Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No.  _________ 
Introduced  by Rep. Sharon S. Garin 
___________________________________________________________________ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Consistent with the State policy of equal access to education, Republic Act No. 
10618, otherwise known as the Rural Farm Schools Act was enacted on September 
2013. Its main thrust was to provide an alternative mode of secondary education in the 
society and to encourage nonformal, formal and indigenous learning systems as well 
as self-learning, independent and out-of school study programs that will efficient 
respond to the community needs. 
This bill seeks to amend Rural Farm Schools Act to further emphasize the need 
to a community-led projects and programs. It also aims to provide more tax incentives 
to encourage the establishment in every province, and if possible in every municipality 
to have at least one rural farm school nationwide. The amendments also seeks to 
clarify and enhance the provisions in its implementing rules and regulations. 
With the support of the government to the establishments of rural farm schools 
act, it was expected to visualize more generation of jobs in the rural, achievement of 
food security and localize economic resilience.  
In view of the foregoing, this representation seeks for the immediate passage 
of this bill. 
SHARON S. GARIN 
Party-list, AAMBIS-OWA 
August 2, 2021
12:22 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No.  _________ 
Introduced  by Rep. Sharon S. Garin 
___________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT 
STRENGTHENING THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATIONS OF THE RURAL 
FARM SCHOOLS AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10618, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “RURAL FARM 
SCHOOLS ACT” 
Be it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 10618, otherwise known as the Rural Farm 
Schools Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act, the following 
terms shall be defined as follows: 
(a) Alternative delivery mode refers to the non-traditional education
program recognized by the Department of Education (DepED) which
applies a flexible learning philosophy and a curricular delivery program
that includes nonformal and informal sources of knowledge and skills.
An alternative delivery mode may include the use of facilitator-aided and
interactive self-instructional print and audio-based learning materials,
[video tapes,] face-to-face structured learning groups, semi-structured
and unstructured discussions, one-on-one tutorials, study groups and
self-learning groups, demonstration sessions, [home] FAMILY visits,
mentoring and remediation.
b) Rural Farm School refers to a parallel learning system and an
alternative delivery mode of secondary education. It provides for
facilitative and experiential learning on the core subjects of the
secondary education curriculum with focus on agri-fisheries, and
ENTERPRISES, designed to address the HUMAN, SOCIAL, MORAL,
SPIRITUAL AND PROFESSIONAL needs of children in rural,
agricultural and fishing communities.
(c)x x x
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(d) Private Rural Farm School refers to a rural farm school operated by 
a COMMUNITY-LED, private entity, a non-government organization or 
a farm association. COMMUNITY-LED REFERS TO THE ELEMENT 
OF INITIATIVE COMING FROM THE COMMUNITY-BASED ENTITIES 
MAKING EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH A FAMILY FARM SCHOOL 
(FFS). 
 
(e) x x x 
(f) x x x 
x x x 
 
(I) FAMILY ENTERPRISE PROJECT REFERS TO A STUDY OR 
RESEARCH SUBMITTED BY THE STUDENT WITHIN HIS/HER 
FORMATION IN THE FAMILY FARM SCHOOL TO IMPROVE THE 
FAMILY ENTERPRISE AND FAMILY INCOME. IT IS PRESENTED BY 
THE STUDENT AND HIS/HER FAMILY BEFORE A PANEL OF 
EXPERTS REPRESENTING RELEVANT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 
INSTITUTIONS TO FURTHER IMPROVE THE PROJECT. THIS IS 
IMPLEMENTED AFTERWARDS BY THE STUDENT’S FAMILY. 
 
SEC. 2. Section 4 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“SEC. 4. Establishment of Rural Farm Schools. - Rural farm schools 
are hereby established to provide alternative delivery mode of 
secondary education. x x x 
 
The DepED shall institutionalize high standards of quality assurance in 
rural farm schools. These standards shall involve prescribing guidelines 
and policies on the operation and management of rural farm schools. 
[as well as basic curricular content to ensure the credibility and 
academic integrity of rural farm schools.] THE CURRICULAR MUST 
PROVIDE FOR THE FAMILY FARM SCHOOL PEDAGOGY AND 
SYSTEM TO ENSURE THE CREDIBILITY AND ACADEMIC 
INTEGRITY OF RURAL FARM SCHOOLS. 
 
x x x” 
 
SEC. 3. Section 11 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“SEC. 11. Skills Training and Extension Support. – The DepED, the 
DAR, the DA, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority 
(TESDA) and the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) shall provide 
continuous technical skills training and provision of extension materials 
including, but not limited to, books, student workbooks, teaching 
session guides and other materials or equipment on the subjects 
offered, and other extension services to the tutors of PUBLIC AND 
COMMUNITY-LED/PRIVATE rural farm schools. 
 


TESDA SHALL PRIORITIZE TO PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIP SLOTS 
FOR COMMUNITY-LED/PRIVATE RURAL FARM SCHOOLS WHO 
HAVE ACQUIRED TESDA ACCREDITATION.” 
 
SEC. 4. Section 14 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
SEC. 14. Tax ExemptionS. – ALL IMPORTATIONS MADE BY THE 
RURAL FARM SCHOOLS SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM TAXES AND 
DUTIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC 
ACT NO. 10863, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE CUSTOMS 
MODERNIZATION AND TARIFF ACT. 
 
Any donation, contribution, bequest or grant which may be made to a 
rural farm school duly accredited under Section 12 of this Act shall be 
exempt from the donor’s tax and the same shall be considered as 
allowable deduction from the gross income in the computation of the 
income tax of the donor in accordance with the provisions of the 
National 
Internal 
Revenue 
Code 
(NIRC) 
of 
1997, 
as 
amended: Provided, That the rural farm school has likewise been 
accredited by the Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC).  
 
ALL LANDS, BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE 
ACTUALLY, 
DIRECTLY 
AND 
EXCLUSIVELY 
USED 
FOR 
EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES BY THE RURAL FARM SCHOOLS 
SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM PAYMENT OF REAL PROPERTY TAX. 
 
SEC. 5. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette.