Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

5223

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
TO PROVIDE A SIX-HOUR WORKDAY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS,
EXEMPTING THEM FROM COMPLIANCE WITH THE EIGHT-HOUR
WORKDAY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The role of our teachers in molding our youth and contributing to national
development cannot be undermined. Aside from imparting knowledge; instilling
and strengthening values; and teaching skills to the country’s most valuable
asset, the people, they have the task of preparing our youth to become
responsible members of our society. ft is therefore only right that their needs and
welfare be given utmost priority by the government.

Republic Act No. 4670, otherwise known as the “Magna Carta for Public
School Teachers”, provides that teaching hours for teachers shall not be more
than six hours. The Department of Education (DepEd) issued Memorandum 29+
s. 2008 allowing teachers to allot six hours for actual classroom teaching per day
while the remaining two hours to be spent in teaching-related activities. While
strictly speaking the essence of the law is respected, this memorandum requires
from them a total of eight hours for the day.

While teachers pay has been increased by recent enactments of faw, they
still clamor for higher pay and shorter working hours. Their present work
schedule has left them stressed out and exhausted much to the detriment of our
students. Reducing their number of working hours will allow them to rejuvenate,


in mind and body, and allot more time for them to innovate and enhance
classtoom teaching.

This proposal, therefore, seeks to reduce the working hours of all public
school teachers, whether engaged in actual classroom teaching or not, to a six-
hour workday for a total of a thirty-hour workweek, This will be a great reprieve
for them given that any work performed in excess of six hours a day shall be
considered as additional compensation of at least twenty-five percent of their
regular remuneration

As a result, they shall be exempted from Civil Service Rules which
prescribes the generally established rule on an eight-hour workday. This will also
be in observance of Book V of the Administrative Code of 1987 which also states
that: "Officers and employees of all departments and agencies except those
covered by special laws shall render not less than eight hours of work a day for
five days a week or a total of forty-hours a week, exclusive of time for lunch."

There is a need to enact legislation to ensure improved working conditions
for public school teachers and to alleviate their standard of living. This humble
proposal seeks to do that by granting them a six-hour workday plus additional
compensation for work done beyond.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this proposed measure is earnestly
requested.

DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO GLORIA MACAPAGAL, ARROYO
Second District, Camarines Sur Second District, Pampanga


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

5223

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
TO PROVIDE A SIX-HOUR WORKDAY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS,
EXEMPTING THEM FROM COMPLIANCE WITH THE EIGHT-HOUR
WORKDAY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1, This Act shall be known as the “Six-Hour Work Day for Public
School Teachers Act of 2011.”

SECTION 2. It is hereby declared the policy of the State to promote the
welfare of teachers by improving their working and living conditions. Towards
this end, there is a need to provide for a six-hour workday for public school
teachers and grant additional compensation for any work rendered beyond six
hours to make them more productive and innovative and for a better quality
education.

SECTION 3. Notwithstanding the provisions of Civil Service laws, rules,
regulations and other pertinent laws to the contrary, all public schoo! teachers
shall render six hours of work a day or a total of thirty hours work per week.

SECTION 4. In the exigencies of the service, any teacher engaged in
actual teaching may be required to render more than six hours of teaching upon
payment of additional compensation at the same rate as his/her regular plus at
least twenty-five (25) percent of his/her basic pay. Teachers who are not


engaged in actual teaching but render more than six hours of work shall likewise
be entitled to the additional compensation provided in this Section

SECTION 5. Notwithstanding provisions of existing law to the contrary. co-
curricula, out-of-school activities and other activities of any teacher outside of
their normal duties shall 6e paid an additional compensation of at least twenty-
five (25) percent of his/her regular remuneration after the teacher has completed
at least six hours of work

SECTION 6, The Department of Education (DepEd), in coordination with
the Civil Service Commission (CSC), shall provide the necessary rules and
Tegulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION 7. if any part, section or provision of this Act shall be held
invalid of unconstitutional, no other part, section or provisions thereof shall be
affected thereby.

SECTION 8. Sections 13 and 14 of Republic Act No. 4670 or "Magna
Carta of Public School Teachers" are hereby repealed. All laws, rules and
regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed ot modified accordingly

SECTION 9. This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its
complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,