SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —)
First Regular Session )

VA

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

House BillNo. 2456

Introduced by Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez Jr. and-
Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to establish assistance to and improve the state of the
madrasah system in the country today.

Section 2, paragraph 2 of Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution states 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, Pursuant to
this, the State has a responsibility to strengthen and develop the Philippine
madrasah system. Today, Madrasah institutions have evolved into three types:

1. Traditional or Weekend Madrasah - classes are held on
weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) only or on days agreed
upon by the teachers and students. There is no formal
curriculum, hence it is non-graded and may have multi-age
groupings. - The hiring of teachers requires simple qualification
like graduates of a Madrasah or an Imam (Muslim religious
leader). The students on this type of Madrasah are also likely
the students enrolled in publit: schools.

2. Developmental or Formal Madrasah - offers hierarchically
structured education and sequential learning generally attuned
with the formal education system. They offer kindergarten,
primary, and secondary education

3. Integrated Madrasah ~ offers the public school curriculum and
Arabic literacy, as well as, Islamic religious subjects.

According to International Religious Freedom Report 2003 released by the
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor of the United States, there are at
least 1,569 Islamic schools (madrasahs) across the Philippines. Of these, 53 percent
are located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The said Report likewise reveal that there are 1,140 madrasahs seeking
financial assistance from local and foreign donors that are registered with the Office
‘on Muslim Affairs, while only 35 are registered with the Department of Education
This situation is due primarily to the inability of the madrasahs to meet the


Department of Education's accreditation standards for curricula and adequate
facilities, .

That is why this bill mandates the Department of Education (DepEd), in close
coordination with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Office of Muslim
Affairs (OMA), and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), to provide
mechanisms to improve the quality of Madrasah education as well as open the
opportunity for more Muslim students to benefit from said educational system by
maximizing the use of existing resources of private education.

Moreover, this proposed measure also aims to provide financial assistance to
madrasah systems in the form of: 1.) Madrasah infrastructure development fund; 2.)
Programs and assistance to students and teachers in madrasah schools; 3.)
Nutrition and feeding program for young children; 4.) Classroom facilities: 5.)
Textbook assistance fund; 6.) In-service training fund for teachers; and 7.)
Scholarship grants to children of teachers.

To allow the local madrasah system to take full advantage of these
development opportunities will provide more educational opportunities for Muslim
Filipinos
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
MAXIMO B. RODRIGUEZ, JR.

RUFUS/B. RODRIG:


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —)
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
House Bill No. 2456

Introduced by Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez Jr. and
Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez

AN ACT
PROVIDING GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE TO MADRASAH EDUCATION
SYSTEM, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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 “Fund Assistance to
Madrasah Education Act'of 2013”.

Sec. 2, Declaration of Policy. ‘It is a declared policy of the State in
conformity with the mandate of the Constitution, to promote and make quality
education accessible to all Filipino citizens regardless of cultural origin, conviction,
creed or belief. The State also recognizes the complementary roles of public and
private educational institutions in the country's educational system and the
invaluable contribution of private educational institutions to educate its citizenry, and
this includes the Madrasah School in Muslim Mindanao and other areas in the
country where Muslim population abounds.

The State shall also, as a matter of policy, establish a fund for Madrasah
Infrastructure Development apart from maintaining a system of scholarship grants,
student loan programs, teacher development program, subsidies and other
incentives which shall be available to deserving students especially to the
underprivileged. Further, the State shall encourage non-formal, informal and
indigenous learning systems as well as self-learning, particularly those that respond
to community needs,

For this purpose, the State mandates the Department of Education (DepEd),
in close coordination with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Office of
Muslim Affairs (OMA), and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), to
provide mechanisms to improve the quality of Madrasah education as well as open
the opportunity for more Muslim students to benefit from said educational system by
maximizing the use of existing resources of public and private education.


Sec. 3. Madrasah Curriculum. The Madrasah curriculum shall be enriched
and harmonized to make it compatible with the curriculum of the Philippine formal
education system. Equivalency, learning accreditation, experience-based learning
and other innovative education approaches shall be utilized in order to make
possible the smooth transition of learners from the Madrasah education system to
the formal education system and vice-versa

Sec. 4, Criteria for Assistance. The programs for assistance shall be based
on a set of criteria which include, among others, tuition fees charged by the schools,
the socio-economic needs of the students giving priority to those who come from the
poorest sector of society, overall performance of the schools, the academic
qualifications and the financial needs of both students and teachers

In addition to the aforementioned criteria, students who may qualify for
scholarship assistance in Madrasah schools can continue to study in higher
education institution; Provided, That they pass the minimum requirement of said
program

Sec. 5. Forms of Assistance. For purposes of this Act, apart from
infrastructure development fund and a system of scholarship grants, student loan
programs, teacher development program, subsidies and other incentives, programs
and assistance to students and teachers in Madrasah schools consist of the
following

Nutrition and feeding Program for Young Children;

Classroom Facilities such as desks, tables, chalkboards and other
basic classtoom needs;

Textbook Assistance Fund;

Scholarship Grants to deserving students;

Education Loan Fund:

In-Service training Fund for Teachers;

Scholarship Grants to children of teachers.

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Sec. 6. Funding. The funds necessary for the implementation of this Act shall
be provided in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) in the amount of
P500,000,000.00 and shall be charged under the current appropriations of the
Department of Education

Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Guidelines. The Secretary of Education, in
close coordination with the Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education, Office
of Muslim Affairs and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, shall issue rules
and regulations necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.

Sec. 8. Repealing Clause. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
presidential proclamation, rules and regulations or parts thereof contrary to or
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.


Sec. 9. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not effect the validity and effectivity of the other
provisions hereof

Sec. 10. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
complete publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,