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Reubli Gh Philepins
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queso City
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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No.8404

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT
TO ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO TAKE SCHOOL INVOLVEMENT LEAVE
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACADEMIC SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
OF THEIR CHILDREN OR TO PARTICIPATE IN LITERACY TRAINING

The Constitution, Article II provides:

Section 17. The State shall give priority to education, science and
technology, arts, culture, and sports to foster patriotism, nationalism,
accelerate social progress, and promote total human liberation and
development.

The Administrative Code, P.D. No. 442, a.k.a. the “Labor Code of the Philippines,” and
R.A. No. 8187, a.k.a. “Paternity Leave Act of 1996,” provide for instances when an
employee can officially take a leave of absence with pay.

This bill seeks to allow employees to take a limited leave to participate in the academic
school activities of their children or to participate in literacy training. This is in
recognition of the fact that parents play a very important role in the advancement of their
children’s education.

Luis IUND “LRAY"/F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.


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Reeblec of th Philipines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Quesen City
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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

8404

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

See eee

AN ACT
TO ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO TAKE SCHOOL INVOLVEMENT LEAVE
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACADEMIC SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
OF THEIR CHILDREN OR TO PARTICIPATE IN LITERACY TRAINING

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Time for Schools Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is the policy of the State to give priority to
education, science and technology, arts, culture, and sports to promote total human
liberation and development.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the term:

(A) “Family literacy program” means a program of services that are of sufficient intensity
in terms of hours, and of sufficient duration, to make sustainable changes in a family
and that integrate all of the following activities:

(1) Interactive literacy activities between parents and their sons and daughters;

(2) Training for parents on how to be the primary teacher for their sons and
daughters and full partners in the education of their sons and daughters;

(3) Parent literacy training; and

(4) An age-appropriate education program for sons and daughters.

(B) “Literacy” used with respect to an individual, means the ability of the individual to
speak, read, and write English, and complete and solve problems, at levels of
proficiency necessary —

(1) To function on the job, in the family of the individual, and in society;
(2) To achieve the goals of the individual; and


(3) To develop the knowledge potential of the individual.

(C) “Schoot” means an elementary school or secondary school, and a child care facility
operated by a provider who meets the applicable State or local government
licensing, certification, approval, or registration requirements, if any.

SECTION 4. Entitlement to School Leave. —

(A) In General. — An eligible employee shall be entitled to a total of twenty-four (24) hours
of leave during any twelve (12)-month period to participate in an academic activity of a
school of a son or daughter of the employee, such as a parent-teacher conference or an
interview for a school, or to participate in literacy training under a family literacy program.
(B) Notice. — In any case in which the necessity for leave is foreseeable, the employee
shall provide the employing agency with not less than seven (7) days’ notice, before the
date of leave is to take effect, of the employee's intention to take leave. If the necessity
for the leave is not foreseeable, the employee shall provide such notice as is practicable.

SECTION 5. Penalties. — Any person, corporation, trust, firm, partnership, association or
entity found violating this Act or the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this

Act shall be punished by a fine not exceeding Twenty Five Thousand Pesos (P25,000,00)
or imprisonment of not less than thirty (30) days or more than six (6) months.

If the violation is committed by a corporation, trust or firm, partnership, association or any

other entity, the penalty of imprisonment shall be imposed on the entity's responsible

officers, including, but not limited to, the president, vice-president, chief executive officer,

general manager, managing director or partner directly responsible for the same.

SECTION 6. Non-Diminution Clause. — Nothing in this Act shall be construed to reduce
any existing benefits of any form granted under existing laws, decrees, executive orders,
or any contract, agreement or policy between employer and employee.

SECTION 7. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall
remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or
inconsistent with, the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended
accordingly.

SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,