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Republic of the Philippines * RECEIVED
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES w
Quezon City
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. __ 6224

Introduced by HON. JOSEPH “JOJO” L. LARA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

One way to improve the quality of education in the country is to invest in our
teaching personnel, by upgrading their compensation scheme, which may include
non-monetary benefits such as housing.

Our teachers are the foundation of our children’s learning. They are considered
as modern day heroes because their profession requires not only skill but as well as
passion and dedication. With the current state of our public school system, a teacher
must really be dedicated in order to stay and do well in their chosen profession. This
situation is more apparent in the provinces and other far flung areas, especially those
‘teaching in last mile schools.

Some teachers travel for hours, navigating dangerous terrain, just to reach
their beloved students. Providing them with dormitories or housing quarters will
definitely ease their burden and give them more time to relax and prepare for their
classes the next day.

The Department of Education alone has stated that our country has 7,144 last
mile schools - those with less than four classrooms, usually makeshift and
nonstandard ones; no electricity; no funds for repairs or new construction projects in
the last four years; and a travel distance of more than one hour away from the center,
accessible only through difficult terrain. Likewise, these are schools with multi-grade
classes, with less than five teachers, and a population of less than 100 learners, more
than 75% of whom are indigenous peoples (IP).

In lieu of the foregoing, the passage of this bills is earnestly sought.

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. _ 6224

Introduced by HON. JOSEPH “JOJO” L. LARA

| AN ACT
TO PROVIDING FOR DORMITORIES OR HOUSING QUARTERS FOR
TEACHERS TEACHING IN FAR FLUNG AREAS, LAST MILE SCHOOLS AND
STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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 "Dormitories or
Housing Quarters for Teachers Act of 2020."

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared to be the policy
of State to promote and improve the social and economic status of public school
teachers, their living and working conditions, their terms of employment and career
prospects in order that they may compare favorably with existing opportunities in
other walks of life.

SECTION 3. Coverage. — This program shall cover public schools in far flung
areas, those considered as last mile schools and state universities and colleges located
far from the city center.

SECTION 4. The Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher
Education (CHED) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) shall
undertake the effective implementation of the program in coordination with the
various concerned institutions and instrumentalities.

SECTION 5. Appropriations. - An initial budget of One Billion Pesos (Php
1,000,000,000.00) is hereby allocated for this Act. The funds necessary to carry out
the provision of this Act in the succeeding years shall be included in the General
Appropriation Act of the year following its enactment into law and thereafter.

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SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The Department of
Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of


Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are hereby tasked to formulate the implementing
rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

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

SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. — A\l laws, presidential decrees, executive
orders, rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act
are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 9. Effectivity.- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved.