FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Third Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. B. No. 3 5'73 
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JI\N 27 P7 :;;6 
(In substitution of Senate Bill Nos. 2343 and 3432, taking into consideration House Bill No. 6439) 
Prepared by the Committees on Education, Arts and Culture and on Finance with Senators Manny Villar, 
Alan Peter S. Cayetano, Edgardo J. Angara, and MAR Roxas as authors thereof 
"AN ACT 
STRENGTHENING THE LITERACY COORDINATING COUNCIL BY AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT 
NO. 7165, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 'AN ACT CREATING THE LITERACY COORDINATING 
COUNCIL, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES'" 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Republic Act No. 7165 is hereby amended as follows: 
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"SECTION 1. It is HEREBY DECLARED TO BE the policy of the State to give the 
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highest priority to the adoption of measures [for the total eradication of illiteracy] FOR 
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THE UNIVERSALIZATION OF LITERACY. 
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"TOWARD THIS END [For this purpose], it shall encourage and rationalize the 
formulation ofpoJicies and the implementation of programs on non-formal, informal, and 
indigenous learning systems, as well as self-learning, independent, and out-of-school 
study programs particularly those that respond to community needs. 
THE STATE SHALL INSTITUTIONALIZE AN INTER-AGENCY COORDINATING 
AND ADVISORY BODY TO SYNCHRONIZE AND STRENGTHEN POLICIES AND 
EFFORTS TOWARD THE UNIVERSALIZATION OF LITERACY. 
"SEC. 2. To carry out the declared national policy, there is hereby created a Literacy 
Coordinating Council, hereinafter referred to as the Council, which shall be an inter-
agency body administratively attached to the Department of Education[, Culture and 
Sports]. 
"SEC. 3. The Council shall be composed of THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS [eight (8) 
members as follows: the Undersecretary for Non-Formal Education of the Department 
of Education, Culture and Sports; the Undersecretary of the Department of the Interior 
and Local Government in charge of Local Governments; the Director of the Philippine 
Information Agency; the President of the Philippine Normal College; a representative 
from the National Economic and Development Authority designated by the Director-
General; a representative of the Committee on Education and Culture of the Senate to be 
designated by the President of the Senate; a representative of the Committee on 
Education and Culture of the House of Representatives to be designated by the Speaker; 
and the representative of the non -government organizations involved in literacy 


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education who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines for a period of three 
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(3) years.]: 
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1) THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DEPED), AS THE 
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CHAIRPERSON, WHO MAY DESIGNATE AN UNDERSECRETARY AS HIS/HER 
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PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE; 
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2) THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR AND LOCAL 
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GOVERNMENT (DILG) OR HIS/HER DULY DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE; 
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3) THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINE NORMAL UNIVERSITY (PNU) OR 
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HISIHER DULY DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE; 
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4) THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY (PIA) 
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OR HIS/HER DULY DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE; 
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5) THE 
DIRECTOR 
GENERAL 
OF 
THE 
NATIONAL 
ECONOMIC 
AND 
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DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (NEDA) OR HIS/HER DULY DESIGNATED 
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REPRESENTATIVE; 
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6) THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, ARTS 
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AND CULTURE OR HISIHER DULY DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE; 
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7) THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON 
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BASIC EDUCATION AND CULTURE OR HIS/HER DULY DESIGNATED 
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REPRESENTATIVE; AND 
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8) A REPRESENTATIVE 
FROM THE 
NETWORK OF NON-GOVERNMENT 
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ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS) INVOLVED IN THE PROPAGATION OF LITERACY. 
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THE COUNCIL SHALL APPROVE AND CONFIRM THE APPOINTMENT OF THE 
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NGO REPRESENTATIVE, WHO SHALL SERVE FOR A PERIOD OF THREE (3) YEARS, 
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AND WHO MAY BE REAPPOINTED FOR ANOTHER TERM. 
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[The members of the Council shall annually elect a Chairman from among themselves 
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except the two (2) representatives of Congress.] 
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"The Council shall meet regularly [once a month] and may hold special meetings to 
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consider urgent matters upon the call of the CHAIRPERSON [Chairman] or any five (5) 
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[three] Council members. 
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SEC. 4. 
THE DULY DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVES TO THE LITERACY 
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COORDINATING COUNCIL SHALL BE AFFORDED EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO 
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VOTE AND PARTICIPATE IN ANY DELIBERATION DURING MEETINGS OF THE 
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COUNCIL. 
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LIKEWISE, 
THEY 
SHALL 
BE 
AFFORDED, 
WHENEVER 
NECESSARY, 
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REIMBURSEMENT OF ANY ACTUAL EXPENSES INCURRED DURING COUNCIL-
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RELATED FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES, SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF EXISTING 
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LAW AND/OR PERTINENT RULES AND REGULATIONS. 
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"SEC [4]5. The Council shall have the following POWERS AND functions: 
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"1) 
[To help] Act as the overall advisory and coordinating body, providing policy 
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and program directions for all literacy endeavors in the country; 
2) ENGAGE THE SERVICES, EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES, INCLUDING BUT 
NOT 
LIMITED 
TO, 
COOPERATION, 
ASSISTANCE 
AND 
SUPPORT 
OF 
APPROPRIATE 
GOVERNMENT 
AGENCIES 
OR 
NON-GOVERNMENT 
ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN LITERACY; 
"[2] 3) [To] Recommend strategies on the development of a mass movement for the 
PROMOTION 
OF 
LIFE 
SKILLS 
AND 
EDUCATION 
TOWARDS 
THE 
UNIVERSALIZATION OF LITERACY [total eradication of illiteracy in the country by 
the year 2000]; 
"[3] 4) [To] Formulate measures on THE MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF 
THE LITERACY SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING the establishment and 
maintenance of a national data bank and information exchange and dissemination system 
to support literacy efforts at the national and local levels; 
"[4] 5) [To] Assist in identifying and adopting successful management schemes of 
literacy programs, and adopt measures to boost research and development work in 
literacy, by government agencies and non-government[al] organizations involved in 
literacy work; 
"[5] 6) 
[To recommend ways and means of raising funds in order to support the] 
FORMULATE POLICIES TOWARDS MAXIMIZING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR 
SUPPORT AND INVOLVEMENT ON literacy programs, projects, and activities; 
"[6] 7) [To recommend] PROPOSE measures on how to organize and strengthen 
support structures for literacy at the regional, PROVINCIAL, CITY, MUNICIPAL and 
BARANGAY [local] levels; and 
"[7] 8) [To] Perform such other functions as may be necessary in furtherance of the 
purposes of this Act. 
"SEC. [5]6. THE COUNCIL SHALL ORGANIZE A SECRETARIAT TO BE HEADED 
BY A CHIEF OF OFFICE. THE COUNCIL SHALL DETERMINE THE SECRETARIAT'S 
STAFFING 
PATTERN, 
QUALIFICATIONS, 
DUTIES, 
RESPONSIBILITIES 
AND 
FUNCTIONS AS WELL AS THE COMPENSATION FOR THE POSITIONS TO BE 
CREATED SUBJECT TO THE NATIONAL COMPENSATION AND CLASSIFICATION 
PLAN AND OTHER EXISTING CIVIL SERVICE RULES AND REGULATIONS. 
"[The administrative and research staff shall be detailed from the existing personnel 
of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports without prejudice to the designation 
by the Council of such additional staff members as it may deem necessary for the proper 
discharge of its functions and responsibilities.] 
THE EXISTING SECRETARIAT OF THE COUNCIL SHALL CONTINUE TO SERVE 
IN THEIR PRESENT POSITION AND SHALL BE EXTENDED PERMANENT STATUS 
SUBJECT TO EXISTING CIVIL SERVICE RULES AND REGULATIONS. 
THE AMOUNT NECESSARY FOR THE PAYMENT OF EMPLOYEES' SALARIES, 
BENEFITS AND OTHER EMOLUMENTS SHALL BE TAKEN FROM THE ANNUAL 
APPROPRIATIONS OF THE COUNCIL; PROVIDED, THAT SUCH OBLIGATIONS 
SHALL NOT EXCEED FORTY PERCENTUM (40%) OF ITS TOIAL ANNUAL 
APPROPRIATIONS. 
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"[SEC. 6. 
The Council may, in the performance of its functions, request the 
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cooperation, assistance, and support of appropriate government agencies and non-
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governmental organizations involved in literacy.] 
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"SEC. 7. The sum of TWENTY [ten] million pesos (P20,000,000.00) [(PlO,OOO,OOO.OO)] 
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is hereby authorized to be appropriated, out of any funds in the National Treasury not 
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otherwise appropriated, to carry out the functions of the Council under this Act. 
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Thereafter, the sum needed for the operation and maintenance of the Council shall be 
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included in the annual Budget of the Department of Education [, Culture and Sports]. 
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"The Council shall submit to Congress an annual report which shall include, among 
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other things, policy recommendations which require legislative action towards the total 
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eradication of illiteracy." 
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SEC. 8. THE COUNCIL, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE APPROPRIATE 
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NATIONAL 
GOVERNMENT 
AGENCIES, 
SHALL 
PROMULGATE 
THE 
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IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS WITHIN NINETY (90) DAYS FROM 
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THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT. 
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SEC. 2. All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, and other issuances, or parts thereof, inconsistent 
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with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 3. If any part, section or provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional, the other parts, sections 
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or provisions thereof not affected thereby shall remain in force and in effect. 
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SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after completion of its publication in at least two (2) 
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newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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