FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Sessioll 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 2012 
Introduced by Senator EDGARDO J. ANGARA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The world has shrunk into a single global village. Advances in science and 
technology have made this possible. Modern telecommunications and modes of 
transportation have facilitated simultaneous and fast exchanges of ideas, information and 
resources among nations. This is the global technological and scientific setting which 
confronts the Philippines today. 
Tn our country's strides to regain lost economic grounds, our people need to be 
attuned to the latest developments in science and technology. The Filipino youth must be 
scientifically and technically prepared so that their innate talents may be fully harnessed 
for national development. 
The proposed bill, the basics of computer applications and programming will be 
integrated in the school cuniculum. A Board on Computer Education is created. Private 
sectors' participation is enlisted through the grant of fiscal incentives to private sector 
participants. A voucher system is institutionalized with respect to the country's nineteen 
(19) poorest provinces to make these provinces at par with the rest of the country in telTllS 
of computer literacy. Community linkages among the participants are likewise enjoined to 
hasten the nationwide upgrading of computer skills. 
In short, this bill is intended to prepare the Filipino youth to meet the technological 
challenges of this new country. 
Approval of this bill is, thus, earnestly requested. 
I 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B.No. 2012 
'. 
Introduced by Senator EDGARDO J. ANGARA 
AN ACT 
TO INTEGRATE COMPUTER EDUCATION PROGRAM INTO 
THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted in the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in the 
Congress assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State to promote 
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functional computer literacy in all schools, at the earliest possible stage, and in a manner 
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that is most efficient and effective in producing a population that is highly skilled in the 
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creation, use and manipulation of computer software. In this regard, private sector 
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initiative and pmiicipation shall always be encouraged to achieve this policy objective. 
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SEC. 2. Board on Computer Education; Creation, Power and Functions. - A 
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Board on Computer Education, hereafter referred to as Board, is hereby created to 
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implement the provision of this Act and for this purpose shall have the following powers 
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and shall have the following powers and shall exercise the following functions: 
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a. Supervise the accreditation of the computer schools which will participate in 
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the program; 
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b. Assess and provide for the necessary training of the personnel of computer 
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schools of methods of teaching; 
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c. Prepare the curricillum for computer-aided logic, math and science education in 
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the elementary level; 
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d. Monitor the performance ofthe computer schools; 
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e. Evaluate the abilities of the students emolled in the program; 
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f. 
Issue and implement all niles and regulations provided for in this Act; and 
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g. Exercise all other powers and functions which may be necessary to carry out 
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the provisions ofthis Act. 
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SEC. 3. Board Composition. - The Board shall be composed of the following 
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Members: 
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a. One (1) representative from the Department of Education to be nominated by 
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the Secretary of Education 
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b. One (1) representative from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to 
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be nominated by the CHED Chairman; 
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c. One (I) representative from the Department of Science and Technology to be 
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nominated by the Secretary of Department of Science and Technology; 
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d. One (I) representative from the duly accredited professional organizations of 
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computer programmers and system analysts to be nominated by the recognized 
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leadership of these organizations; 
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e. One (1) representative from the National Economic Development Authority, to 
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be nominated by the Secretary-General of the National Economic Development 
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Authority; The representative from the Department of Education shall serve as 
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Chairman of the Board. The Chairman and the Members shall be appointed by 
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the President of the Republic of the Philippines for the term of five (5) years 
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and shall have the rank and compensation of a Bureau Director. 
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SEC. 4. Promotion 0/ the Build-Operate-Trans/er scheme and other similar 
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arrangements. - The provision of Republic Act No. 6957, as amended, shall be applied to 
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the construction, operation and servicing of computer education and its facilities, Provided 
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that any contractual arrangement that will be utilized for this purpose shall additionally 
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provide for the following: 
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a. A training program for teachers not only on computer literacy but also on the 
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maintenance and servicing of computer education facilities; and 
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b. An apprenticeship program for interested students of the public school being 
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serviced whereby they may be employed as apprentices for the education 
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component or for the facilities maintenance component of computer education. 
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The build-operate-transfer arrangement or any other similar arrangements provided 
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for in Republic Act No. 6957, as amended, may be bidded out and awarded at the school 
2 


district level or at the school level, III accordance with the implementing rules and 
2 
regulations to be issued by the Board. 
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SEC. 5. Institutionalization of the Voucher System for Specialized Computer 
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Education ill the Nineteen (19) Poqrest Provillces. - In addition to whatever contractual 
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arrangements which may be utilized under the provisions of Section 4 hereof, there shall 
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be created a voucher system for specialized computer education in the country's nineteen 
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(19) poorest provinces whereby each of these provinces shall be given the amount of Five 
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Million Pesos (P5,000,000.00) each year from the annual budget allocated for the 
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implementation of the specialized computer education program or such amount as may be 
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later on provided by law. 
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Students in these provinces who have completed secondary education shall be 
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allowed to take competitive aptitude examinations in specialized computer education. 
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Students who have passed such qualifying examinations, or as many of those who 
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may provided funds from the annual budget, shall be given a voucher worth Five Thousand 
16 
Pesos (PS,OOO.OO) each, or such amount as may be later on provided law, to enroll in a 
17 
computer school of his or her choice, to finish advanced and specialized computer courses 
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sllch as, but not limited to, advanced programming, computer-aided design, hardware 
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design, networking, or such other courses that may be identified by the Board. 
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Each student shall be entitled to only one voucher. The Board shall issue the 
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implementing rules and regulations to ensure that students do not enroll in more than one 
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school, or that enrollment figures reflect actual enrollment, Student found guilty of 
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violating this one-voucher-per-student rule shall be subject to the penalties provided 
24 
hereunder. 
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26 
SEC. 6. Accreditatioll of Computer Education Service Providers. - All entities 
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participating in the activities described in Sections 4 and 5 hereof must be accredited by 
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the Board as bona fide participants. The Accreditation shall be based on the following 
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criteria: 
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a. The curriculum meets the standards provided for by the Board; 
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b. The quality of the computers and other peripherals to be provided and the other 
physical infrastructures to be built, operated or used which must ensure quality 
of education and minimum health and safety-standards; 
c. The capability of the service provider's instructors. The Board will Issue 
minimum standards for evaluating teaching ability; and 
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3 
d. With respect to renewal. of applications, the performance of the students on 
performance measures to be designed by the Board. 
4 
SEC. 7. Curriculum of Publicly-fitnded Computer Education. - The computer 
5 
literacy program acknowledges the vital participation of the private sector in the scheme, 
6 
but the curriculum shall be prepared by the Board. The curriculum should make use of 
7 
computer-assisted education to teach elementary students the basic courses of math, 
8 
science and logic. These courses will prepare the student for the demands of computer 
9 
programming and system analysis, as well as strengthen the learning the student receives 
10 
from the formal educational system. The Board will also prepare the curriculum for 
II 
compu tel' programming and popular software utilization, which will be taught at the high 
12 
school level. 
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SEC. 8. Monitoring and Incentives on Performance. - Monitoring of the program 
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shall be done to maintain the quality of education being given to the students. Performance 
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measures shall include, but not be limited to, the following: 
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a. Periodic renewal of accreditation or license to operate; 
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b. Testing; 
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c. National competitions; and 
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d. Unannounced visits to participating schools. 
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The Board shall formulate or commission the formulation of performance index 
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which will be used in assessing the performance of the participating schools. The latest 
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results of the evaluation of all schools shall be published before the start of every school 
25 
year. The Board shall formulate a system ofrewards and incentives to promote excellence 
26 
among the service providers. 
27 
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SEC. 9. Tax-free Importation of Computer Hardware and Software. - All entities 
29 
who have been accredited, or who have obtained contracts as participants in the activities 
30 
provided [or in Sections 4 and 5 hereof shall be given fiscal incentives. 
31 
These incentives shall include the tax- free importation of all computer hardware, 
32 
software, peripherals and documentary materials. However, these incentives shall be 
33 
limited to imports that are intended for lhe schools. These incentives shall last for a period 
34 
of not more than ten years from the effectivity of this Act. 
4 


The Board shall issue the implementing rules and regulations for the availment of 
2 
the incentives described herein. 
3 
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SEC. 10. Phased Implementation.- The computer education program shall be 
5 
implemented in phases to ensure that program and infrastructure requirement shall be met, 
G 
to prepare the private sector [or the demand for computer schools and equipment, and to 
7 
prime-up the local demand for computer-literate workers. The implementation shall be 
8 
done in accordance with the following objectives: 
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a. The graduation, one year from the effectivity of this Act, of a corps of high-
10 
school students who can manipulate the most popular computer application 
II 
programs in the areas of word processing, database encoding and spreadsheets; 
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b. The graduation, three years from the effectivity of this Act, of a corps of high 
• 
13 
schools students who are not only literate in the applications described in 
14 
paragraph (a) herein, but also in basic programming and system analysis; and 
IS 
c. The immediate use of computer-aided education which complement the 
I G 
academic instructions in math, science and logic. 
17 
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SEC. 11. Community Linkages. - Other software and computer programming may 
19 
be taught by the schools and service providers under a community link-up system whereby 
20 
additional training on the use of special software can be paid for by interested business or 
21 
manufacturing firms in the community. The business community will also be encouraged 
22 
to expand and update their manufacturing procedures to achieve efficiency through 
23 
computerization or computer-controlled processes. 
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SEC. 12. Budget and Funding. - An initial budget of One Hundred Million Pesos 
26 
(PIOO,OOO,OOO.OO) to be disbursed from the earnings of the lotteries conducted by the 
27 
Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office is hereby appropriated for the payment of the 
28 
services to be provided under Sections 4 and 5 of this Act as well as for the expenses 
29 
related to the establishment and operation of the Board. Thereafter, the funds necessary for 
30 
the continuous implementation of this Act shall be included in the yearly General 
31 
Appropriations Act. 
32 
The administrative expenses related to the implementation of this Act shall not be 
33 
more than three percent (3%) of the annual appropriations for this Computer Educations 
34 
Program. 
35 
5 


SEC. 13. Penalties. -- Any person found guilty of violating the provisions of 
2 
Section S hereof shall be meted the following penalties: 
3 
a. The student shall pay the full cost of tuition, with interest thereon. The payment 
4 
may be in cash, or in its equivalent in terms of community service. 
S 
b. The accreditation of the service providers found guilty of padding their 
6 
enrollment figures, or for knowingly permitting a student to violate the 
7 
provisions of Section S hereof shall be suspended, for the first offense, without 
8 
prejudice to the payment of twice the amount of reimbursement resulting from 
9 
the padded enrollment as fine. 
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II 
SEC. 14. Rules and Regulations. - Within forty five (4S) days from the effectivity 
12 
of this Act, the Board shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective 
13 
implementation of the provisions of this Act. 
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IS 
SEC. 15. Separability Clause. -- In the event that any provision of this Act is 
16 
declared unconstitutional, the validity of the other provisions shall not be affected by such 
17 
declaration. 
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SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, or 
20 
portions thereof, inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 17. Effectivity. -- This law shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in two (2) national newspaper of general circulation . 
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Approved, 
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