EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
)
)
S E N A T E  
S. No. ^ 1 4
cr of 1:;.' .‘£>rrrrtaip
’19 JUL-2 P6 ;14
Introduced by Senator Francis "Tol" N. Tolentino
AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10533, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
ENHANCED BASIC EDUCATION ACT OF 2013, FOR THE INTEGRATION OF AN 
AGRICULTURAL STRAND IN  THE ACADEMIC TRACK OF THE SENIOR HIGH 
SCHOOL PROGRAM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
"The Philippines is an agricultural country."
This is a statement that has been echoed throughout our history. With a land 
area of 30 million hectares, 47 percent of which is agricultural land, the Philippines 
has all the natural resources to live up to this declaration. As a matter of fact, in 1974, 
agriculture accounts for 31 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). 
Fast forward to 2019, however, the figure drasbcally dropped to a mere seven percent 
of the GDP with a growth rate of only 0.67 percent in the first quarter of the year. 
Even for 2018, agricultural production grew at only 0.56 percent, greatly missing the 
annual target of four percent and this has been identified to be one of the major 
causes of the high inflation rate for that year. Demand for food continues to rise as 
agricultural production slows while population skyrockets exponentially.
With all this information, there is an urgent need to develop the agriculture 
industry. To ensure the country's food security, there is a need to encourage more 
young people to engage in this sector. To ensure that resources are fully utilized to 
their maximum potential, there is a need to produce more knowledgeable and better


equipped agriculturists to use modem technology to their advantage and apply the 
results of recent studies to the industry. To achieve this goal, we need to incorporate 
agricultural studies into our educational system.
Republic Act No. 10533, otherwise known as the "Enhanced Basic Education 
Act of 2013," was initially implemented through Department Order No. 15 series of 
2015 during the School Year 2016-17 with the following tracks, namely: (1) Academic, 
(2) Technical-Vocational-Livelihood, (3) Sports, and (4) Arts and Design.
The Academic Track will help students prepare for the subject specialization of 
the college course they will take In the future. Strands under this track are 
Accountancy Business and Management (ABM), Humanibes and Social Sciences 
(HUMSS) and Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and General 
Academic Strand (GAS).
The Technical-Vocational-Livelihood Track will equip the student with job-ready 
skills in the future. This applies to students who are uncertain between pursuing a 
degree after Senior High School and earning rrK>ney immediately after graduation.
The Sports Track aims to give students an understanding of the basic principles 
and techniques in relation to physical educabon and recreation. Professions that are 
related in this track are fitness trainers, game officials, tournament manager, 
recreation attendant, masseur and gym instructor, among others.
The Arts & Design track will prepare students as they wander around the 
design, performative and creative industry. This track aims to get students a career in 
the creative field after graduating. Part of the curriculum of this track is to expose the 
students to various forms of media such as architecture, interior design, industrial 
design, graphic design, animation, painting, fashion design, photography and film.
After a careful perusal of the different tracks and strands mentioned above, it 
has been noticed that there is no track or strand that would prepare students who 
would opt to specialize in agriculture as a college course. Subjects related to 
agriculture are offered through TESDA Training Regulations-Based Specializations


such as Agricrop Production, Animal Production and Rsh Production under the 
Technical-Vocational-Livelihood Track, which are not enough.
Section 2 of the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 provides;
Declaration of Policy. — The State shall establish, maintain and support a 
complete, adequate, and integrated system of education RELEVANT to the needs of 
the people, the country and society-at-large.
Considering this declared policy, the fact that the Philippines is still and should 
be an agricultural country and that there is a pressing need for food security, it is 
IMPERATIVE and RELEVANT to include agricultural studies in as early as Senior High 
School in order to prepare those who are interested in pursuing a career in agriculture. 
Moreover, this will encourage more students to explore and discover this field, 
particularly those from provinces where agriculture Is the major source of income and 
the foundation of economic activities.
This bill, therefore, seeks to integrate an Agricultural Strand in the Academic 
Track of the Senior High School Level Curricula in all educational institutions.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
"TOL" N. TOLENTINO
Senator


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
<■>,
C-^'-na'T-
£'f{ r: cf tl)r ii’-rrrtarp
S E N A T E
S. No. 214
*19 
JUL-2 P6:14
JLi.L
Introduced by Senator Francis "Tol" N. Tolentino
AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10533, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
ENHANCED BASIC EDUCATION ACT OF 2013, FOR THE INTEGRATION OF AN 
AGRICULTURAL STRAND IN  THE ACADEMIC TRACK OF THE SENIOR HIGH 
SCHOOL PROGRAM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section. 1. Short Title -  This Act shall be known as the "Senior High School
2 
Agricultural Strand Act."
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration o f Policy. -  It is the declared policy of the State to sustain
4 
and provide support to the agricultural industry through the provision of appropriate
5 
technology and research; adequate financial, production, marketing and other support
6 
services; and comprehensive education and training to agriculturalists, their families,
7 
and other interested individuals to enable them to utilize resources to their full
8 
potential and enable them to participate in the planning, organization and
9 
management of the programs affecting them.
10 
It is the policy of the state to ensure food security for the country through the
11 
modernization of agricultural systems, the creation and improvement of agricultural
12 
educational institutions as well as the encouragement of the youth to engage, sustain
13 
and develop the agricultural industry.


1 
Towards this end, the government shall include the agricultural strand in the
2 
academic track to prepare students who are interested in pursuing a college degree
3 
in agriculture and encourage others to engage and participate in this nationally critical
4 
industry.
5 
Sec. 3. Definition o f Terms- For purposes of this Act:
6 
a) Agriculture Strand -  refers to the basic course subjects in the field of
7 
agriculture.
8 
b) Academic Track -  refers to one of the fields in the curricula of Senior High
9 
School level preparatory to earning a degree in college.
10 
Sec. 4. Amendment. -  Section 6 of Republic Act No. 10533 or the Enhanced Basic
11 
Education Act of 2013, is hereby amended to read as follows:
12 
"Sec. 6. Curriculum Consultative Committee. — There shall be created a
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curriculum consultative committee chaired by the DepED Secretary or
14 
his/her duly authorized representative and with members composed of, but
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not limited to, a representative each from the CHED, the TESDA, the DOLE,
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th e  D epartm ent o f A griculture, the PRC, the Department of Science
17 
and Technology (DOST), and a representative from the business chambers
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such as the Information Technology -  Business Process Outsourcing (IT-
19 
BPO) industry association. The consultative committee shall oversee the
20 
review and evaluation on the implementation of the basic education
21 
curriculum and may recommend to the DepED the formulation of necessary
22 
refinements in the curriculum.
23 
The D epartm ent and the C om m ittee shall give p rio rity  to
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agricu ltu re  in th e  developm ent and review  o f th e  curriculum . To
25 
th is end, there shall be an A gricultural Strand integrated under the
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Academ ic Track in th e  curricula o f the Senior High School in all
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educational institu tion s. Future am endm ents o f the curricula m ust
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include an agricultural strand."
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Sec. 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -  Within ninety (90) days from the
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date of effectivity of this Act, the Department of Education (DepEd) shall formulate


1 
and design the agricultural strand subjects, modules and other necessary details to
2 
implement this act.
3 
Sec. 6. Appropriations. -  The amount necessary for the implementation of this
4 
Act shall be appropriated from the budget of the DepEd. Subsequently, the
5 
appropriations shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act.
6 
Sec. 7. Separability Clause. -  If, for any reason, any part or provision of this Act
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is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected
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shall remain in full force and effect.
9 
Sec. 8. Repealing Clause. -  All other laws, executive orders, presidential decrees,
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rules and regulations inconsistent with any provisions of this Act are hereby repealed,
11 
amended or modified accordingly.
12 
Sec. 9. Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its
13 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least one (1) newspaper of general
14 
circulation.
Approved,