Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
PROMOTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PUBLIC MATH AND SCIENCE 
HIGH SCHOOLS IN PREVIOUSLY UNDERSERVED AREAS, AND  
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Section 1, Article XIV of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that: 
The State shall protect and promote the right of all 
citizens to quality education at all levels, and shall take 
appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all. 
Despite the increasing government commitment to improving the state 
of Philippine education, recent editions of the Global Competitiveness Survey 
consistently ranked the Philippines in the bottom 50% of participating 
countries in terms of the quality of math and science education at the tertiary 
level. 
In the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, 
Philippines ranked the lowest among the participating countries revealing 
that Filipino students have low basic mathematical knowledge and limited 
understanding of scientific concepts and foundational science facts.   
A universal tenet of quality education, consistently reported by 
reputable education experts and enshrined in the 1987 Philippine 
Constitution, is ensuring equitable access to education. This entails ensuring 
access to all forms of education, including specialized math and science 
curricula.  
Nevertheless, this type of valuable, oft-sought-after education is only 
available to the lucky few that are admitted to the Philippine Science High 
School system, one of the Regional Science High Schools, or those who are 
fortunate enough to live near one of the other science high schools scattered 
across the country. 
September 7, 2022
4:47 pm
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This bill seeks to provide equitable access to quality education in the 
pure and applied Sciences, Mathematics, and Technology for all qualified and 
willing Filipino students through the establishment of public math and 
science high schools in provinces where there are no existing specialized 
schools. By providing access to specialized education, the bill hopes to 
eventually nurture future generations of scientists, mathematicians, 
engineers, and other professionals who will serve the nation as a catalyst for 
scientific, technological, and industrial progress. 
 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought. 
 
 
 
REP. PM VARGAS 
Fifth District, Quezon City 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
PROMOTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PUBLIC MATH AND SCIENCE 
HIGH SCHOOLS IN PREVIOUSLY UNDERSERVED AREAS, AND  
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
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 “Equitable Access 
to Math and Science Education Act”. 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared a policy of the 
State to provide equitable access to quality education in the pure and applied 
Sciences, mathematics, and technology for all Filipinos as a means to nurture 
future generations of scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and other 
professionals who will serve the nation as catalyst for scientific, technological, 
and industrial progress. 
Pursuant to this declaration, the State shall work hand-in-hand with local 
government units (LGUs) to eliminate economic and geographical barriers 
that restrict the access of otherwise willing and qualified students to said 
education. 
SECTION 3. Coverage. – All provinces of the Republic of the Philippines 
which do not have at least one (1) public math and science high school 
currently operating within their respective geographical boundaries at the 
time this Act takes effect shall be required to fulfill the establishment 
requirements prescribed by Section 4 of this Act. 
For the purposes of this Act, the term public math and science high school 
shall refer to a school principally financed through national or local 
government funds that implements an advanced curriculum focused on 
science, mathematics, and technology subjects, for grade 7-12 students. 
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SECTION 4. Establishment of Schools. – All provinces covered by the 
preceding Section of this Act are hereby mandated to work with the 
Department of Education (DepEd) to establish at least one (1) public math 
and science high school within their respective provincial capitals. 
 
Schools established in compliance with this Act may be established through 
the construction of new school facilities, the conversion and/or reorganization 
of an existing school or the renovation and re-opening of currently non-
operational school facilities or other idle government-owned property:  
Provided, That these school must be fully operational by Academic Year 2020-
2021: Provides, further, That any utilization of idle government-owned assets 
shall follow pertinent procedures as prescribed by law: Provided, finally, That 
schools which have been designated by the DepEd as fully compliant under 
this Act may start operations earlier than the prescribed deadline. 
 
SECTION 5. School Operations. – Schools established in compliance with 
this Act shall be operated by the DepEd, with the proper participation of the 
applicable LGUs and other community shareholders as prescribed by law. 
Said schools shall be funded in full under the budget of the DepEd and shall 
be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
SECTION 6. Admissions. – Schools established in compliance with this Act 
shall accept applicants based on the results of a competitive entrance 
examination. A student may be eligible to apply for admission to said school 
only if he or she has established continuous residence within the establishing 
province for at least one (1) year by the date of examination. 
 
SECTION 7. Curriculum. – Schools established in compliance with this Act 
shall implement a six-year integrated junior-senior high school curriculum 
that focuses on advanced science, mathematics, and technology subjects 
under the guidance of the DepEd and the Department of Science and 
Technology (DOST). The revised curriculum of the Philippine Science High 
School system for Grades 7-12 shall be used as a basis for the formulation of 
said curriculum. 
 
SECTION 8. Higher Education Bond. – A graduate of a school established 
in compliance with this Act shall be required to enroll in a four or five-year 
Bachelor’s Degree in Science program at an accredited college or university. 
Said graduate must enroll in a course-of-study in one of the following fields: 
pure and applied sciences, mathematics, engineering, technology, or any 
other field deemed appropriate by the commission on Higher Education 
(CHED). A graduate who shifts or transfers to a course in any unrelated field 
prior to completion of the degree program shall pay a fine equivalent to the 
total full cost incurred by the government in subsiding the secondary 
education program of said graduate, as calculated by the DepEd. Any fine 
collected under the terms of this provision shall be allocated to any 
government 
program 
that 
promotes 
the 
advancement 
of 
science, 
mathematics, and technological education in the Philippines. 


 
SECTION 9. Appropriations. – The amount of Five Hundred Million Pesos 
(P500,000,000.00) is hereby initially appropriated to implement the 
previsions of this Act. Thereafter, such amount necessary to effectively carry 
out the provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
 
SECTION 10. Implementing Agencies. – The DepEd, in coordination with 
the DOST and the CHED, shall be responsible for implementing the previsions 
of this Act. Within (60) days from the effectively of this Act, the implementing 
agencies shall promulgate the implementing rules and regulations as may be 
necessary to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of this Act. 
 
SECTION 11. Separability Clause. – Should any part of this Act be declared 
unconstitutional, the rest of the provisions of this Act shall continue to be in 
effect and subsisting. 
 
SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. – The provisions of other laws, decrees, 
executive orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby 
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 13. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its publication in the Official Gazette and/or in at least two (2) national 
newspapers in general circulation. 
 
Approved,