FOURTEENTH CONGRESS 
OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
FIRST REGULAR SESSION 
Senate 
Introduced by Hon. Manny Villar 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Education is not just a privilege, it is one of the fundamental rights of every citizen. 
Thus, Section 1, Article XIV of our Constitution imposes upon the State the 
responsibility to ')xotect and promote the right of a// cifizens to qualify education at all 
levels" and "fake appropriate steps to make such education accessible to a/f'. 
Cognizant of the importance of education as a tool to a nation's progress, it is crucial 
that the State address the challenge to quality education as early as during the early 
formative years of the child. 
To ensure that the fundamental right of a child to quality education is protected, this bill 
aims to promote compulsory education for children of compulsory school age, providing 
only for limited special circumstances for exemption, directing the local government 
units, particularly in the barangay level to be directly involved in the monitoring of the 
education of children under their areas of jurisdiction and the Department of Education 
to formulate the necessary curriculum for learning. 
For this purpose it shall be the joint responsibility of the Department of Interior and 
Local Government and the Department of Education to ensure the establishment of 
schools and the necessary support services for the implementation of this measure. 
Providing for quality education is one of the most important legacy the State and the 
local government can offer to the people. In ensuring the grant of good education to the 
children, the State dos not only discharge its most important function, it is also making a 
crucial investment vital to economic growth. In educating the young, the State will be 
assured of an adequate and competent workforce ready and fully equipped to face the 
challenges of global competition. 
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS 
OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
FIRST REGULAR SESSION 
Senate 
Introduced by Hon. Manny Villar 
AN ACT PROMOTING COMPULSORY EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN OF 
COMPULSORY SCHOOL AGE. 
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 the “Compulsory Education for Children 
Act of 2007.” 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect and promote the 
right of the citizens to quality education and to take appropriate steps to make such 
education accessible to all. Towards this end, the State shall : 
(a) 
Define the responsibilities of the government, the parents and carers of children 
in relation to education of the children; 
Provide the necessary framework and resources for the implementation of 
educational programs, projects and services; encouraging local initiatives for the 
improvement of schools and community based learning facilities; 
(c) 
Promote compulsory 
education and 
provide only for 
limited special 
circumstances when children of compulsory school age would not be required to 
attend school; 
Provide a system for the monitoring of children of compulsory school age and 
ensuring that they enjoy the benefit of having the opportunity to be educated; 
Ensure that the schools and other facilities of learning are able to reflect the 
values of the community by allowing the teachers, learning facilitators and other 
staff to have flexibility in servicing the needs of the learners. 
(b) 
(d) 
(e) 
SEC. 3. Definition. - For purposes or this Act, the following terms shall mean: 
(a) 
Compulsory school age - a child who is at least 6 years old and up to the 
age of 12 years old. 
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Home education - in relation to a child, means education conducted by 1 or 
both of the child's parents from a home base; 
Habitual offender - any person who violates any provision of this act three or 
more times. 
Learner - any individual who is of compulsory school age seeking basic literacy 
skills and functional life skills or support services for the improvement of the 
quality of hidher life. 
Learning facility - is a physical space to house learning resources and facilities 
of a learning program for children. It is a venue for face-to-face learning activities 
and other learning opportunities for community development.. 
Learning facilitator - it is the key learning support person outside of the school, 
responsible for supervising/facilitating the learning process and activities of the 
learner. 
Local School Board - it refers to the Local School Board established pursuant 
to Section 98, Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code. 
Parent or carer - refers to a biological parent, an adoptive parent, a stepparent, 
or a foster parent of a child, including a legal guardian exercising parental 
responsibility for the child or any other person standing in loco parentis; 
SEC. 4. Establishment of a School or Learning facility.- 
There shall as far as 
practicable be established in every barangay an elementary school 
under the 
supervision of Department of Education in coordination with the Local School Board or 
in the alternative an adequate learning facility for children of compulsory school age. 
SEC. 5. 
Mandatory Monitoring of children of Compulsory School Age. - It shall 
be the duty of the officials in the barangay to monitor children of compulsory school age 
and ensure that they are afforded the opportunity to obtain basic literacy and functional 
skills. 
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For this purpose, the barangay council shall submit periodic report to the Local School 
Board on the number of children belonging to the compulsory school age and the status 
as to whether or not these children are able to attend school. 
SEC. 6. 
Compulsory Attendance of Children - it shall be the responsibility of 
the parent or carer to enroll the child of compulsory school age in a school or a learning 
facility or apply and register the child for home education or secure an exemption if 
circumstances so warrant. 
The penalty of a fine of One Thousand Pesos (P 1,000.00) and attendance to a 
community seminar on the importance of education to be organized by the concerned 
city/municipal government, or non-governmental organization (NGO) 
shall be imposed 
on a parent or carer who fails to enroll a learner in school or a learning facility or apply 
and register the learner for home education, in the absence of an exemption. 
The penalty of a fine of Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,OOO.) and one month community 
service in a school or learning facility shall be imposed for the second offense. 
The penalty of one (1) year imprisonment shall be imposed on habitual offenders. 
SEC. 7. Special Circumstances for Exemption from Compulsory Attendance - 
The Local Chief Executive may upon recommendation of the Barangay Council and 
favorably endorsed by the Local School Board, may, upon application by the parent or 
carer of the child issue a certificate exempting the child from attendance in a school or 
learning facility, if : 
The learner is registered for home education; 
It is in the learner's best interest. having regard to the care, health 
development, mental or emotional development or education of the 
learner, to exempt himlher from school or a learning facility. 
It is necessary or desirable owing to the personal circumstance of the 
child's family provided that the parent or carer should allow the child to 
participate in basic literacy training skills to be organized by the barangay 
at least once a week for children of compulsory school age. 
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SEC. 8. 
Prohibition on Employment of Children of Compulsory School Age. - 
It shall be unlawful for any person to employ or engage the services of a child of 
compulsory school age on a day and at a time, when the child is required to attend 
schoolllearning facility, a school activity or an approved educational course. 
The penalty of a fine of Ten Thousand Pesos (P 10,000.00) for the first offense and 
imprisonment of not less than fifteen days but no more than thirty (30) days for repeat 
offenders, shall be imposed on any person found to violate this provision. 
SEC. 9. Penalty for Public Officials. - Any public officer or employee who violates 
any provision of this act may be meted administrative disciplinary action, without 
prejudice to the filing of appropriate civil or criminal action. 
SEC. I O .  Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Education, 
in collaboration with the Department of Interior and Local Government, upon prior 
consultation with the Committees on Education of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives, shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective 
implementation of this Act within a period of ninety (90) days after its approval. 
SEC.ll. Funding - The amount necessary to implement the provisions of this Act shall 
be charged to the appropriations for the Department of Education under the current 
General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such amount as maybe necessary for the 
continuous implementation of this Act shall be included in the Annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 17. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not so declared shall remain in force and effect. 
SEC. 18. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts 
thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 19. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect immediately upon its approval. 
Approved, 
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