Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BillNo, 4360 _\\2

Introduced by Honorable Sherwin T. Gatchalian

Explanatory Note

Education has consistently been one of the focal agenda of the
Philippine government from the past administrations to the present,
believing that in strengthening the role of education, national development
and global competitiveness will be accelerated. Despite the concerted effort,
UNESCO reports that the Philippines is still lagging behind their target in its
initiative of Education For All (EFA), a goal which it has set in its
commitment to achieve the 2015 Millennium Development Goal.

This bill envisions to promote non-formal education in the most
convenient way. Its vision is to bring the ALS Program to every barangay . . .
thereby “bringing education where the learners are.” A transcript of its
presentation goes on to describe the program as “an enabling factor,
releasing people’s capacities, rather than giving deprived individuals what
they do not have.” Although the concept is not altogether new, this
legislation seeks to institutionalize the program and the support for national
government funding in its integration into the system.

Section 2(4), Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution provides that: “The
State shall encourage non-formal, informal and, indigenous learning systems,
as well as self-learning, independent, and out-of-school study programs
particularly those that respond to community needs.”

Hence, we seek the immediate passage Of this bill. )

Representative, 1 District, Valenzuela City


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BillNo. 4360 _

Introduced by Honorable Sherwin T. Gatchalian

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM OF
EDUCATION FOR ADULTS, OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH, MEMBERS OF
CULTURAL MINORITIES, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES

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 “Alternative
Learning System (ALS) Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to
promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall
take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all. The State
shall likewise give the highest priority to the enactment of measures that
promote human development and the acceleration of social progress,
thereby reducing social, economic and political inequalities. Towards this
end, the State shall provide the marginalized sectors of society particularly
the adult citizens, out-of-school youth, members of cultural minorities,
indigenous people and persons with disabilities with opportunities to
improve their knowledge, vocational efficiency and other skills.

SEC. 3. Statement of Purpose. - The ALS is a cost-effective learning
alternative to the existing formal education instruction. This Act therefore
seeks to attain the following objectives:

(a) To provide adequate attention to the learning needs of the
marginalized sectors of our society particularly the adult citizens, out-of-
school youth, members of cultural minorities, indigenous people and
persons with disabilities.


(b) To provide the opportunity of a flexible education program
outside of the formal school system.

(6) To provide accessible training and education services in every
barangay, including those unreached, underserved and conflict-affected
areas or communities.

(a) To provide a Mobile Teacher Program especially for persons with
disabilities taking into consideration their functional inability or difficulty to
obtain instructional materials and be apprised of the learning modules in
the program.

(e) To improve access to education and raise the level of literacy to
contribute to an individual’s sustainable future.

SEC. 4. Coverage. - This Act shall cover adults, out-of-school youth,
members of cultural minorities, indigenous people and persons with
disabilities, as defined in this Act. The ALS Program shall be
institutionalized and implemented in all of the barangays across the

country.

SEC. 5. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act:

1) Alternative Learning System (ALS) refers to the system of
education which provides a parallel learning system of a viable alternative to
the existing formal education. It includes the non-formal, informal and
indigenous learning systems as sources of knowledge and skills;

2) Adults refer to persons at least eighteen (18) years of age and
above;

3) Out-ofschool-youth refer to children who belong to any of the
categories: a) at least 7 tol4 years of age who are not enrolled in school, or
b) at least 15 to 24 years of age, who are not enrolled in school, not
employed and not a tertiary level graduate;

4) Cultural minorities refer to the Muslims in Mindanao and the hill
tribes or upland tribal groups in the Northern part of the Philippines;

5) _ Indigenous people refers to a group of people or homogenous
societies identified by self-ascription and ascription by others, who have
continuously lived as organized community on communally bounded and
defined territory, sharing common bonds of language, customs, traditions


and other distinctive cultural traits or who have, through resistance to
political, social and cultural inroads of colonization become historically
differentiated from the majority of the Filipinos;

6) Persons with disabilities refer to those suffering from a
restriction of different abilities, as a result of a mental, physical or sensory
impairment, to perform an activity in the manner or within the range
considered normal for a human being. Such impairment may be permanent
or transitory in nature.

SEC. 6. Implementation of the Program. - The Department of
Education (DepEd) through the Bureau of Alternative Learning System
shall provide the appropriate curriculum assimilating culture and gender-
sensitive formulations, training of teacher and coordinators, and the
mechanism to implement the program in every barangay in the country.

SEC. 7. Allocation of the Special Education Fund. - In order to
fulfill the objectives of this Act, as well as sustain its continued
implementation, a portion from the proceeds of the Special Education Fund
under Sections 235 and 272 of Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the
“Local Government Code of 1991,” shall be automatically set aside by the
local school board, in coordination with the respective local chief executive,
of every local government unit for utilization by the program.

SEC. 8. Tax Incentives. - Any donation, contribution, bequest, grant,
in cash or services, whether local or foreign, which may be made by
individuals and organizations, including private entities which shall provide
the appropriate services, materials, and delivery support services for the
promotion of the ALS education program in the barangays, shall be exempt
from the donor's tax and the same shall be considered as an allowable
deduction from the gross income in the computation of the income tax of
the donor in accordance with the provisions of the National Internal
Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.

SEC. 9, Allocation from the Department of Education. - The
Department of Education shall allocate an appropriate amount from its
regular budget to support the ALS education program under this Act.

SEC. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ Within ninety (90)
days upon the approval of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall, in
consultation with the various stakeholders, formulate the rules and
regulations necessary for the proper implementation of this Act.

SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - If any part, section or provision of
this Aet is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other parts thereof, not
affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.


SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, acts, presidential decrees,
executive orders, administrative orders, rules and regulations, or parts
thereof, inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are
hereby amended, modified or repealed accordingly.

SEC. 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,