FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
8 MAY 28 1'3 :37 
Introduced by Senator Manny Villar 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC) was established on November 
25, 1991 through the enactment of Republic Act No. 7165, entitled "An Act 
creating the Literacy Coordinating Council, defining it powers and functions, 
appropriating funds therefor, and for other purposes." 
Said law was envisioned to advance the country's commitment toward the 
universalization of literacy. The LCC is mandated as a policy-making and 
advisory inter-agency body composed of representations from the Department of 
Education (DepED), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the 
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Philippine Information 
Agency (PIA), Philippine Normal University (PNU), the Philippine Senate, House 
of Representatives and the representatives from non-government organizations 
working and advocating for the promotion of literacy. 
The LCC was conceived to fulfill the commitment of the State "to give the 
highest priority to the adoption of measures for the total eradication of illiteracy. 
For this purpose, it shall encourage and nationalize the formulation of policies 
and the implementation of programs on non-formal, informal, and indigenous 
learning systems, as well as self-learning, independent, and out-of-school study 
programs particularly those that respond to community needs." 
LCC was tasked to plan out and outline policies and programs toward 
strengthening the Department of Education's effort to develop and propagate 
literacy countrywide, has proved to be important. It has not only fulfilled the 
State's constitutional commitment but it has also effectively brought to the level of 
the local communities and the greatest number of people's organizations and 
non-government organizations the national government's aspiration to lessen, if 
not totally eradicate illiteracy, consistent with the constitutional provision and the 
UNESCO Declaration on the elimination of illiteracy of which the Philippines is a 
signatory. 
It could be noted, however, that Republic Act No. 7165 was not a perfect 
legislation. While its formulation and crafting undergone a series of serious 
deliberations and public hearings, its enactment was a product of the culture and 
need of that time. In short, it was promulgated precisely to respond to the clamor 
of sectors that believe in the urgency and significance of instituting a shift of 
focus in the national government's education agenda - from the traditional 
orientation and mode of learning to engaging into various forms of enhancing 
literacy. 


Recognizing the limitations of said law and acknowledging the imperative 
of proposing radical reforms in the LCC, amendments to Republic Act No. 7165 
has become an urgent and timely demand. Advocates and stakeholders of 
literacy share a common belief that LCC can achieve greater goals and become 
more effective only if and when the law creating it is attuned with the demands of 
the time. Only then that it can promote a bolder approach toward achieving the 
country's commitment toward the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). 
Moreover, since its creation some 15 years ago, the LCC has been in a 
want of an implementing guidelines to flesh out the mandate the functions of the 
Council, define the thrusts, objectives and parameters of the various literacy 
programs that the LCC has been mandated to undertake under the ate its overall 
operations, and prescribe for the appropriate relationship the LCC have with the 
Department of Education (DepED) and the rest of the sectors involved in the 
literacy programs. 
Thus, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
MAN 
VLLAR 
@ 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
8 M Y  28 P3 :37 
Introduced by Senator Manny Villar 
AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7165, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 
'AN ACT CREATING THE LITERACY COORDINATING COUNCIL, DEFINING 
ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES' 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 1 of Republic Act No. 7165 is hereby amended to 
read as follows: 
"SECTION 1. DECLARATION OF POLICY.- It [is] SHALL BE 
the policy of the State to give highest priority[for the total 
eradication of illiteracy.] TO THE UNIVERSALIZATION OF 
LITERACY. 
"TOWARD THIS END[For this purpose], it shall encourage 
and rationalize the formulation of policies and the implementation of 
programs 
on 
[nonformal, 
informal 
and] 
FORMAL 
AND 
ALTERNATIVE learning systems.[, as well as self-learning, 
independent, and out-of-school study programs particularly those 
that respond to community needs.]" 
THE STATE SHALL INSTITUTIONALIZE AN INTER- 
AGENCY 
COORDINATING AND 
ADVISORY 
BODY 
TO 
SYNCHRONIZE, AND STRENGTHEN POLICIES AND EFFORTS 
TOWARD THE UNIVERSALIZATION OF LITERACY. 
Sec.2. A new section 3 is hereby inserted to read as follows: 
THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL MEAN: 
SEC.3. DEFINITION OF TERMS.-FOR PURPOSES OF THIS ACT, 
A) ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM (ALS)- IS A 
PARALLEL LEARNING SYSTEM TO PROVIDE A VIABLE 
ALTERNATIVE TO THE EXISTING FORMAL EDUCATION 
FORMAL AND INFORMAL SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE 
AND SKILLS; 
INSTRUCTION. IT ENCOMPASSES BOTH THE NON- 
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B) BASIC LITERACY-ABILITY OF A PERSON TO 
READ AND WRITE WITH UNDERSTANDING AND SIMPLE 
MESSAGE IN ANY LANGUAGE OR DIALECT. 
C) 
COUNCIL-REFERS 
TO 
THE 
LITERACY 
COORDINATING COUNCIL CREATED UNDER REPUBLIC 
ACT NO. 7165; 
D) FORML EDUCATION (FE)- IS THE SYSTEMATIC 
AND DELIBERATE PROCESS OR HIERARCHICALLY 
STRUCTURED 
AND 
SEQUENTIAL 
LEARNING 
CORRESPONDING TO THE GENERAL CONCEPT OF 
ELEMENTARY 
AND 
SECONDARY 
LEVEL 
OF 
SCHOOLING. AT THE END OF EACH LEVEL, THE 
LEARNER NEEDS A CERTIFICATION IN ORDER TO 
ENTER OR ADVANCE TO THE NEXT LEVEL; 
E) INFORMAL EDUCATION (IE)-IS A LIFELONG 
PROCESS OF LEARNING BY WHICH EVERY PERSON 
ACQUIRES AND ACCUMULATES KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, 
ATTITUDES AND INSIGHTS FROM DAILY EXPERIENCES 
AT HOME, AT WORK, AT PLAY AND FROM LIFE ITSELF; 
F) NON-FORMAL EDUCATION (NFE)-IS ANY 
ORGANIZED, SYSTEMATIC EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY 
CARRIED OUTSIDE THE FRAMEWORK OF THE FORMAL 
SYSTEM TO PROVIDE SELECTED TYPES OF LEARNING 
TO A SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION; 
G) UNIVERSALIZATION OF LITERACY REFERS TO 
THE PROCESS OF AMKING A TARGET POPULATION 
LITERATE. 
SEC.3. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 7165 is hereby amended to read as 
“SEC[3]4. COMPOSITION.-The Council shall be composed of THE 
FOLLOWING MEMBERS [eight 
(8) 
members as 
follows: 
the 
Undersecretary of Nonforrnal Education of the Department of Education, 
Culture and Sports; the Undersecretary of the Department of the Interior 
and Local Government in charge of Local Governments; the Director of 
the Philippine Information Agency; the President of the Philippine National 
College; a representative from the National Economic and Development 
Authority designated by the Director-General; a representative of the 
Committee on Education and Culture of the Senate to be designated by 
the President of the Senate; a representative of the Committee on 
Education and Culture of the House of Representatives to be designated 
by the Speaker, and the representative of non-government organizations. 
involved in literacy education who shall be appointed by the President of’ 
the Philippines for a period of three (3) years.]: 
Follows: 
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1) THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION (DEPED), AS THE CHAIRMAN, 
WHO MAY DESIGNATE HIS UNDERSECRETARY AS PERMANENT 
REPRESENTATIVE; 
2) THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT 
(DILG) 
WHO 
MAY 
DEISGNATE 
HIS 
DULY 
AUTHORIZED 
REPRESENTATIVE; 
3) THE CHAIRMAN, COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATIONN 
(CHED), OR HIS DULY DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE; 
4) THE DIRECTOR GENERAL, TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS 
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (TESDA), OR HIS DULY DESIGNATED 
REPRESENTATIVE; 
5) THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE PHILIPPINE INFORMATION 
AGENCY (PIA) WHO MAY DESIGNATE HIS DULY AUTHORIZED 
REPRESENTATIVE; 
6) THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND 
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (NEDA) WHO MAY DESIGNATE HIS 
DULY AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE; 
7) THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, ARTS AND 
CULTURE OF THE SENATE WHO MAY DESIGNATE HIS DULY 
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE; AND 
8) THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON BASIC EDUCATION AND 
CULTURE OF THE HOUSE OR REPRESENTATIVES WHO MAY 
DESIGNATE HIS DULY AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES: AND 
9) A 
REPRESENTATIVE 
FROM 
THE 
NETWORK 
OF NON- 
GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN THE PROPAGATION 
OF LITERACY. 
THE 
COUNCIL 
SHALL 
APPROVE 
AND 
CONFIRM 
THE 
APPOINTMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE NGOS. FOR THIS 
PURPOSE, GUIDELINES FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF SUCH NGO 
REPRESENTATIVE SHALL BE PROMULGATED BY THE COUNCIL. 
SAID REPRESENTATIVE SHALL SERVE FOR A PERIOD OF 
THREE (3) YEARS, SUBJECT TO A REAPPOINTMENT. 
[The members of the Council shall annually elect a Chairman from 
among themselves except the two (2) representatives of Congress] 
"The Council shall meet regularly [once a month] and may hold special 
meetings to consider urgent matters upon the call of the Chairman or any 
three Council members." 
SEC.4. A new section 5 is hereby inserted to read as follows: 
SEC.5. POWERS OF THE DULY DESIGNATED 
REPRESENTATIVES.-DULY 
DESIGNATED 
REPRESNTATIVES TO THE LITERACY COORDINATING 
COUNCIL SHALL NE AFFORDED EQUAL OPPORTUNITY 
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TO VOTE AND PARTICIPATE IN ANY DELIBERATION 
DURING MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL. 
LIKWISE, THEY SHALL BE AFFORDED, WHENEVER 
NECESSARY, REIMBURSEMENT OF ANY ACTUAL 
FUNCTIONS 
AND 
DUTIERS, 
SUBJECT 
TO 
THE 
PROVISIONS OF EXISTING LAW AND/OR PERTINENT 
RULES AND REGULATIONS. 
EXPENSES 
INCURRED 
DURING 
LCC-RELATED 
SEC.5. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 7165 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
“SEC.[4]6. 
POWERS 
AND 
FUNCTIONS 
OF 
THE 
COUNCIL.-The Council shall have the following POWERS AND 
functions: 
“I.[To help] Act as the overall advisory and coordinating 
body, providing policy and program directions for all LITERACY 
endeavors in the country; 
2. 
ENJOIN 
THE 
SERVICES, 
EXPERTISE 
AND 
RESOURCES, 
INCLUDING 
BUT 
NOT 
LIMITED 
TO, 
COOPERATION, 
ASSISTANCE 
AND 
SUPPORT 
OF 
APPROPRIATE 
GOVERNMENT 
AGENCIES 
OR 
NONGOVERNMENTAL 
ORGANIZATIONS 
INVOLVED 
IN 
LITERACY; 
“[2]3.[To]Recommend strategies on the development of a 
mass movement for the PROMOTION OF LIFE SKILLS AND 
EDUCATION TOWARDS THE [total eradication of illiteracy in the 
country by the year 20001 UNIVERSALIZATION OF LITERACY; 
“[3]4. [To]Formulate measures on MONITORING AND 
EVALUATION OF 
THE 
LITERACY SITUATION 
IN THE 
COUNTRY, INCLUDING the establishment and maintenance of a 
national data bank and information exchange and dissemination 
system to support literacy efforts at the national and local levels; 
“[4]5.[To assist in identifying successful management 
schemes of literacy programs, and adopt measures to boost 
research and development work in literacy, by government 
agencies, and non-governmental organizations, involve in literacy 
work;] 
“[5]6.[To recommend ways and means of raising funds in 
order to support the] FORMULATE POLICIES TOWARDS 
MAXIMIZING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT AND 
INVOLVEMENT ON literacy programs, projects and activities; 
“[6] 7. [To recommend] PROPOSE measures on how to 
organize and strengthen support structures for literacy at the 
regional, PROVINCIAL and local levels; and, 
“[7] 8. [To] Perform such other functions as may be 
necessary in furtherance of the purposes of this Act.” 
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SEC.6. Section 5 of Republic Act No. 7165 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
"[SEC.5. The Administrative and research shall be detailed 
from the existing personnel of the Department of Education, Culture 
and Sports without prejudice to the designation by the Council of 
such additional staff members as it may deem for proper discharge 
of its functions and responsibilities.]" 
"The administrative and research staff shall be detailed from 
the existing personnel of the Department of Education[Culture and 
Sports](DEPED) without prejudice to the designation AND/OR 
APPOINTMENT by the Council such additional staff members as it 
may be deem necessary for the proper discharge of its functions 
and responsibilities." 
THE AMOUNT NECESSARY FOR THE PAYMENT OF 
EMPLOYEES 
SALARIES, 
BENEFITS 
AND 
OTHER 
EMOLUMENTS SHALL BE TAKEN FROM THE ANNUAL 
APPROPRIATIONS AFFORDED ON THE COUNCIL; PROVIDED 
THAT SUCH OBLIGATIONS SHALL NOT EXCEED TWENTY 
PERCENTUM (20%) OF THE TOTAL ANNUAL APPROPRIATION 
OF THE LCC. 
SEC.7. Section 6 of Republic Act No. 7165 is hereby deleted. 
SEC.8. Section 7 of Republic Act No, 7165 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
"SEC.[7]8. The sum of ten million (PlO,OOO,OOO.OO) is 
hereby authorized to be appropriated, out of any funds in the 
National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to carry out the 
functions of the Council under this Act. Thereafter, the sum needed 
for the operation and maintenance of the Council shall be included 
in the annual Budget of the Department of Education[, Culture and 
"[The Council shall submit to Congress an annual report which shall 
include among other things, policy recommendations which will 
require legislative action towards total eradication of illiteracy.]" 
Sports]. 
SEC.9. A new section is hereby inserted to read as follows: 
SECS. ANNUAL REPORT.-THE COUNCIL SHALL SUBMIT 
TO BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS AN ANNUAL REPORT 
WHICH MAY INCLUDE AMONG OTHER THINGS, PROGRAMS 
AND 
PROJECTS 
UNDERTAKEN 
AND 
POLICY 
RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH WILL REQUIRE LEGISLATIVE 
ACTION TO PROMOTE AND ENSURE THE UNIVERSALIZATION 
OF LITERACY. 
SEC.lO. A new section is further hereby inserted to read as follows: 
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SEC.lO. IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS.- 
THE COUNCIL, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE APPROPRIATE 
ORGANIZATIONS, SHALL PROMULGATE WITHIN SIXTY (60) 
DAYS THE IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT 
SHALL BE NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF 
THIS ACT. 
GOVERNMENT 
AGENCIES 
AND 
NON-GOVERNMENT 
SEC.ll. Section 8 of Republic Act No. 7165 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
"SEC.[8]11 SEPARABILITY CLAUSE.-All laws, executive 
orders, presidential decrees, and other issuances, or parts thereof, 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed OR 
MODIFIED ACCORDINGLY." 
SEC.12. Section 9 of Republic Act No. 7165 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
"SEC.[Q] 12. REPEALING CLAUSE.- If any or part of this Act 
shall be declared unconstitutional, such declaration shall not 
invalidate other provisions thereof." 
SEC.13. Section 10 of Republic Act No. 7165 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
"SEC.[lO] 13. EFFECTIVITY.- This Act shall take effect 
FIFTEEN DAYS (15) upon its publication in [two (2) newspapers of 
general circulation] OFFICIAL GAZETTE." 
Approved, 
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