Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 8830

Introduced by Representative Edgar Mary S. Sarmiento

AN ACT REQUIRING ALL BROADCAST MEDIA NETWORKS TO DEVOTE
FIFTEEN (15) MINUTES AIRTIME EVERY HOUR DURING PRIME TIME HOURS
FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND PROVIDING PENALTIES
FOR THE VIOLATION THEREOF

EXPLANATORY NOTE

As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, the majority of the countries have
decided the temporary closure of schools, affecting more than 91% of students worldwide —
around 1.6 billion children and young people. This caused a big disruption to the traditional
learning modalities usually being implemented in the country.

It has gravely aggravated the existing issues that our education sector is currently facing.
In 2018, the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a global survey on the
student assessment of 15-year-old learners, found that the Philippines ranked last among 79
countries in reading comprehension, mathematics, and sciences.

Asa temporary solution, the Philippines urgently turned to online-based distance education
which required learners to be equipped with laptops/mobile gadgets and an internet connection to
ensure that school education will never be put to a halt. However, online distance-based education
only reinforced the stark digital divide in the country. The Department of Education (DepEd)
survey shows 2.8 million students have no access to internet connection while 648, 405 public
school students in the National Capital Region alone have no gadgets.

Our experience during the pandemic showed that there are still areas in the country where
internet access is limited. With the use of modules alone, students encountered difficulties in
understanding their lessons without other complementary materials. Considering the study
conducted by Kantar Media Philippines published in 2017, television or broadcast media remains
as the ‘top touchpoint’ among media consumers, with the daily television viewership averaging
around 70% last July 2019. Hence, television, as the most accessible platform of information in


the country could take part in reaching a wide coverage of the preschool and pre-teen
demographic.

The teachers have been exposed to the online method of teaching, and as the pandemic will
eventually subside, there is an opportunity to integrate other virtual and traditional methods of
learning to effectively have an impact on the development of children.

This bill mandates broadcast networks to allot at least 15 minutes of airtime per hour during
prime time hours for educational programs similar to notable educational television programs
during the ‘90s such as Sineskwela, Hiraya Manawari, Epol/Apple, Pahina and Batibot, all of
which promoted appreciation and mastery of science, mathematics, values, English lessons, and
Philippine literature. All these shows were products of collaborations between a broadcast network
and the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, now the Department of Education (DepEd).

This is also in accordance with Section 9 of the Republic Act No. 8370 or the Children’s
Television Act of 1997 states that “A minimum (15) % of daily total air time of the daily total air
time of each broadcasting network shall be allotted for child-friendly shows within the regular
programming of all networks. The requirement is one of the conditions for the renewal of
broadcast licenses and is part of the network's responsibility of serving the public”

Learning through educational programs via television will ensure that the distance learning
program of the Department of Education (DepEd) will reach as many students as possible
especially those with limited internet access during the pandemic.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is eamestly sought.

Representatite, 1* Disict Samar


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No._8830

Introduced by Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento

AN ACT REQUIRING ALL BROADCAST MEDIA NETWORKS TO DEVOTE
FIFTEEN (15) MINUTES AIRTIME EVERY HOUR DURING PRIME TIME HOURS,
FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND PROVIDING PENALTIES
FOR THE VIOLATION THEREOF

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

SEC. 1. Mandatory Broadcasting of Educational Programs During Prime Time Hours.
All broadcast media networks are required to devote at least fifteen (15) minutes airtime every
hour from 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM and from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM for educational programs for
children.

SEC. 2. Production of Educational Programs. The Department of Education (DepEd),
Department of Science and Technology (DOST), National Telecommunications Commission
(NTC) and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) shall cause the production of the educational
programs. The content of these programs shall be in accordance with the curriculum of the
Department of Education for students from pre-school to senior high school. The government
agencies may partner with the broadcasting companies in producing the educational programs.

The abovementioned agencies shall ensure that the content of the educational programs
shall be continually updated and changed at least every six (6) months.

SEC. 3. Penalties. Failure of any broadcast media network to provide the required
broadcast time for the educational programs under Section 1 of this Act shall be ground for non-
renewal of its broadcasting franchise. This is included as part of the network’s responsibility of
serving the public.

SEC. 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations, Within sixty (6) days from the effectivity of
this Act, the DepEd, DOST, and PIA, in coordination with the various broadcasting organizations
such as the Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), shall promulgate the necessary
rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.


SEC. 6. Separability Clause. If, for any reason, any part or provision of this Act is declared
invalid such declaration shall not affect other provisions of this Act.

SEC. 7. Repealing Clause, Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order,
administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act
is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

SEC. 8. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the

Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,