Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 8923

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE DIVINA GRACE C. YU

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 2. paragraph 2 of Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution states that "the State shall
establish, maintain and Support a complete, adequate, and integrated system of education
relevant to the needs of the people and society. Pursuant to this, the State has a
responsibility to strengthen and develop the Philippine madrasah system.

This bill mandates the Department of Education (DepEd), in close coordination with the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Office of Muslim Affairs (OMA), and the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), to provide mechanisms to improve the
quality of Madrasah education as well as open the opportunity for more Muslim students to
benefit from said educational system by maximizing the use of existing resources of private
education.

Moreover, this proposed measure also aims to provide financial assistance to madrasah
systems in the form of: 1.) Madrasah infrastructure development fund: 2.) Programs and
assistance to students and teachers in madrasah schools; 3.) Nutrition and feeding program
for young children; 4.) Classroom facilities: 5.) Textbook assistance fund: 6.) In-service
training fund for teachers: and 7.) Scholarship grants to children of teachers.

To allow the local madrasah system to take full advantage of these development
opportunities will provide more educational opportunities for Muslim Filipinos.

In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. _8993

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE DIVINA GRACE C. YU

AN ACT
PROVIDING GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE TO MADRASAH EDUCATION
SYSTEM, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

Section 1. Short Title. This Act shall be. known as the “Fund Assistance to Madrasah.
Education Act".

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. It is a declared policy of the State in conformity with the
mandate of the Constitution, to promote and make quality education accessible to all
Filipino citizens regardless of cultural origin, conviction, creed or belief. The State also
recognizes the complementary roles of public and private educational institutions in the
country's educational system and the invaluable contribution of private educational
institutions to educate its citizenry, and this includes the Madrasah School in Muslim
Mindanao and other areas in the country where Muslim population abounds.

The State shall also, as a matter of policy, establish a fund for Madrasah
Infrastructure Development apart from maintaining a system of scholarship grants, student
loan programs, teacher development program, subsidies and other incentives which shall be
available to deserving students especially to the underprivileged. Further, the State shall
encourage non-formal, informal and indigenous learning systems as well as self-learning,
particularly those that respond to community needs,

For this purpose, the State mandates the Department of Education (DepE@), in close
coordination with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Office of Muslim Affairs
(OMA), and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), to provide mechanisms
to improve the quality of Madrasah education as well as open the opportunity for more
‘Muslim students to benefit from said educational system by maximizing the use of existing
resources of public and private education.

Sec. 3. Madrasah Curriculum. The Madrasah curriculum shall be enriched and
harmonized to make it compatible with the curriculum of the Philippine formal education
system. Equivalency, learning accreditation, experience-based learning and other innovative
education approaches shall be utilized in order to make possible the smooth transition of
earners from the Madrasah education system to the formal education system and vice-versa.


See. 4. Criteria for Assistance. The programs for assistance shall be based on a set of
criteria which include, among others, tuition fees charged by the schools, the socioeconomic
needs of the students giving priority to those who come from the poorest sector of society,
overall performance of the schools, the academic qualifications and the financial needs of
both students and teachers.

In addition to the aforementioned criteria, students who may qualify for scholarship
assistance in Madrasah schools can continue to study in higher education institution;
Provided, That they pass the minimum requirement of said program.

Sec. 5. Forms of Assistance. For purposes of this Act, apart from infrastructure
development fund and a system of scholarship grants, student Joan programs, teacher
development program, subsidies and other incentives, programs and assistance to students
and teachers in Madrasah schools consist of the following:

. Nutrition and feeding Program for Young Children;
Facilities such as desks. tables, chalkboards and other basic classroom.

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needs;
. Textbook Assistance Fund;
. Scholarship Grants to deserving students;
Education Loan Fund;
In-Service training Fund for Teachers;
Scholarship Grants to children of teachers.

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Sec. 6. Funding. The funds necessary for the implementation of this Act shall he provided
in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) in the amount of P500,000000.00 and shall be
charged under the current appropriations of the Department of Education.

See. 7. Implementing Rules and Guidelines. The Secretary of Education, in close
coordination with the Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education, Office of Muslim
Affairs and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. shall issue rules and regulations
necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.

Sec. 8, Repealing Clause. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, presidential
proclamation, rules and regulations or parts thereof contrary to or inconsistent with this Act
are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 9. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional, the
same shall not effect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions hereof.

See. 10. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.