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

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 2727

Introduced by HON. LINABELLE RUTH R. VILLARICA
4" DISTRICT, BULACAN

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The Alternative Learning System (ALS), is a system of education considered as a viable
alternative to the existing formal educational instruction. It is a parallel learning system that
encompasses both the non-formal and informal sources of knowledge and skills. This system of
education must be institutionalized to achieve the goals of basic education which is to promote the
intellectual growth, worthy values, skills and physical well-being of the student; as well as the goals of
secondary education which is to make the adolescent effective and efficient in the roles that he will
play in the different social groups to which he belongs, whether in the academe or in the work force.

To realize this goal, Bureau of Alternative Learning System of the Department of Education
(BALS-DepEd) must be strengthened.

The BALS-DepEd should be reorganized to prepare it to take on the mandate to implement the
ALS under R.A. No. 9155, otherwise known as the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001, which
states among others that quality basic education should be accessible to all Filipino children, including
the alternative learning system for the out-of-school-youth and adult learners, ‘To do this, it must be
clothed with ample functions, duties and responsibilities, complemented with a regular budgetary
allocation.

The net effect of this structural reform in education is that poverty will be significantly reduced,
The growing number of out-of-school youth (aged 6 to 24), which as of 2010 reached 19 million will
definitely aggravate poverty incidence in our society if they are not effectively educated

Support for the enactment of this measure is earnestly requested.

St Maren

REP. LINABELLE RUTH R. VILLARICA


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

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.__2'72'7

HON, LINABELLE RUTH R, VILLARICA
4TH DISTRICT, BULAC AN

Introduced by

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ALTERNATIVE LEARNING
SYSTEM IN BASIC EDUCATION, STRENGTHENING THE BUREAU OF ALTERNATIVE,
LEARNING SYSTEM IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS,
THEREFOR

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 Alternative Learning System (ALS)
Institutionalization Act of 2013”

SEC. 2, Declaration of Policy, - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to broaden the
access of quality basic education by institutionalizing the Alternative Learning System as an acceptable
learning system, This shall be a parallel scheme of the current formal basic education that would
provide access to non-school-based basic, elementary and secondary education for all citizens,
regardless of age.

SEC. 3. Objectives. - It shall be the goal of the alternative learning system to impart knowledge,
skills and values to out-of-school children, youth and adults so as to make them functionally literate
citizens and lifelong learners

SEC. 4, Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms or phrases used
shall mean or be understood as follows:

(a) Basic Education ~ the education intended to meet basic learning needs which lays the foundation for
subsequent learning, It encompasses early childhood, elementary and high school as well as the
alternative learning system for out-of-school children, youth and adult learners including education for
those with special needs (R.A. No. 9155);

(b) Alternative Learning System ~ a parallel learning system to provide a viable alternative to the
existing formal education instruction. It encompasses both the non-formal and informal sources of
knowledge and skills (R.A. No. 9155);

(c) Conceptual Functional Literacy - a range of skills and competencies cognitive, affective and
behavioral, which enables individuals to:


live and work as human persons;

develop their potential;

make critical and informed decisions;

function effectively in society within the context of their community in order to improve their
quality of life.

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(d) Operational Functional Literacy is the capacity of a person to

> communicate effectively;
> solve problems scientifically, creatively, and think critically;
use resources sustainably and be productive; and

develop oneself and a sense of community.

(e) Life skills — learning competencies of a functionally literate person such as empathy, cooperation
and teamwork, problem solving skills, decision making, critical thinking, coping and self-management
skills and others;

(f) Lifelong Learning ~ a learning process beginning at birth and ending only with death which allows
an individual to continue to learn and develop knowledge and competencies necessary for one's
effective participation in solving real life problems in the society;

(g) Non-formal Education ~ an organized, systematic educational program of the existing ALS
curriculum carried outside the framework of the formal school system;

(h) Informal Education ~ a lifelong learning program of the existing ALS curriculum which enables
every person to acquire and accumulate knowledge, skills, attitudes and insights from daily experiences
at home, at work, at play and from life itself;

(i) Community Learning Center ~ a learning space (physical, electronic cyber) where the learning
intervention takes place and which is managed by a learning facilitator,

(j) Learning Facilitator ~ the key learning support person who is responsible for providing the learning
intervention to the learner in the community learning center. ‘The learning facilitator may be a:

% Mobile teacher/district ALS Coordinator is a DepEd teacher of the ALS based in the community
learning center;

% ADepEd Coordinator of the ALS based at the District Office;

® Instructional Manager is a private individual trained to deliver ALS programs in the community
learning center.

(k) ALS Implementers ~ all DepEd and non-DepEd personnel who deliver ALS programs including
ALS Service Providers and Volunteers;

(1) Service Provider ~ any public or private organization or person who implements ALS programs
either through a service contract with DepEd or through funding assistance;


(m) Distance Learning — a modality of learning where the teaching and learning processes are
conducted with the use of self-instructional material in multi-media formats, supervised by a learning
facilitator and providing opportunities for independent study, multi-media learning and performance-
based evaluation;

(n) Open High School ~ a secondary level program of the ALS for school teachers using distance
learning modality;

(0) Out-of-school children (OSC) ~ school age children who are 6 tol4 years old who are not enrolled
in school;

(p) Out-of-school youth (OSY) ~ young adults aged 15 to 24 years old who were either unable to
access or to complete basic education;

(q) ALS Learner — an individual, regardless of age, seek to acquire basic and functional literacy skills
as well as life skills outside the school system for the improvement of the quality of his/her life.

(C. 5. Establishing the ALS in Basic Education. - The Bureau of Alternative Learning System
(BALS) of the Department of Education (DepEd) is established to implement the policy as pronounced
under Section 2 of this Act. The ALS shall cover informal and non-formal education, pursuant to R.A.
No. 9155, otherwise known as the “Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001”,

SEC. 6. Mandate of the Bureau of Alternative Learning System. - The BALS shall provide for
the education of all out-of-school children (OSC); out-of-school youth and adults through community-
based programs outside the school system and shall

4.) ensure that all learning needs of marginalized groups of the population, including the deprived and
underserved citizens are addressed; and

b.) respond to the need of a more systematic and flexible approach in reaching out to all types of
learners outside the school system

In the pursuit of this mandate, the BALS shall be the overall administrator of the learning
system in basic education at the national level and shall be responsible for standard-setting; planning
and policy formulation; program and materials development and technical assistance, resource
generation, information, advocacy and  social_mobilization; coordination/networking with
stakeholders/partners; and monitoring, research evaluation of programs

SEC. 7. Functions of the BALS-DepEd. - The Bureau of Alternative Learning System shall have
the following functions:

a.) address the learning needs of the marginalized groups of the population including the deprived,
depressed and underserved citizens through non-formal and informal education programs,

b.) coordinate with various agencies for skills development to enhance and ensure the learners’
employability, efficiency, productivity and competitiveness in the labor market;


©.) ensure access to educational opportunities for leamers of different interests, capabilities,
demographic characteristics and socio-economic origins and status; and

d.) promote certification and accreditation through alternative learning programs ~ both non-formal and
informal in nature, for basic education

SEC. 8, Organization. - The Bureau shall be reorganized into the following divisions, namely:

a.) Quality Assurance Division — for monitoring and evaluation, management information system and
assessment and certification;

b,) Policy, Planning and Resource Mobilization Division ~ for research and development, networking
and advocacy;

c.) Program Development Division ~ for lear
methodologies of learning;

1g resource and materials development, building and

d.) Administrative Section — provides support to the regular operations of the Bureau

The ALS shall be completely organized from the regional, division and district levels with the
needed staff complement to effectively implement the plans, policies and programs as mandated under
this Act.

The regional office headed by a Regional Director and the division office headed by an
Education Supervisor shall be with the appropriate staffing complement for programs promotion,
planning, administrative and fiscal services. The division office shall have legal, ancillary and other
support services. The district level shall be headed by a District Supervisor to provide professional and
instructional advise and support to the Mobile Teachers, District ALS Coordinators (DALCs) and other
program implementers in the district

There shall be an Undersecretary for ALS who shall exercise overall authority and supervision
over its operations and those in the field.

SEC, 9, Community Learning Centers, - There shall be established a Community Learning
Center (CLC) in all barangays which shall serve as a venue for learning activities and other learning,
opportunities for community development and general improvement of the people's quality of life

SI 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations, - The Bureau of Alternative Learning System of
the Department of Education, in coordination with the appropriate government agencies shall formulate
the implementing rules and regulations within the period of ninety (90) days after the approval of this
Act


SEC. 11, Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be
charged against the current year's budget of the BALS-DepEd. Thereafter, the amount equivalent to ten

percent (10%) of the annual budget of the DepEd shall be appropriated for the continued operations of
the BALS and shall be included in the General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 12. Effectivity, - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in at
least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,