TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
S. No. 72
25 JUL-3 P3 55
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
RATIONALIZING THE PHILIPPINE BASIC EDUCATION SYSTEM BY 
REMOVING THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, AMENDING 
PERTINENT PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10533, OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE "ENHANCED BASIC EDUCATION ACT OF 2013" AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Republic Act No. 10533 or the "Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013" was 
passed with the goal to "create a functional basic education system that will develop 
productive and responsible citizens equipped with the essential competencies, skills 
and values for both life-long learning and employment". This law added two (2) 
new levels in the secondary education, namely Grade 11 and Grade 12, collectively 
known as Senior High School (SHS). SHS intends to align the Philippine education 
system with international standards by providing a bridge between secondary and 
tertiary education. SHS graduates are envisioned to be "holistically developed; 
equipped with 21st century skills; and prepared for the future, be it in the pursuit of 
higher education or acquisition of middle-level skills, or geared toward employment 
or entrepreneurship".1
Since this reform was implemented, it was a subject of criticisms and 
objections from different sectors of the community. Twelve (12) years after the 
enactment of the said law, it still has not fully achieved its goal. In the public
1 pidspn2315.pdf


hearing conducted by the Committee on Basic Education in the 19th Congress on 
May 8, 2025, no less than the Department of Education (DepEd) reported that "the 
SHS program has not yet reached its vision for the K to 12 graduates" because of:
• 
Congested curriculum and cognitive mismatch: excessive number of 
competencies limit instructional depth;
• 
Overworked students and teachers: instructional and homework time 
exceeds global standards; and
• 
Low labor participation: 10% of SHS completers enter the workforce, 
mostly in informal jobs.
During the same hearing, the survey on the "Satisfaction with the K to 12 
Program of the Government" conducted by the Pulse Asia Research, Inc. from March 
23 to 29, 2025, was presented which shows that only 32% of the respondents are 
satisfied, 42% are dissatisfied, and 25% cannot say if they are satisfied or 
dissatisfied. As to their "Satisfaction with the Senior High School of the K to 12 
Program of the Government", the responses are almost similar - 33% are satisfied, 
40% are dissatisfied, and 27% cannot say if they are satisfied or dissatisfied. 
Historically, the satisfaction on the SHS program, as evidenced by surveys, has been 
decreasing over the years. In June 2023, 41% are satisfied. The satisfaction rate 
decreased to 35% in June 2024 and further declined to 33% in March 2025.
We cannot allow the learners and their parents to bear the burden of the time 
and the cost of taking SHS. This Representation received numerous feedback from 
learners and parents alike that they have not experienced the promised benefits of 
the implementation of SHS.
This measure seeks to amend Republic Act No. 10533 to remove the SHS 
from the basic education system. This Representation is optimistic that the 
government, together with its partners and stakeholders in the education sector, will 
be able to formulate programs that are effective, efficient, responsive and just for 
the benefit of the Filipino children and youth.


In this light, the immediate passage of this bill is highly recommended.
IN(H30Y EJERCITO ESTRADA


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
S. No. 72
25 JUL-3 P3:55
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
RATIONALIZING THE PHILIPPINE BASIC EDUCATION SYSTEM BY 
REMOVING THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, AMENDING 
PERTINENT PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10533, OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE "ENHANCED BASIC EDUCATION ACT OF 2013" AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assem bled:
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Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shaii be known as the "Rationalized Basic
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Education Act'.
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Sec. 2. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 10533, otherwise known as the
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"Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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"SEC. 4. [Enhanced] RATIONALIZED Basic
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Education Program. — The [enhanced] RATIONALIZED
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basic education program encompasses at least one (1) year
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of kindergarten education, six (6) years of elementary
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education, and [six (6)] FOUR (4) years of secondary
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education, in that sequence. [Secondary education includes
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four (4) years of junior high school and two (2) years of
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senior high school education.]
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"Kindergarten education shall mean one (1) year of
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preparatory education for children at least five (5) years old
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as a prerequisite for Grade I.


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"Elementary education refers to the second stage of 
compulsory basic education which is composed of six (6) 
years. The entrant age to this level is typically six (6) years 
old.
"Secondary education refers to the third stage of 
compulsory basic education. It consists of four (4) years of 
[junior] high school education [and two (2) years of senior 
high school education]. The entrant age to the [juniot^and 
senior] high school level [s -are] IS typically twelve (12)
[and-sixteen (1-6) years old [, respectively].
"X X X."
Sec. 3. Section 5 of Republic Act No. 10533 is hereby amended to read as
follows:
"SEC. 5. Curriculum Development — The DepED shall 
formulate the design and details of the [enhanced] 
RATIONALIZED basic education curriculum. It shall work 
with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to craft 
harmonized basic and tertiary curricula for the global 
competitiveness of Filipino graduates. To ensure college 
readiness and to avoid remedial and duplication of basic 
education subjects, the DepED shall coordinate with the 
CHED and the Technical Education and Skills Development 
Authority (TESDA).
"To achieve an effective [enhanced] 
RATIONALIZED basic education curriculum, the DepED 
shall undertake consultations with other national 
government agencies and other stakeholders including, but 
not limited to, the Department of Labor and Employment 
(DOLE), the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), the 
private and public schools associations, the national student 
organizations, the national teacher organizations, the


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parents-teachers associations and the chambers of 
commerce on matters affecting the concerned stakeholders.
"The DepED shall adhere to the following standards 
and principles in developing the [enhanced] 
RATIONALIZED basic education curriculum:
"(a) X X x;
"x X X."
Sec. 4. Section 7 of Republic Act No. 10533 is hereby amended to read as
follows:
"SEC. 7. Teacher Education and Training. —To 
ensure that the [enhanced] RATIONALIZED basic 
education program meets the demand for quality teachers 
and school leaders, the DepED and the CHED, in 
collaboration with relevant partners in government, 
academe, industry, and nongovernmental organizations, 
shall conduct teacher education and training programs, as 
specified:
"(a) In-service Training on Content and Pedagogy — 
Current DepED teachers shall be [re] trained to meet the 
content and performance standards of the [now K to 1^] 
BASIC EDUCATION curriculum.
"The DepED shall ensure that private education 
institutions shall be given the opportunity to avail of such 
training.
"(b) Training of New Teachers. — New graduates of 
the current Teacher Education curriculum shall undergo 
additional training, upon hiring, to upgrade their skills to the 
content standards of the [eew] curriculum. Furthermore, the 
CHED, in coordination with the DepED and relevant 
stakeholders, shall ensure that the Teacher Education 
curriculum offered in these Teacher Education Institutes 
(TEIs) will meet necessary quality standards for new


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teachers. Duly recognized organizations acting as TEIs, in 
coordination with the DepED, the CHED, and other relevant 
stakeholders, shall ensure that the curriculum of these 
organizations meet the necessary quality standards for 
trained teachers.
"(c) X X X."
Sec. 5. Section 10 of Republic Act No. 10533 is hereby amended to read as
follows:
"SEC. 10. Expansion of E-GASTPE Beneficiaries. — The 
benefits accorded by Republic Act No. 8545, or the 
"Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers 
in Private Education Act", shall be extended to qualified 
students enrolled under the [enhanced] RATIONALIZED 
basic education.
"[The DepED shall engage the services of private 
education institutions and non-DepED schoois offering senior
high school through the programs under Republic Act Nch
8545, and other finandai arrangements formulated by the
DepED and the Department of Budget and Management
(DBM) based on the principles of public-private partnershipr]"
Sec. 6. Section 11 of Republic Act No. 10533 is hereby amended to read as
follows:
"SEC. 11. Appropriations.— The Secretary of 
Education shall include in the Department's program the 
operationalization of the [enhanced] RATIONALIZED basic 
education program, the initial funding of which shali be 
charged against the current appropriations of the DepED. 
Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continued 
implementation of the [enhanced] RATIONALIZED basic 
education program shall be included in the annuai General 
Appropriations Act."


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Sec. 7. Section 12 of Republic Act No. 10533 is hereby amended to read as
follows:
"SEC. 12. Transitory Provisions. — The DepED, the 
CHED and the TESDA shall formulate the appropriate 
strategies and mechanisms needed to ensure smooth 
transition from the existing [ten (10) years basic education 
cycle to the] enhanced basic education (K to 12) cycle TO 
THE RATIONALIZED BASIC EDUCATION. The 
strategies may cover changes in physical infrastructure, 
manpower, organizational and structural concerns, bridging 
models linking grade 10 competencies and the entry 
requirements of new tertiary curricula, and partnerships 
between the government and other entities. [Modeling for 
senior high school may be implemented 4n SGlected schools
to simulate the transition process-and provide concrete data
for the transition plan.]
"[To manage the initial implementation of the 
enhanced—basic education—program—aed—mitigate the
expected multi-year low enrolment turnout for HEIs and
Technical Vocational Institutions (TVIs) starting School Year
20-16-2017, t] The DepED shall CONTINUE TO engage in 
partnerships with HEIs and TVIs for the utilization of the 
latter's human and physical resources. Moreover, the 
DepED, the CHED, the TESDA, the TVIs and the HEIs shall 
coordinate closely with one another to implement strategies 
that ensure the academic, physical, financial, and human 
resource capabilities of HEIs and TVIs to provide 
educational and training services for graduates of the 
[enhanced] RATIONALIZED basic education program to 
ensure that they are not adversely affected. The faculty of 
HEIs and TVIs allowed to teach students of secondary 
education under Section 8 hereof, shall be given priority in


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hiring for the duration of the transition period. For this 
purpose, the transition period shail be provided for in the 
impiementing ruies and reguiations (IRR)."
Sec. 8. Section 13 of Repubiic Act No. 10533 is hereby amended to read as 
foiiows:
"SEC. 13. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee 
on the [Enhanced] RATIONALIZED Basic Educational 
Program [[K to 12 Program)]. — There is hereby created a 
Joint Oversight Committee to oversee, monitor and evaiuate 
the implementation of this Act.
"The Oversight Committee shall be composed of five 
(5) members each from the Senate and from the House of 
Representatives, including Chairs of the Committees on 
BASIC Education [, Arts and Culture,-] and Finance of both 
Houses. The membership of the Committee for every House 
shall have at least two (2) opposition or minority members."
Sec. 9. Section 14 of Republic Act No. 10533 is hereby amended to read as 
follows:
"SEC. 14. Mandatory Evaluation and Review. — [By 
the end of School Year 201d-2015] FIVE (5) YEARS 
AFTER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT, the
DepED shall conduct a mandatory review and submit a 
midterm report to Congress as to the status of 
implementation of the [K to 12] RATIONALIZED BASIC 
EDUCATION program in terms of closing the following 
current shortages: (a) teachers; (b) classrooms; (c) 
textbooks; (d) seats; (e) toilets; and (f) other shortages that 
should be addressed.
"X X X."
Sec. 10. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part hereof is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision or part not otherwise 
affected shall remain valid and subsisting.


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Sec. 11. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
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executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation
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contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed,
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modified, or amended accordingly.
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Sec. 12. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
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circulation.
Approved,