Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City /

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILU’No, 961

Introduced by

ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO,
GABRIELA Women’s Party Rep. ARLENE D. BROSAS,
and KABATAAN Party-List Rep. RAOUL DANNIEL A. MANU!

AN ACT
RECOGNIZING THE ANNUAL OBSERVANCE OF WORLD EDUCATI
SUPPORT PERSONNEL DAY, DECLARING FOR THE PURPOSE THE
SIXTEENTH DAY OF MAY OF EVERY YEAR AS NATIONAL EDUCATION
SUPPORT PERSONNEL DAY IN THE PHILIPPINES.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

On May 16, 2018 during the first conference on Education Support Personnel
in Brussels, Belgium, Education International, a global union federation representing
organizations of teachers and other education employees. launched the first World
Education Support Personnel Day and adopted the Declaration on the Rights and
Status of Education Support Personnel. This landmark document affirms that
administration of quality education is impossible without teaching assistants:
registrars and clerks, school doctors, nurses, and psychologists. guidance counselors.
librarians, and the rest of professional, administrative, technical, and general staff
working in education sector.

Education International raised concerns on the increased exploitation of ESP.
the absence of decent work conditions, and the violation of fundamental human and
labor rights such as the right to organize and bargain collectively—which ET partly
attributed to outsourcing. labor cost-cutting and austerity measures, and privatization
in the education sector.

Education support personnel in the Philippines are ignored and undervalued
just like their international counterparts. Non-teaching personnel in public and private
education are paid inadequate salaries and benefits. The minimum pay for regular



employees is far below the living wage, and the salaries of non-regular employees are
even lower.

Also alarming is the lack of sufficient education jobs which forces teachers to
act as nurses. librarians, encoders. and processors for school data, janitors. security
guards. and others, causing them severe overwork and contributes to the decline of
quality of education in general

Other concerns include lack of security of tenure, abuse of job order, contract
of service, part-time, and limited-term hiring, endo, and other forms of
contractualization; overwork and inhumane working conditions, unsafe and unhealthy
work environment; and lack of professional support and guidance as well as
possibilities for career development

This bill sets aside May 16 as a special working holiday in the honor of
education support personnel, to enable society to celebrate and value their important
role. More importantly, this will highlight government’s duty to take concrete steps to
promote and protect their status. rights, and conditions of service, foremost of which is
increasing the budget to be spent directly for our public schools and education support
personnel, and the institution of policies to counter and resolve the above issues in
both public and private education.

This bill was passed on third reading during the 18" Congress,

For these reasons, passage of this bill is eamestly sought

» CASTRO
rs Party-List

Rep. RAOUL DANNIEL A. MANUEL,
GABRIELA Women’s Party KABATAAN Party-List


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No._961_

Introduced by
ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO,
GABRIELA Women’s Party Rep. ARLENE D. BROS.

and KABATAAN Party-List Rep. RAOUL DANNIEL A. MANUEL

AN ACT
RECOGNIZING THE ANNUAL OBSERVANCE OF WORLD EDUCATION
SUPPORT PERSONNEL DAY, DECLARING FOR THE PURPOSE THE
NTH DAY OF MAY OF EVERY YEAR AS NATIONAL EDUCATION
SUPPORT PERSONNEL DAY IN THE PHILIPPINES

SE

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Title. This Act shall be known as “The National Education Support
Personnel Day Act of 2022."

SEC. 2. “Education Support Personnel” refers to a wide range of professional.
administrative, technical, and general staff working within the education sector such
as teaching assistants: school doctors, nurses, and psychologists: registrars and clerks:
guidance counselors: librarians: and bus drivers. among others.

SEC. 3. In recognition of the observance of the World Education Support Personnel
Day. the Sixteenth day of May of every year is hereby declared as “National
Education Support Personnel Day.”

‘To ensure a meaningful observance of this special working holiday, all heads
of government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned and -
controlled corporations especially those directly involved with education, including
local government units, and employers in the private sector. shall encourage and


afford sufficient time and opportunities for their employees to engage and participate
in any activity conducted within the premises of their offices or establishments in the
celebration of “National Education Support Personne! Day.”

SEC. 4. Lead Agencies. Pursuant to the observance of National Education Support
Personnel Day, the annual program of activities shall be prepared and implemented
with the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education as the
lead agencies

SEC. 5. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen days after its complete
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two newspapers of general circulation,

whichever comes earlier.

Approved.