« 
• -I
NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
]
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
]
First Regular Session 
]
SENATE
S.B. No. 383
’22 JUL 12 All 58
m:CElV£DB';;__
Introduced by SENATOR WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
MANDATING THE FULL DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION 
OF ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BASIC EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
In this age of digital technology, the majority of the population relies on 
information and other resources from the world wide web, from the latest 
news and updates in the community, distance learning, traffic, latest trends, 
places to go and eat, and to just simply connect with friends and family. Based 
on a study, these made Filipinos top the spot as the heaviest Internet user 
worldwide.1 The schools, the learners, their teachers and parents are among 
the heavy users of Internet services in the country, especially when the 
COVID-19 pandemic caused school and university closures. These school 
closures caused educational institutions to shift overnight from face-to-face 
classes to modular and online learning.
1 
http; / / nine.cnnphilippines.com/lifestyle /2019/02/01 /2019-digital-hootsuite-we-are-
social-internet-philippines-facebook.html.
1


The adverse impact of the pandemic lingers up to this day which puts 
education in a state of emergency.2 Accordingly, the government, through the 
Department of Education (DepEd), in collaboration with the Department of 
Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Department of 
Science and Technology (DOST), should take steps to ensure that public and 
private basic education institutions adopt the use of digital technology to 
continuously deliver quality education towards the digital transformation of 
the basic education system. They shall likewise be required to digitally 
streamline and integrate their workflows and processes to promote efficiency 
in delivering basic education services.
The World Digital Competitiveness Index provides instructive insights 
about the extent to which the Philippines adopts and explores digital 
technologies leading to transformation in government practices including 
education delivery, business models, and society in general. In 2021, the 
World Digital Competitiveness Reports ranks the Philippines 58th out of 64 
countries.3 The country’s ranking has been on a steady decline since 2016 
when it was ranked 46th.
The United Nation’s (UN) E-Government Survey 2020, on the other 
hand, ranks the Philippines 77th out of the 193 UN-member countries in 
terms of the readiness and capacity of national institutions to use Information 
and Communications Technologies (ICT) to deliver public services.4 In the 
2019 National ICT Household Survey, only 22.7% of the surveyed 43,838 
households indicated to have accessed education-related government e-
Sustainable Development;
2 
UNICEF Broadband Commission for 
https: / /www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVCCX_Z7dPk.
3 
2021 
IMD World Digital Competitiveness Index. 
(See
https://www.imd.org/ centers/ world-competitiveness-center/ rankings/ world-digital- 
competitiveness/ )
4 
2020 UN E-Government Survey. (See https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en- 
us/Reports/ UN-E-Govemment-Survey-2020)
2


services and websites in the last three months.5 This can be attributable to 
problems in access to technologies required to avail the services, as well as 
the limited relevant education e-services offered by the government.
For the basic education system’s digital transformation, the bill 
provides for the crafting of a multi-year roadmap to ensure the timely 
implementation of the proposed law, to be supported by annual work and 
financial plans. The bill mandates the DICT to provide and maintain the 
necessary digital infrastructure to ensure the availability and accessibility of 
reliable and secure Internet access, thereby connecting the schools to the 
Internet. More importantly, it shall implement measures to accelerate the 
installation, deployment and activation of the free public wi-fi in all public 
basic education institutions and escalate the building of the national 
infrastructure for ICT by mandating the National Telecommunications 
Commission to identify the locations for the construction of 
telecommunications tower sites, giving due priority to the missionary areas 
which remain unconnected and unserved or underserved.
The DOST for its part shall assist the DepEd and the DICT on the use 
of science, technology and innovation in accelerating the digital 
transformation of the basic education sector, disrupt traditional teaching and 
learning processes, and boost the sector towards the Fourth Industrial 
Revolution.
Finally, the bill provides for the DepEd, the DICT and the DOST to 
conduct a mapping of all schools to assess their preparedness for digital 
transformation. The mapping shall determine the schools’ access to distance 
learning tools such as ICT devices, connectivity, capability, and geographical 
location, among others. Furthermore, the DepEd shall develop training
5 Albert, et. al. (2021). Expanded Data Analysis and Policy Research for National ICT 
Household Survey 2019.
(See https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps2120.pdf)
3


programs and conduct workshops or webinar sessions to equip teachers with 
the necessaiy knowledge and skills and enhance their virtual teaching 
capacity and competence.
I earnestly seek the support of my colleagues for the passage of this 
legislation that will ensure that learning will continue - leaving no learner 
behind at all times and under all circumstances - which can only be possible 
if we bridge the digital divide and transform the basic education sector into a 
digitally connected ecosystem.
IN GATCHALIAN


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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
]
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
]
First Regular Session 
]
SENATE
383
*22 JUL 12 All :58
Rl-CEiVcD BV;
S.B. No.
Introduced by SENATOR WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
MANDATING THE FULL DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION 
OF ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BASIC EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the uDigital
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Transformation in Basic Education Act’.
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to promote the
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right of all citizens to quality education at all levels, take appropriate steps to
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make such education accessible to all, and assign the highest budgetary
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priority to education. The State also recognizes the vital role of communication
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and information in nation-building, and shall provide the policy environment
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for the full development of Filipino capability and the emergence of
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communication structures suitable to the needs and aspirations of the nation
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- including the aspiration for the uninterrupted delivery of quality basic
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education in locations both inside and outside the physical premises of our
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basic education institutions.


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The State shall therefore give priority to science, technology and
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innovation to accelerate social progress,-and promote their adaptation from
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all sources to ensure that basic education institutions adopt and utilize digital
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technology to enhance learning and teaching and streamline their workflows
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and processes to create an equitable, effective and efficient learning
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environment. In the process, basic education institutions shall ensure that
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all data gathered in their information and communications systems are
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secured and protected.
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Sec. 3. Digital Transformation in Basic Education. - The Department of
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Education (DepEd), in collaboration with the Department of Information and
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Communications Technology (DICT) and the Department of Science and
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Technology (DOST), shall ensure that public and private basic education
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institutions adopt the use of digital technology to continuously deliver quality
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education towards the digital transformation of the basic education system.
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For this purpose, the DepEd shall mandate all schools to enhance and
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strengthen their Information and Communications Technology (ICT) capacity
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to implement distance learning to provide every learner flexible and equitable
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access to basic education. It shall be a system with minimal restrictions that
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emphasizes flexibility to eradicate problems caused by barriers such as age,
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geographical location, time, and economic situation. Distance learning may
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be delivered through modular learning, online learning, television- or radio-
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based instruction, or a combination thereof.
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The DepEd shall likewise ensure that its bureaus, divisions and offices
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digitally streamline and integrate their workflows and processes, including
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but not limited to the following:
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(a) set up electronic and online systems that will make the means of
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exchanging data and information between and among its offices,
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learners, and parents secure, efficient, and seamless;


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(b) streamline procedures by adopting automation and digitization of
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its services to promote zero-contact policy and to facilitate their
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efficient delivery;
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(c) build up its technology capabilities, including the establishment of
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data centers, data repositories, basic messaging and electronic mail
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facilities, encryption systems, and cyber-security facilities;
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(d) invest heavily into developing organizational capability and
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personnel competencies that are well-suited to support digital
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transformation;
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(e) promote and support the onboarding and training of personnel in
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using electronic services;
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(f) 
obtain and monitor networking tools to create channels of
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communication with the general public and secure real-time
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feedback on their delivery of basic education services; and
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(g) design service processes and procedures that will promote efficiency
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and a sense of expediency, including but not limited to matters
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pertaining to enrollment, payments, documents submission, grades
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submission, and parent-teacher meetings.
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The DepEd shall collaborate with the DICT, the DOST and stakeholders
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in the private sector to develop, adopt, and implement digital transformation
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in its organizational processes, especially for the distance learning system.
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The relevant provisions of Republic Act No. 10650 or the “Open Distance
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Learning Acf shall be applied in complementarity with the provisions of this
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Act.
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Sec. 4. Multi-Year Roadmap. - To ensure the timely implementation of
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this Act, the DepEd, the DICT and the DOST, in coordination with other
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relevant national government agencies and private stakeholders, shall initiate
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the crafting and regular updating of a multi-year roadmap (roadmap),
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supported by annual work and financial plans.


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The roadmap shall serve as a guide to implementing government
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agencies and private stakeholders for the effective and efficient
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implementation of this Act. It shall be part of and aligned with the basic
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education roadmap of the DepEd and the digital transformation strategy of
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the government, and consistent with the ICT development agenda of the
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country as provided in Republic Act No. 10844 or the “Department of
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Information and Communications Technology Act of 201
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The roadmap shall likewise contain the current policy, practices, gaps,
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and challenges affecting the development, adoption and implementation of
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digital technology and set detailed targets and outcomes for a minimum
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period of five (5) years. It shall further provide public and private stakeholders
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specific actions and targeted interventions, including implementation and
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monitoring strategies and annual budgetary requirements.
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Sec. 5. The Bureau of Digital Transformation as Implementing Bureau. -
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The DepEd, through its ICT Service, and in coordination with the DICT and
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the DOST, shall implement, oversee, monitor, and evaluate compliance with
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the provisions of this Act.
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Upon the effectivity of this Act, the DepEd shall convert its existing ICT
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Service into the Bureau of Digital Transformation to be headed by a Director
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who shall oversee, monitor, and evaluate the implementation of this Act.
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The Bureau shall:
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(a) implement and regularly update the multi-year roadmap as provided
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in this Act;
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(b) coordinate with other implementing government agencies;
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(c) ensure the conduct of training and capacity building of learners and
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teachers, and the training of trainers, administrators, and
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supervisors;
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(d) implement policies and standards for the use of distance learning
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modalities, including the training of teachers on distance education;


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(e) supervise, monitor, evaluate, and assess the compliance, operations, 
and performance of public and private basic education institutions 
on the use of digital technology pursuant to this Act, and regularly 
submit reports to the Secretary of Education (Secretary); and
(f) perform such other necessary functions for the effective and efficient 
implementation of this Act.
Sec. 6. Digital Transformation Infrastructure and Free Public Wi-fi. - The 
DICT shall provide and maintain the necessary digital infrastructure for the 
implementation of this Act. It shall likewise implement measures to ensure 
the availability and accessibility of reliable and secure Internet access suitable 
to the needs of learners and teachers under the distance learning system. It 
shall further accelerate the provision of free public wi-fi as mandated under 
R.A. No. 10929 or the “Free Internet Access in Public Places Act to strengthen 
teaching and learning, especially in the remotest, unserved and 
disadvantaged communities.
The expertise, systems, and facilities of higher education institutions 
offering distance or open learning shall likewise be tapped and adopted 
whenever necessary for the development and conduct of distance learning in 
basic education institutions.
Sec. 7. Accelerated Provision of Reliable and Secure Internet Connection; 
Escalation of the Building of the National Information and Telecommunications 
Technology Infrastructure. - To ensure the availability of a reliable and secure 
Internet connection suitable to the needs of learners and teachers for distance 
learning and digital transformation, the DICT shall implement measures to 
accelerate the installation, deployment and activation of the free public wi-fi 
in all public basic education institutions and escalate the building of the 
national infrastructure for ICT by mandating the National 
Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to identify the locations for the 
construction of telecommunications tower sites, giving due priority to the


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missionary areas which remain unconnected and unserved or underserved by 
the Public Telecommunications Entities (PTEs), and require the PTEs to 
complete the building of the targeted number of towers within two years from 
the effectivity of this Act.
The government, through the DICT, shall formulate and implement a 
system to provide financing or incentives to PTEs in the construction of 
telecommunications towers in the missionary areas.
PTEs refer to entities that are duly authorized to offer voice, short 
messaging system or text, mobile data, value added services, or any other 
mobile telecommunications services to the public for a fee.
For purposes of this section and pursuant to Republic Act No. 11032 
or the “Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act 
of 2018”, all relevant government agencies and local government units are 
required to process, approve, and issue permits and clearances for the 
construction of telecommunications towers within seven working days.
Sec. 8. Free Access to DepEd's Online Platforms; Subsidized and Special 
Services for Learners. - PTEs shall provide free access to the DepEd’s online 
educational platforms, digital libraries, and other online knowledge hubs and 
sites without any additional financial burden on all subscribers. No data 
charges shall also be incurred in the download of data from these sites and 
applications.
Further, the NTC and the PTEs, in consultation with the DepEd and the 
DOST, are hereby mandated to create systems and establish procedures in 
making available special sim cards, plans, and services for distance education 
at minimal cost and with no data caps, including their expedited sale and 
availment. They shall also provide subsidized data plans to learners whose 
parents are listed as beneficiaries under the National Household Targeting 
System for Poverty Reduction, otherwise known as “Listahanan”, under the 
Department of Social Welfare and Development.


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Sec. 9. Science, Technology and Innovation in the Digital Transformation of
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Basic Education. - The DOST, pursuant to it s mandate under Executive Order
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No. 128 to "provide central direction, leadership and coordination of scientific
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and technological efforts and ensure that the results therefrom are geared and
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utilized in areas of maximum economic and social benefits for the people”,
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shall assist the DepEd and the DICT in the conceptualization, planning and
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implementation of the digital transformation of the basic education system. It
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shall employ science, technology and innovation in accelerating such
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transformation given the development needs and existing capabilities and
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resources of the DepEd and the basic education sector, disrupt traditional
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teaching and learning processes, and boost the sector towards the Fourth
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Industrial Revolution.
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Sec. 10. Digital Transformation Mapping. - The DepEd shall establish and
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maintain a mapping system to regularly determine the compliance of both
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public and private basic education institutions with this Act,
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Upon the effectivity of this Act, the DepEd, the DICT and the DOST shall
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conduct a mapping of all these institutions to assess their preparedness for
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digital transformation, and determine their specific needs and access to
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distance learning tools such as ICT devices, connectivity, capability, and
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geographical location, among others.
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Sec. 11. Hiring and Training of Teachers, Para-teachers, and Other
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Personnel. - The hiring of additional teachers or para-teachers, or both, to
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upgrade the organizational capacity of the DepEd to deliver continuous and
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quality education under a distance learning system is hereby encouraged.
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The DepEd shall develop and conduct continuous training programs,
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workshops, or webinar sessions to equip teachers with the necessary
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knowledge and skills and enhance their virtual teaching capacity and
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competence. In addition, the Commission on Higher Education and the


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Technical Education and Skills Development Authority shall integrate such 
training programs into formal pre-service and in-service teacher training.
The DepEd shall tap the resources of other relevant government 
agencies, the academe, the industry, and other private sector stakeholders in 
the training design and delivery. It may also accredit training providers or 
content developers for this purpose.
The DepEd, in consultation with the Department of Budget and 
Management, may likewise create plantilla positions for the support staff to 
complement existing personnel.
Sec. 12. Transitory Provision. - All public and private basic education 
institutions shall be given two (2) years to implement the provisions of this 
Act and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).
The DepEd, the DICT and the DOST shall assess the capacity and 
preparedness of these institutions to implement the provisions of this Act. 
They shall likewise conduct an inventory of existing learning materials, 
facilities, and infrastructure for distance learning and other alternative 
delivery modes.
A report of such assessment and inventory shall be submitted to the 
Committees on Basic Education of both houses of Congress within six (6) 
months from the effectivity of this Act.
Sec. 13. Mandatory Review and Impact Assessment; Submission of 
Annual Report to Congress. - The DepEd, the DICT and the DOST shall 
conduct a mandatory review of the implementation of this Act not later than 
two (2) years from its effectivity to determine its implementation status and 
impact.
An annual report of its implementation shall be submitted to the 
Committees on Basic Education of both houses of Congress until its full 
implementation in all public and private basic education institutions.


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Sec. 14. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation 
of this Act shall be charged against those authorized in the current 
appropriations of the DepEd, the DICT and the DOST. Thereafter, the amount 
necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the budget of 
the DepEd, the DICT and the DOST in the annual General Appropriations Act.
Sec. 15. IRR. - Within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act, the 
Secretaries of the DepEd, the DICT and the DOST, in consultation with other 
concerned government agencies and education stakeholders, shall issue the 
rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. The IRR 
issued pursuant to this section shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
Sec. 16. Separability Clause. - If any part, section, or provision of this 
Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other parts thereof not affected 
thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
Sec. 17. Repealing Clause. - All laws, acts, presidential decrees, 
executive orders, administrative orders, rules and regulations, or parts 
thereof inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby 
amended or repealed accordingly.
Sec. 18. Effectivity. - Notwithstanding the non-issuance of the IRR, this 
Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette 
or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,