Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Quezon City

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 6370

Introduced by Representative JOEY SARTE SALCEDA

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL EDUCATION INFRASTRUCTURE AUDIT,
PROMOTING A BASELINE QUALITY OF LIFE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippines implemented a national reform of its education system in June 2012,
when basic education was increased from 10 to 12 years. This reform demanded significant
investment school facilities to accommodate the expanded student population. As early as
2014, the education budget was increase to 4.3% of the country’s gross domestic product. By
2018, however, when the Philippines participated in the Programme for International Student
‘Assessment (PISA), the assessment found that “expenditure per student in the Philippines was
the lowest amongst all PISA-participating countries/economies — and 90% lower than the
OECD average.” °

While the Philippines expands its government revenues to accommodate the growing
need for government programs, including education, there is clear need to address what
Figueroa, Lee, and Lim (2015) refer to as “disparities” in public schoo] facilities in the country,
even with limited public resources. These improvements are especially necessary in light of
the country’s present education outcomes.

There is thus a need to spend public resources more efficiently, and conduct a sort of
“triage” of the country’s need for improved school facilities.

Studies like that of Figueroa et al, find “congestion and underutilization of facilities not
only in public high schools but also in public elementary schools,” and “that the ratio of
classrooms, toilets and seats in clusters of the northern provinces are consistently in excess
while the clusters of provinces around the highly populated capital, the eastern seaboard and
the south are consistently deficient.”


The disparities outline the need for data-driven but human-centered approaches to
deciding where to allocate resources among public schools, based on a minimum standard of
conduciveness that must be met in all schools.

The longer these disparities are allowed to persist, the longer facility-deficient schools
will suffer from a reduced quality of life in campus.

The relationship between education and learner objectives and the quality of school
facilities is well established. A literature review of sanitation in schools performed by Jasper,
Le, and Bartram (2012) shows that better access to these facilities increase school attendance
and promote children’s health. Roberts (2009) showed the correlation between school facilities
and learning outcomes when school facilities are measured in terms of educational functions.

In view of the urgent need to effectively and efficiently allocate precious public
resources on facilities that will truly elevate the quality of life and the learning outcomes in
schools-in-need, the approval of this measure is urgently sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 6370

Introduced by Representative JOEY SARTE SALCEDA

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL EDUCATION INFRASTRUCTURE AUDIT,
PROMOTING A BASELINE QUALITY OF LIFE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
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 “Building Better Schools
Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Principles. - The State shall promote improved learning
outcomes through the promotion of learning environments that are conducive to intellectual
and psychosocial development. The State shall ensure that places of learning are safe, secure,
and well-maintained.

‘Towards these ends, the State shall formulate a comprehensive plan for developing and
maintaining education infrastructure grounded on learner and teacher experience. The State
shall also set a basic standard of quality of life in schools to ensure that all public schools meet
at least minimum conditions for a school environment conducive for learning.

SEC. 3. National Education Infrastructure Audit (NEIA). — There shall be conducted
annually a National Education Infrastructure Audit, to:

1) Assess the state of all structures in schools;

2) Note the presence or absence, and conditions of basic school facilities;

3) Assess the delivery of locally and nationally funded structures in schools;
4) Recommend schools structures for repair or condemnation;

5) Establish metrics to perform the NEIA

SEC. 4. Administration of the NEIA. ~ The NEIA shall be overseen jointly by the
Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Audit (COA). The Department of
Education shall assign an office within the department as NEIA National Secretariat.


COA and DepEd shall jointly issue the metrics for the NEIA.

Each school division and the COA counterpart shall create a NEIA team to conduct the
audit in all schools within the division. A division-level report shall be issued upon the
conclusion of the audit.

The National Secretariat shall compile division-level audits, formulate, with the COA,
a national level report specifying schools and divisions in most need of intervention.

SEC. 5. National Education Infrastructure Plan. — There shall be formulated annually,
based on the results of the NEIA, a National Education Infrastructure Plan (NEIP), which shall
be submitted to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and to Congress. The
NEIP shall be used to inform the formulation of the National Expenditure Plan.

The NEIP shall promote equitable, gender-sensitive facilities which are conducive to
all students and teachers, including differently-abled individuals. The NEIP shall strive to meet
a basic standard of quality of life in schools, as determined by the DepEd, in consultation with
teachers, parents, students, and other stakeholders.

SEC. 6. Budget Prioritization. —- As far as practicable, schools in most need of
intervention as identified by the NEIA shall be prioritized in the allocation of budget resources
for school improvements.

SEC. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ The Department of Education, the
Commission on Audit, and the Department of Budget and Management shall jointly
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the implementation of this Act, within thirty
(30) days upon its effectivity.

SEC. 8. Separability Clause. ~ If any portion or provision of this Act is subsequently
declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby
shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. — All other laws, acts, presidential decrees, executive orders,
presidential proclamations, issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof which are contrary
to or inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or
modified accordingly.

SEC. 10. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,