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

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

At
House sit!o,__ 484

Introduced by
ACT TEACHERS Party-List Representative Antonio L. Tinio

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Since the enactment of the Magna Carta for Public Schoo! Teachers in 1966 (Republic Act
4670), the state has been mandated to promote and improve the economic status of public
school teachers and their living and working conditions. However, as it is a largely unfunded
law, teachers have been waiting in vain for the benefits intended to somehow ease their
hardships. During the deliberations for the 2011 budget, officials from the Department of
Education admitted having their hands tied—many Magna Carta benefits cannot be
promptly and regularly granted to teachers because of the perennial budget shortfall.
These benefits are denied them, simply because of lack of funds.

This bill seeks to meet the avowed policy of the Magna Carta by uplifting the economic
condition of teachers, through the provision of a non-wage benefit in the form of free
tuition and other fees for their dependent children who are admitted to public post-
secondary education institutions. By shouldering this cost, the government shall provide
substantial economic relief for teachers, give due recognition for their dedication and hard
work, and enhance the status of the teaching profession. A similar intention is behind the
comparable benefit given to barangay officials since 1991 in the Local Government Code
(Republic Act 7160), but the coverage mandated in this bill is broader in that it provides free
education in not only state universities and colleges but also public technical and vocational
schools.

For these reasons, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

ZG

L.TINIO



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

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 4

RSS
be

Introduced by
ACT TEACHERS Party-List Representative Antonio L. Tinio

AN ACT
GRANTING FREE POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION IN STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES
AND PUBLIC TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS TO DEPENDENT CHILDREN OF PUBLIC
ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS

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

SECTION 1. Public elementary and high school teachers shall be exempt from paying tuition
and all other fees for one (1) dependent child attending any state university or college, or
public technical or vocational schools under the Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority; Provided that, should both spouses be public school teachers, the exemption
shall apply to two (2) dependent children; Provided further that the children meet the
minimum requirements of the educational institutions in which they are admitted.

SECTION 2. The Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, and Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority shall jointly promulgate the implementing rules
and regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. All other laws, acts, decrees, executive orders, issuances, and rules and
regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended

accordingly.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or one (1) newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,