13‘h CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILTPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S. No. 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VLLAR JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is the policy of the State to give priority to education, education, science and 
technology, arts, culture, and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social 
progress, and promote total human liberation and development. It is further provided in 
Section 1, Article XIV of the Constitution 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 
education accessible to all.” 
It is in this light that this bill seeks to provide free public preparatory education to all 
qualified Filipino children to prepare them for formal elementary education. 
Preparatory education plays a vital role in shaping up the values and in developing the 
interest of the child. In fact, educators agree that starting formal education at pre-school age 
has substantial benefits not only to the child, but to society as well. 
In view of the foregoing reasons, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly 
sought. 


13th CONGRESSOF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
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S. No. 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR JR. 
AN ACT 
INSTITUTIONALIZING FREE PUBLIC PREPARATORY EDUCATION, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title - This Act shall be known as "Free Public Preparatory 
Education Act of 2004." 
SECTION 2. DecZaratioiz ofPoZicy - It is hereby declared the Policy of the State to 
institutionalize and provide for free public preparatory education to all qualified Filipino 
children in order to promote their physical, social, intellectual, emotional and skills 
stimulation and value formation to sufficiently prepare them for formal elementary education. 
* 
SECTION 3. Defirzitioizs - Free Special Education Classes shall aim to develop the 
maximum potential and learning competencies of the disabled person to prepare him for civic 
efficiency and as valuable asset to the community in the future. 
a. 
b. 
C. 
Free Public Preparatory Education - Means that the children from five (5) to six 
(6) years old enrolled in day care centers established, administered, maintained 
and funded by national and local government units, and those public preparatory 
schools which may be established by law, shall be free from payment of tuition 
and other school fees. These qualified children shall finish one (1) year of 
schooling before they are admitted to Grade I. 
Tuition Fee - Refers to the fee representing direct costs of instruction and other 
related activities and for children's use of instruction and training facilities; 
Other School Fees - Refer to those fees, which cover other necessary costs 
supportive of instruction. 


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SECTION 4. Statenzeizt of Objectives - The Free Public Preparatory Education 
Prograni, hereinafter referred to as the Program, shall be implemented in accordance with the 
following objectives: 
a. To make preparatory education compulsory for all five (5) and six (6) years old 
children as part of the formal education ladder; 
b. To implement an adequate preparatory education program that will efficiently 
provide the necessary physical, social, intellectual and emotional activities needed 
by the preparatory school children; 
SECTION 5. Ittzplenzentatio~z of Free Public Preparatory Education - The system 
of free public preparatory education is hereby institutionalized as part of compulsory basic 
formal primary. It shall commence on the school year immediately following the approval of 
this Act. In case there s no adequate number of classrooms available for immediate use, the 
existing classrooins in public elementary schools and barangay day care centers shall be used 
temporarily until the national government provides for sufficient facilities to accommodate 
the preparatory school children nationwide. 
In no case shall any pupil be admitted to Grade I without having completed the 
required preparatory education two (2) years after the effectivity of this Act. 
SECTION 6, Iiiipleiizenting Agency; Powers and Fiirzctioias - The Program shall 
be implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd) through the organization of 
preparatory school classes in public elementary schools. 
In pursuance of these mandates, the DepEd shall exercise the following powers and 
functions: 
a. Oversee, administer and supervise the implementation of the Program throughout 
the country; 
b. Provide properly trained preparatory education teachers and make available all 
existing facilities of public elementary schools for pre-school use until fLinds for 
the construction of pre-school classrooms are made available; 
c. Authorize the opening of preparatory education classes in all public elementary 
schools as part of the elementary education ladder, including the 
registratiodaccreditation of barangay day care centers that are currently holding 
preparatory classes; 
d. Formulate a standard preparatory education curriculum in order to attain quality, 
efficiency and access. In addition to providing the pre-school children with 
general skills, knowledge and values, such a curriculum must include reading and 
arithmetic; 
e. Provide a regular training program to preparatory education teachers to keep pace 
with modern trends, methodologies and concepts on early childhood education; 
f. 
Perform such other duties as may be necessary and relevant to ensure the 
effective implementation of the program. 
SECTION 7. Appropriatioizs - The amount necessary to implement the provision of 
this Act is hereby authorized to be appropriated in the General Appropriations Act of the year 
following its enactment into law and thereafter. 


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Approved, 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause - All laws, executive orders, rules and regulations 
or any provisions, inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed. 
SECTION 9. Effectivity Cluuse - This Act shall take effect upon its approval.