vice-versa;

(f) Administer and supervise the education programs of institutions and
schools offering ALS;

(g) Develop a uniform learning program for ALS;

(h) Coordinate and monitor the objectives, functions and activities of ALS;

and;

(i) Administer, supervise, monitor and coordinate all programs and

activities under alternative learning system.

Section 8. Private ALS Providers. The Department of Education

though the Bureau of Alternative Learning System may authorize private
organizations to open, manage and operate alternative learning centers,
‘subject to the supervision of the said department.

Section 9. Classification_of Levels. The alternative learning system

shall be composed of four levels:

(a) Functional Literacy Program - a intensive community-based literacy
program that targets learners who have never attend a formal
school and includes developing basic literacy skills of reading,
writing and numeracy;


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(b) Basic

elementary course;

(c) Advanced Alternative Learning Program - which shall correspond to
the secondary course in the formal education system.

(d) Informal Education Program - a life skills-focused and experiential
learning program aimed at developing and enhancing social, civic,
cultural and personal development integrated with livelihood skills
trainings and entrepreneurship education adapted and tailored-fit to

the identified needs of the learners.

Section 10. Alternative Delivery Modes. The alternative learning
system may utilize one or a combination of the following alternative delivery

modes:

(a) Center-Based_

alternative learning classes conducted on a scheduled basis at a

ming - ALS learners are required to attend

designated community-based alternative learning center managed

by an authorized instructional manager;

(b) Open or Distance Learning - ALS learners undergo an independent,
self-pacing and flexible delivery of learning through study modules
delivered through mail or broadeast through radio and television or
other such means of communication, bringing learning to where the
learners are and enabling them to acquire equivalency in basic

education;

(c) Home-Be
supervision by a mobile teacher or a literate family member in order

sed_Learning - ALS learners study at home under the

to help non-literate members upgrade their literacy skills and


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improve the learning capabilities of those belonging to families in

disadvantaged situations;

(d) Digital_Learning - learning is conducted through the use of
information and communication technology (ICT) tools and facilities
such as electronic modules, learning management systems and

online module guides.

The delivery of the alternative learning system shall always be self-
paced, project-based, and learner-centered and shall always take into
consideration the level of literacy, learning preferences and needs of the

learners,

Section 11. Uniform Learning Program. The alternative learning
system shall follow a uniform learning program to be determined by the
Departrnent of Education, which shall as much as practicable cover the
academic subjects included in the standard basic education curriculum.
Delivery of instruction may be provided by licensed learning facilitators
assigned by the Department of Education or by an authorized private ALS
provider: Provided, That the said uniform learning program shall reflect the set
of knowledge skills and competencies that learners should develop to meet
the minimum requirements of basic education: Provided further, That it shall
cover functional literacy, academic skills, values formation and life learning:
Provided furthermore, That it shall also be complemented by livelihood skills
and entrepreneurship trainings: Provided finally, That a specialized learning
program may be developed, adopted and adapted to meet the identified
needs of a particular group of learners.

Section 12, Admission to Senior Secondary.. School._or College.
Learners who successfully completed required learning program and passed
the Accreditation and Equivalency Test shall be awarded a certificate/diploma,
beating the seal of the Department of Education and the signature of the


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Secretary, certifying their competencies as comparable graduates of the
formal school system. They may be admitted to a senior secondary school or
to a college or university to pursue degree courses of their own choice
provided that they pass the qualifying entrance examinations and other
requirements given by the said college or university.

The Bureau shall develop supplemental learning programs to provide
learners who have passed the A&E Test and intend to enter college with
higher competencies in particular advanced academic subjects in order to

meet the demands and entry requirements of college education.

Section 13. Ac
admission to the alternative learning system: Provided, That no student

ission_of Applicants. No learner may be refused

currently enrolled under the formal education system may be admitted into the
alternative learning system: Provided further, That all learners are
automatically admitted to the Basic Alternative Learning Program: Provided
finally, That it a learner has already graduated from an elementary course
under the formal education system, the learner shall be automatically admitted

to the Advanced Alternative Learning Program

Learners who have not attended any formal schoo! or failed to pass the
Functional Literacy Test shall be required to complete first the Functional
Literacy Program

Learners, who at least eighteen (18) years old but have not yet
completed his elementary course, shall be first admitted conditionally to the
Basic Alternative Learning Program and required to take the Functional
Literacy Test (FLT) in order for the learning facilitator to identify their level of
literacy. Once the level of literacy of the learners has been determined, the
learning facilitator shail identify the appropriate learning modules that will help
develop the necessary competencies required of the learners for acceleration

to the Advanced Alternative Learning Program.


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Centers. There shall be at least one community-based learning center in
every barangay of a city or municipality.

Section 15. learning Facilitators. Each school district and community-
based alternative learning center shall have at least one qualified licensed
teacher who shall serve as learning facilitator.

The Bureau shall strengthen personne! development and conduct
training activities to improve managerial skills and teaching competencies of
ALS learning facilitators.

Section 16. Local ALS Committee. There shall be in every city or
municipality, under the Local School Board, a Local Alternative Learning
System (ALS) Committee.

it shall be composed of the following members:
(a) The City or Municipal Mayor as chairperson;

(b) The School District Supervisor as co-chairperson;

(c) The Chairperson of the Education Committee of the Sangguniang
Bayan or Sangguniang Panlungsod;

(8) The City or Municipal Chairperson of the Federation of Sangguniang
Kabataan;

(e) The City or Municipal Chairperson of the Liga ng mga Barangay;

(f) The Representative of the Teachers Association;

In the event that a municipality has two (2) or more District Supervisors,


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the Division Superintendent of Schools shall designate the District Supervisor

who shall serve as co-chairman of the Local ALS Committee.

Section 17. Functions of the Local ALS Committee. The Local ALS

Committee shall perform the following functions:

(a) Oversee the implementation of the alternative learning system at the
city or municipal level, including the establishment of community-
based alternative learning centers, provision of technical assistance to
learning facilitators and program monitoring and evaluation;

(b) Recommend to the Local School Board, in accordance with the criteria

set by the Department of Education, the determination of the annual
supplementary budgetary needs for the operation and maintenance of
the alternative learning system within the city or municipality, and the
supplementary local cost of meeting such as needs, which shall be
reflected in the form of an annual ALS budget corresponding to its
share of the proceeds of the special levy on real property constituting
the Special Education Fund and such other sources of revenue as this

Act and other laws or ordinances may provide:

Ensure the implementation of community mapping activities within the

S

city or municipality and coordinate with the barangays, non-
government organizations and other agencies in the identification of
indigent adults, out-of-school youth, indigenous people and persons
with disabllities and special needs who have not yet completed their
basic education;

Coordinate with the Local School Board, barangays, schools and non-
government organizations on the establishment, operation and

)

maintenance of community-based alternative learning centers;

(e) Regulate the accreditation of private ALS providers;


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(f) Serve as an advisory committee to the Sangguniang Panglungsod or
Sangguniang Bayan concerned on the implementation of the

alternative learning system in the city or municipality.

The Local ALS Committee shall meet at least once a month or as often
as may be necessary.

Section 18. |
learning center established and operated by the Department of Education

lawful Fees. it shall be unlawful for an altemative

and/or the local government units to solicit or require the payment of
admission, enrollment and other kinds of fees from any interested applicant as
a requisite for admission

Section 19. Information Dissemination. The Department of Education
through the Bureau of Alternative Learning System, in coordination with the
local government unit, shall conduct an information campaign to increase
awareness among the general public on the alternative learning program and
the learning schedule and location of community-based alternative learning

centers in the said municipality and/or barangay.

Section 20, Allocation of the Special Education Fund. - In order to

fulfill the objectives of this Act, as well as sustain its continued
implementation, a portion from the proceeds of the Special Education Fund
under Sections 235 and 272 of Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the
“Local Government Code of 1991,” shall be automatically set aside by the
Local School Board, in coordination with the respective local chief executive,
of every local government unit for utilization by the program within their

respective local governments.

Section 21. Tax Incentives. - Any donation, contribution, bequest,
grant, in cash or services, whether local or foreign, which may be made by

individuals and organizations, including private entities which shall provide


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the appropriate services, materials, and delivery support services for the
promotion of the alternative learning program in the barangays, shall be
exempt from the donor's tax and the same shall be considered as an
allowable deduction from the gross income in the computation of the income
tax of the donor in accordanca with the provisions of the National Internal
Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.

Section 22. Allocation from the. Department of Education - The
Department of Education shall allocate an appropriate amount from its
regular budget to support the Al.S education program under this Act.

Section 23. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Department of
Education shall promulgate the implementing rules and regulations for the

effective and immediate implementation of this Act.

Section 24. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, decrees, executive orders,
tules and regulations or paris thereof inconsistent with or contrary to the

provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 25. Separability Clause. ~ If any part or provision of this Act is
held unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions hereof which are not

affected shall continue to remain in full force and effect.

Section 26. Effectivity.- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
following completion of its publication in the Official Gazette and in at least two

(2) newspapers of general circulation.