Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
AND HON. NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is enshrined in the Constitution that the State must provide quality education that is 
accessible to all. As an archipelago, however, the country is replete with areas that are 
far too remote from city centers or unreachable due to natural topographic conditions. 
These same areas are heavily reliant on agriculture as their main source of income, and 
report a high incidence of poverty. Due to limited opportunities, many residents choose 
to leave their rural hometowns in search of better employment and/or educational 
opportunities in the cities or even abroad. Such migration results in a vicious cycle of 
poverty and brain drain in the areas they leave behind. 
Teachers are one of the most in-demand professionals, especially abroad. It is hereby 
imperative for the State to take urgent steps to combat the massive migration of top 
Filipino teachers who leave the country in droves in pursuit of higher pay and better 
working conditions. This bill seeks to counter such migration of talent by providing 
financial incentives to highly qualified teachers or highly qualified special education 
teachers in rural areas. 
Under a five-year pilot program, the Department of Education (DepEd) shall award 
grants, on a competitive basis, to not more than 10 provinces to enable them to extend 
salary bonuses to highly qualified teachers or highly qualified special education teachers 
who teach, or to commit to teach, for at least three (3) academic years in select rural 
academic institutions. It is the ardent hope of the bill that this incentive shall inspire our 
teachers to stay in our country, especially in rural areas where students need their talent 
and competence the most.  
In light of the foregoing premises, the swift passage of this bill is humbly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
 MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE 
TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 
August 23, 2022
2:00 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
AND HON. NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM TO RETAIN HIGHLY 
QUALIFIED TEACHERS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress assembled: 
CHAPTER I 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Rural Teacher Retention 
Act." 
SECTION 2. Definition. — For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean: 
A.
Child with disability — a minor who has a physical, mental or medical impairment
resulting from an anatomical, physiological, or neurological condition that
prevents the exercise of a normal bodily function or that substantially impair
cognitive function, and include but is not limited to, impairments requiring the
use of an artificial device to move, walk, see, hear or breath, such as a
wheelchair, braces, respirator, or other supportive equipment, or use of a guide
dog, or other guiding device, which renders such person incapable of
adequately providing for his or her own health and personal care;
B.
Department — the Department of Education (DepEd); and
C.
Secretary — means the Secretary of Education.
SECTION 3. Grant. — The Secretary shall carry out a five-year pilot program under 
which the Secretary awards grants, on a competitive basis, to not more than 10 
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provinces to enable them to award salary bonuses to highly qualified teachers or highly 
qualified special education teachers who teach, or to commit to teach, for at least three 
(3) academic years in such institution. 
 
SECTION 4. Basis. — The Secretary shall award grants under this section on the 
basis of the needs of rural local educational agencies within a province for recruiting 
and retaining highly qualified teachers or highly qualified education teachers. 
 
SECTION 5. Consideration of Needs. — In determining the needs of rural education 
teachers for recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers and highly qualified 
special education teachers under Section 5. the Secretary shall consider one or more 
of the following: 
A. 
The impact on a rural local education agency of low-income students who are 
served by the rural local educational agency 
B. 
The impact on a rural local educational agency of children with a disability who 
are served by the rural educational agency. 
C. 
The long-term plans of a province to improve the recruitment and retention of 
highly qualified teachers and highly qualified special education teachers in rural 
local educational agencies with the province. 
 
SECTION 6. Application. — A province that desires to receive a grant under this 
section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require. The application shall 
contain a plan for the proposed distribution and use of the grant funds among rural local 
educational agencies within the province. 
 
SECTION 7. Use of Funds. — Grant funds under this Section shall be used to provide 
salary bonuses for highly qualified teachers or highly qualified special education 
teachers who teach, or commit to teach, for at least 3 academic years, in an elementary 
school or secondary school served by the same rural local educational agency. 
 
SECTION 8. Study. — The Secretary shall carry out a study of each project that is 
funded under this Act. The study shall track and assess the implementation and 
effectiveness of each project. 
 


SECTION 9. Report. — 
a) 
ANNUAL REPORTS FROM PROVINCES — Each province receiving a grant 
under this Act shall submit an annual report to the Secretary regarding each 
project within the State that is funded under this Act. The report shall contain 
such information as the Secretary determines necessary to evaluate the 
project. 
b) 
REPORT TO CONGRESS — The Secretary shall submit a report on the study 
described in Section 8 to the appropriate committees in the Senate and in the 
House of Representatives within five (5) years from the effectivity of this Act. 
1. 
the number of rural local educational agencies assisted under this Act. 
a.  
the characteristics of such local rural educational agencies with 
respect to the considerations of needs described in section 5 (c); 
2. 
the number and demographic characteristics of teacher receiving bonuses 
under this Act; 
3. 
the impact of the bonuses provided under this Act on the ability of rural 
local educational agencies assisted under this Act to recruit and retain 
highly qualified teachers and highly qualified special education teachers; 
and 
4. 
such other information and analysis as the Secretary determines 
necessary to evaluate the projects. 
 
SECTION 10. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the initial implementation 
of this Act shall be charged against the appropriations of the Department of Education 
under the current General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such sum as may be 
necessary for its full implementation shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act as a distinct and separate item. 
 
SECTION 11. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, such parts or portions not affected thereby shall 
remain in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. — All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, 
issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 


SECTION 13. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,