TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
 
 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
H. No. ______
Introduced by Representative Binky April M. Tupas 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING PUBLIC BASIC EDUCATION SCHOOLS IN 
GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED AND DISADVANTAGED AND CONFLICT-
AFFECTED AREAS, PROVIDING ACCESS ROADS LEADING TO LAST MILE 
SCHOOLS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The right to quality and accessible education is set out in Article XIV, Section 
1 of the 1987 Constitution, but despite ongoing national efforts, many Filipino 
children, particularly those from geographically isolated, disadvantaged and 
conflict-affected areas (GIDCA), remain deprived of this right. 
More than 8,000 schools across the country fall under the category of “Last 
Mile Schools,” defined as schools that lack adequately-sized classrooms, no 
electricity, severely deficient infrastructure, and lack access to basic learning 
materials. Many of these schools also serve Indigenous Cultural Communities 
(ICCs) and Indigenous Peoples (IPs), where more than 75% of students are 
Indigenous peoples, making them subject to many hours of walking or trekking just 
to get to school. This also contributes to higher dropout rates and poorer learning 
outcomes.1
The Last Mile Schools Act will institutionalize a long-term solution to these 
challenges by mandating the construction of public elementary schools in GIDCA 
communities, development of access roads and other necessary infrastructure 
(e.g. electricity and internet connection) and will ensure the rights of IP learners in 
accordance with the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997 (RA 8371). 
Through a 5-year implementation plan2, the measure allows for DepEd to 
lead the implementation of a multi-agency taskforce, including those of the DPWH, 
DOE, NEA, DICT, and other relevant government agencies, with assistance from 
1https://schoolbuildings.deped.gov.ph/lastmile 
2 https://pdp.depdev.gov.ph/philippine-development-plan-2023-2028/ 
August 26, 2025
2:59 pm
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TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
H. No. ______
Introduced by Representative Binky April M. Tupas 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING PUBLIC BASIC EDUCATION SCHOOLS IN 
GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED AND DISADVANTAGED AND CONFLICT-
AFFECTED AREAS, PROVIDING ACCESS ROADS LEADING TO LAST MILE 
SCHOOLS, 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 “Last Mile Schools Act.” 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the declared policy of the State to protect 
and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels, and take 
appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all. 
The State recognizes and promotes the rights of Indigenous Cultural 
Communities within the framework of national unity and development. To this end, 
the State shall recognize the right of indigenous families and communities to retain 
shared responsibility for upbringing, training, education, and well-being of their 
children, consistent with the rights of the child. 
The State shall improve the quality and access to basic education of children 
in the far-flung, isolated, disadvantaged and conflict-affected areas, as well as 
those in Last Mile Schools, by investing in school infrastructure and roads leading 
to the said public schools. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act: 
(a)
Basic education refers to the intended basic learning needs which
provide the foundation on which subsequent learning can be based. It
includes kindergarten, elementary and secondary education as well
as alternative learning systems for out-of-school learners and those
with special needs;
(b)
Basic Education School refers to learning institutions accredited by
the Department of Education (DepEd) to deliver services addressing
the intended basic learning needs of students;
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(c) 
Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs)/Indigenous Peoples (IPs) 
refer to the same definition stated in Section 3h, Chapter 2 of Republic 
Act No. 8371, or “The Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997”, which 
describes it as “group of people or homogenous societies identified by 
self-ascription and ascription by others, who have continuously lived 
as organized community on communally bounded and defined 
territory, and who have, under claims of ownership since time 
immemorial, occupied, possessed and utilized such territories, 
sharing common bonds of language, customs, traditions and other 
distinctive cultural traits, or who have, through resistance to political, 
social and cultural inroads of colonization, non-indigenous religions 
and cultures, became historically differentiated from the majority of 
Filipinos. ICCs/IPs shall likewise include peoples who are regarded as 
indigenous on account of their descent from the populations which 
inhabited the country, at the time of conquest or colonization, or at the 
time of inroads of non-indigenous religions and cultures, or the 
establishment of present state boundaries, who retain some or all of 
their own social, economic, cultural and political institutions, but who 
may have been displaced from their traditional domains or who may 
have resettled outside their ancestral domains”; and 
 
(d) 
Last Mile Schools refers to public basic education schools with gaps 
in resources and facilities which are located in geographically isolated 
and disadvantaged and conflict-affected areas (GIDCA). 
 
SEC. 4. Establishment of Last Mile Schools. – The Last Mile Schools are hereby 
established, under the administration of the DepEd, to cater to the basic education 
of learners throughout the country’s GIDCA. 
 
 
The establishment of Last Mile Schools in locations situated by the ICCs 
shall be undertaken in consideration of the rights of the IPs, in accordance with 
Republic Act No. 8371. 
 
SEC. 5. Access to Education. – The DepEd shall collaborate with concerned 
national government agencies for the delivery of the infrastructures necessary to 
ensure access to education in the Last Mile Schools, namely: 
 
(a) Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), for the construction 
of access roads leading to the location of Last Mile Schools; 
 
(b) Department of Energy (DOE) and National Electrification Administration 
(NEA), for the installation of electricity; and 
 
(c) Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), for 
the installation of information and communications technology. 
 
SEC. 6. Criteria. – The indicators used in identifying a public school to be included 
among the Last Mile Schools are the following: 
 
(a) Having less than four (4) classrooms; 
 
(b) With makeshift or nonstandard rooms; 


 
(c) Absence of or irregular electricity; 
 
(d) Have not been allocated funds for repairs or new construction projects in 
the last four (4) years unless destroyed; 
 
(e) With travel distance of more than one hour from the center of a city or 
municipality, or with difficulty of terrain or of such nature as to be considered 
having difficulty of access to existing educational institutions; 
 
(f) Having multigrade classes or rooms; 
 
(g) With less than five (5) teachers; 
 
(h) Having a student population of less than one hundred (100) learners; 
 
(i) With more than seventy-five percent (75%) IP learners; and 
 
(j) Having such other circumstances that make it difficult for learners to access 
school facilities. 
 
SEC. 7. Implementation. – The school building program for the Last Mile Schools 
shall be established and completed within a period of five (5) years after the 
effectivity of this Act. 
 
 
To facilitate synchronicity, harmony and complementarity of plans, 
resources and efforts of both the national government and the local government 
units (LGUs) towards the attainment of the objectives of this Act, the DepEd shall 
plan and implement the programs, projects, and activities that address the needs 
of the Last Mile Schools, in coordination and collaboration with the National 
Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), DPWH, DICT, DOE, NEA, 
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of 
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), National Disaster Risk Reduction 
and Management Council (NDRRMC), and concerned LGUs. 
 
SEC. 8. Appropriations. – The amount necessary for the implementation of this 
Act shall be included in the budgets of the concerned Departments, agencies, and 
Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
 
SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days from 
the approval of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall, in consultation with the 
NCIP, DPWH, DICT, DOE, NEA, DSWD, DENR, NDRRMC, and Union of Local 
Authorities of the Philippines, formulate the rules and regulations implementing the 
provisions of this Act. 
 
SEC. 10. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not so declared shall remain in force and 
effect. 
 


SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, orders and rules and regulations 
contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or 
amended accordingly. 
 
SEC. 12. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,