1 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
3rd Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representative ERIC GO YAP 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) compelled the education sector to adapt 
with means necessary to ensure that learning isn’t halted. The introduction of distance 
learning via Zoom, Google Meet, or equivalent was a hefty adjustment to all. For those who 
are financially privileged, the adjustment was limited to getting used to the interface and the 
new mode of learning. Unfortunately, the case is not the same for all, considering that our 
teachers, up to this day are still fighting for higher and more adequate pay.  
The budget that was afforded to our teachers through the Bayanihan Law was noble 
but insufficient. Our teachers have been incurring out of pocket expenses because the stimulus 
given to them could only cover a few hours of data access. This appalling reality, our teachers 
not being able to afford having stable internet to teach or communicate with their students, is 
immensely unacceptable at this day and age.  
As we are still in coursing through the pandemic and seemingly, are still no way near 
the end of the tunnel, we must establish an unremitting measure that can cover the cost of 
giving quality distance learning. This bill seeks to do just that—to provide communication 
and data accessibility and allowance to all basic education teachers during public health 
emergencies and other analogous cases. It is high time that we adequately support our 
hardworking teachers who are the guarantors of not only our children’s futures but our 
nation’s too.  
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
ERIC GO YAP 
November 18, 2021
3:07 pm
10526


1 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
3rd Regular Session 
House Bill No. _________ 
Introduced by Representative ERIC GO YAP 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING 
COMMUNICATION 
AND 
DATA 
ACCESSIBILITY 
AND 
ALLOWANCE TO ALL BASIC EDUCATION TEACHERS DURING PUBLIC 
HEALTH EMERGENCY AND OTHER ANALOGOUS CASES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared as policy of the State, 
consistent with the constitutional provisions on education and national development, 
to support the unique needs of the education sector in times of public health 
emergencies and other similar crises. As such, school teachers whose work is essential 
in national development must be equipped with the appropriate tools and 
infrastructure for the efficient performance of their duties. 
SEC. 2. Definition of Terms. 
a. “Public health emergency” is an occurrence or imminent threat of an illness or
health condition, caused by bio terrorism, epidemic or pandemic disease, or (a)
novel and highly fatal infectious agent or biological toxin, that poses a
substantial risk of a significant number of human facilities or incidents or
permanent or long-term disability resulting in a prolong closure of school
facilities and other learning institutions.
b. “Other analogous cases” means any occurrence or imminent threat of any
calamity or disaster, natural or man-made, having the same effect of prolonged
closure of schools and other learning institutions.
c.
“Blended learning” designates the range of learning possibilities in an
education program in which content and instruction are presented by
combining internet, digital media, television or radio broadcast with
established classroom forms that require the physical co-presence of teacher
and students.
10526


 
2 
SEC. 3. Provision of Computers or Other Similar Devices to all Basic 
Education Teachers in Public and Private Schools. To effectively execute the blended 
learning implemented during a declared public health emergency and other 
analogous cases, the national government through the Department of Education 
(DepEd), in coordination with the Department of Information and Communications 
Technology (DICT), shall provide the technologically appropriate and affordable 
computer or similar device to each basic education teachers, both in public and private 
schools.  
 
SEC. 4. Obsolescence. In the provision of computers or other similar devices in 
Section 3 of this Act, the DICT shall determine the appropriate and affordable 
technological capacity to mitigate the impact of obsolescence taking into consideration 
the availability of funds and the length of usability, efficiency and effectiveness.  
 
SEC. 5. Provision of Data and Communication Allowance to all Basic 
Education Teachers in Public and Private Schools. – During the period of the declared 
public health emergency and other analogous cases, the national government through 
the DepEd in coordination with the DICT shall provide data and communication 
allowance to all basic education teachers, both in public and private schools. The 
amount of the data and communication allowance shall be determined by the DepEd 
and the DICT considering the time of execution and amount of data needed for the 
full implementation of blended learning. 
 
SEC. 6. Subsidized Data Rates and Fiscal Incentives. During the period of the 
declared public health emergency and other analogous cases, access to websites where 
the blended learning materials are published or posted shall be subsidized by the 
government and may be accessed free of charge. Moreover, the Department of Finance 
(DOF) through the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) shall be allowed to grant fiscal 
incentives to concerned suppliers or service providers to lessen cost provided that, 
such incentives shall not significantly prejudice revenues for the government.  
 
SEC. 7. Applicability of the Act to the declared public health emergency due to 
Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The provisions of this Act shall apply to the 
public health emergency declared by the national or local government due to COVID-
19.  
 
SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The DepEd, the DICT and the 
DOF shall promulgate the corresponding implementing rules and regulations of this 
Act within sixty (60) days from the date of its effectivity. 
 
SEC. 9. Appropriations. The funds necessary to implement the provisions of 
this Act shall be sourced from the respective budgets of the DepEd and the DICT in 
the annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
 
SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, and rules and regulations 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified 
accordingly.  


 
3 
 
SEC. 11. Separability Clause. If any provision or part of this Act is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and 
subsisting. 
 
SEC. 12. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation or in the Official Gazette.  
 
 
Approved,