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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to legislate the period of probationary employment for professors, 
instructors, and teachers, and other academic personnel in private educational institutions. 
It is a declared policy of the State to recognize the complementary roles of public 
and private institutions in the educational system. Consistent with this, the State shall 
exercise reasonable supervision and regulation of all educational institutions and likewise 
enhance the right of teachers to professional advancement. The State shall further ensure 
that teaching will attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents through 
adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment. (Art. XIV, 
Sec. 4(1), Sec. 5(4) and 5(5), 1987 Constitution) 
In furtherance of these declarations, there is a need to shorten the probationary 
employment for teachers, instructors, and professors and other academic personnel in 
private schools from the existing three-year period to just a year of very satisfactory 
service for those in the elementary and secondary levels, from six down to two 
consecutive regular semesters of very satisfactory service for in the tertiary level, and 
from nine to three consecutive trimesters of very satisfactory service for those in the 
tertiary level where collegiate courses are offered on the trimester basis. This measure 
will ensure that private schools get the best available talents and employ them as regular 
employees at the shortest time possible, while simultaneously affording to the academic 
personnel their right to professional advancement. 
This is a senate counterpart hill to one filed in the House of Representatives by 
former Rep. Oscar Gozos. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPU3LIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
i;:j 
3Rf( -37 /I :i ’.-, , 
First Regular Session 
1 
S E  
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING THE PROBATIONARY PERIOD OF EMPLOYMENT OF ACADEMIC 
PERSONNEL IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS, THEREBY AMENDING FOR THE 
PURPOSE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 442 (AS AMENDED), OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE LABOR CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. There shall be incorporated after Article 281 of Book VI, Title 1 of 
the Labor Code a new article to read as follows: 
“ART. 281-A. Probationary period of academic personnel in private schools. - 
The probationary period for academic personnel shall not be more than one (1) calendar 
year of very satisfactory service for those in the elementary and secondary levels, two (2) 
consecutive regular semesters of very satisfactory service for those in the tertiary level, 
and three (3) consecutive trimesters of very satisfactory service for those in the tertiary 
level where collegiate courses are offered on the trimester basis. 
For this purpose, the term “academic personnel” shall include: 
A) Those engaged in actual teaching service, either on full time or part- 
time basis. 
B) Those who possess certain prescribed academic functions directly 
supportive of teaching such as: 
1) Registrars 
2) Librarians 
3) Guidance counselors 
4) Researchers 
5) Other similarly employed individuals 
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C) Other school officials responsible for academic matters.” 
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amended or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 2. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
regulations or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed, 
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whichever comes earlier. 
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Approved. 
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation, 
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