Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: HON. RACHEL MARGUERITE B. DEL MAR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Good education must start with the children and the young, otherwise, the famous line
that the future belongs to the young would amount to title. Even our constitutional mandate is
direct and categorical: promote the physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being
of the youth,

‘The attached bill secks to institutionalize a Pre-School Program in our public education
system as a separate curriculum level and to integrate values formation into the curriculum of
all public pre-school, elementary and high schools.

It is said that the early years of a child's life are the best years in terms of molding the
child, the time when the child's sense of wonder is best sharpened and learning is best initiated,
A pre-school program, popularly referring to classes prior to entering elementary school, will
really start the children young in terms of learning. It will be institutionalized as a separate
level of education, a pre-elementary level, which shall be required prior to elementary
schooling.

But what is values formation? It has been used in many contexts, referring to moral
values, traditional values, code of right manners and good conduct, moral principles, acceptable
norms of conduct. Teachers and educators, given some broad, subjective and religion -related
interpretations, have still to agree on what values formation really means or what values really
are.

For purposes of this Act, values formation is taken as a concept not hewed to any church
or religious doctrines or teachings because of existing constitutional constraints. In essence,
values formation — some call it education in values — deal with values that will help the children


and the young develop good character and personal discipline essential to good citizenship,
values that will help them appreciate their importance and inspire them to focus their thoughts,
decisions and actions on what is for the greater good of the community. It must be more than
right manners and good conduct as we had them in yesteryears. It must deal with ideals and
virtues that will sharpen the sense of right or wrong of the young and encourage them to make
a more responsible use of their person, life and freedom to fulfill their social rights and duties
for the good of their family and society.

To achieve the declared policy of government, Values Formation shall be included as a
mandatory and integral part of the curriculum of all public pre-school, elementary and high
schools. The courses or subjects shall be designed along the achievement of this goal or policy.
And to have the fullest impact, specific lesions, courses or activities in values formation shall
be taught and programmed across the pre-school, elementary and high school years.

Because public school teachers are an equally important component of the values
formation program — pupils/students and teachers make the equation — they must be equipped
with the proper resources, skills and training to have a uniform understanding, lesson planning,
teaching strategy, approach or methodology and evaluation. The proposed legislation sees this
as an essential requisite to the success of the values formation program. This and other aspects
of the program shall be addressed more concretely in the implementing rules to be promulgated
by the Secretary of Education.

In this light, approval of the bill is earnestly requested.

Mf

RACHEL MARGUERITE B. DEL MAR


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Quezon City

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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS & eed
First Regular Session \eee

25
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: HON, RACHEL MARGUERITE B. DEL MAR

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING A PRE SCHOOL PROGRAM IN THE PUBLIC EDUCATION
SYSTEM AND INTEGRATING VALUES FORMATION INTO THE CURRICULUM
OF PUBLIC PRE-SCHOOL, ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - It is the declared policy of the State to promote
quality education at all levels of the educational system and to promote the physical, moral,
spiritual, intellectual and social well-being of the youth. Towards this end, the Government
shall endeavor to teach and inculcate in the children and the youth in their formative years
values that will help them develop good character and personal disciple essential to everyday
life, values that will help them appreciate their importance as citizens and inspire them to focus
their thoughts, decisions and actions on what is for the greater good, ideals and virtues that will
encourage them to make a more responsible use of their person, life and freedom to fulfill their
social rights and duties for the good of their family and society.

SEC. 2. Institutionalization of Pre School in Public Education. - To enhance the learning,
process and development of children, a Pre School Program, designed by the Department of

Education upon consultation, as far as practicable, with Parent-Teachers Association and pre-


school learning centers or organizations, shall be made part of the public education system as a
separate curriculum level and shall be considered as a requisite to elementary education. The
pre-school classes conducted in public pre-school learning centers or day care centers, if any,
shall be standardized into the Pre School Program.

SEC. 3. Integration of Values Formation in the Public Curriculum. - To achieve the
declared policy of government, Values Formation shall be included as a mandatory and integral
part of the curriculum of all public pre school, elementary and high schools. To have the fullest
impact, specific lesions, courses or activities in values formation shall be programmed and
taught across the pre school, elementary and high school years.

SEC. 4. Curriculum Planning and Teaching. - A comprehensive curriculum planning and
construction, identification of subjects and content of courses, and teaching resources and
preparations applied to a values formation program at the pre school elementary and high
school levels, involving, as far as practicable, parents and other teachers or educators of
children and youth, shall be observed. The public pre school, elementary and high school
teachers shall be equipped with the proper resources, skills and training to have a uniform
understanding, lesson planning, teaching strategy, approach or methodology and evaluation.

SEC. 5. Funding. - The amount needed to implement the provisions of this Act shall be
charged against the allocation of the Department of Education under the current General
Appropriations Act. Thereafter the amount necessary to carry out and maintain the pre-school
and values formation programs shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Department of Education shall promulgate the necessary rules and
regulations for the implementation of this Act.

SEC. 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, and orders or parts thereof which are
contrary to or inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication
in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,