SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

9
House Bill No. 8824
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article 2, Section 17 provides that:

“The State shall give prionity to education, science
and technology, arts, culture and sports to foster patriotism
and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote
total human liberation and development.”

Our schools must prepare young people for their active participation in community life
and in a democratic society. This is not possible without knowledge and understanding of
humanities.

In order to ensure that our children acquire the necessary conceptual and analytical
skills and have an appreciation for the traditions and values of our culture, studies in the
humanities are essential. However, itis not possible to accomplish this goal unless our teachers
have the necessary background and training in humanities

Hence, itis the purpose of this bill to authorize a national program for the establishment
and operation of Teacher Institutes for the enhancement of the humanities knowledge of private
and public elementary and secondary school teachers.

The early passage of this bill is earnestty recommended.

RUFUS B. ROPRIGUEZ

MAXIMO B. RODRIGUEZ, JR.


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES }
First Regular Session

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

~ Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriquez, Jr.

House Bill No. 8824

AN ACT
PROVIDING A NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION
IN THE HUMANITIES IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY
SCHOOLS

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 Humanities Excellence and
Teacher Training Act.”

SEC 2. Purpose - It is the purpose of this Act to authorize a national program for
improving the quality of education which would make grants to institutions of higher education
for the establishment and operation of Teacher Institutes for the enhancement of the humanities
knowledge of private and public elementary and secondary school teachers.

‘SEC 3. Definition - For the purposes of this Act:

(1) The term “Institution of Higher Education” means any college or university within a
region;

(2) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Department of Education;

(3) The term “humanities” means both modem and classical languages, literature,
history, philosophy, language arts and social studies when taught in elementary and high
schools;

SEC 4. Grants -

(a) The Secretary shall make grants in each region to an institution of higher education
(or consortium of such institutions) whose application is approved under subsection (b) for the
purposes of establishing humanities training institutes for the professional development of
elementary and secondary school teachers. Any institution or consortium whose application is
SO approved shall receive an amount equal to not more than P5,000.00 multiplied by the
number of teachers, not to exceed two hundred, enrolled in such institute, per year.

(b) Any institution of higher education or consortium desiring to receive a grant shall
submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such form, and containing such
information and assurances as the Secretary may require. No such application may be
approved by the Secretary unless the application —

(1) contains a description of the proposed program of instruction, and the
extent to which eligible classroom teacher participants will be involved in the
planning and design of the institutes;


(2) contains an estimate of the number of teachers, including the number
of teachers from private elementary and secondary schools, to attend the
institute, and describes the selection procedures;

(3) describes the nature and location of existing facilities to be used in the
operation of the institute;

(4) specifies the teaching and administrative staff for the institute
including the involvement of faculty from both the humanities and education
departments and elementary and secondary school teachers;

(5) specifies the academic credits, if any, to be awarded for the
completion of the course of study to be offered at the institute;

(6) provides a schedule of stipends to be paid teacher participants in the
institute, including (a) allowances for subsistence and other expenses for
teachers attending the institute and their dependents and (b) provisions assuring
that there will be no duplication of governmental benefits paid to participants;

(7) provides adequate assurances that teachers who wish to participate
will be selected on the basis of recommendations from a principal attesting to the
applicants’ potential to excel in the humanities and other discipline or disciplines
studied in the institute; and

(8) provides assurances that the institution of higher education will seek
to enroll at least eighty qualified teachers in the institute;

(c) Awards under this section shall be made to the institutions (or consortia) on the basis
of excellence of the program proposed in the application, taking into consideration such
elements as library resources, faculty achievement, and humanities leaming facilties.

(d) Funds available to institutions under this section may be used to cover costs
associated with enrollment in an institute, including tuition fees, administration and living
expenses.

(e) In making grants under this section, the Secretary shall assure, to the maximum
extent consistent with the purposes of this Act, that there is equitable distribution of institutes
established and operated under approved applications among regions and within regions. The
Secretary shall award not less than one insfitute in each region.

(f) No grant to a single application may exceed P700,00.00 in any fiscal year.

‘SEC 5. Restriction - No grants shall be made or contracts entered into under this Act
except to such extent, or in such amounts, as may be provided in the General Appropriations
Act.

SEC 6. Separability Clause - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain
valid and subsisting.

SEC 7. Repealing Clause - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order,
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the
provisions of this Actis hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

SEC. 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
Publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,