werngy,
Ye s “Seay
/ >” RECEIVED @
© one: 19 SEP 2017

Wat:
by.
\ 2,

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

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS a <<
Second Regular Session Ke — og
ed JZ
HOUSE BILL no 8419

Introduced by Hon. Salvador B. Belaro Jr.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Social justice requires that the benefits of living in our society be extended
to our brothers who are members of indigenous cultural communities who are
naturally based in far-flung areas of the country.

On the other hand, education is an equalizing factor that if made available
to our brother in indigenous cultural communities would definitely improve their
lives and enable them to adapt in our national polity.

The establishment of at least one basic education school in every
indigenous cultural community is definitely a step towards making our
indigenous peoples become valuable members of our society, and thus, the
passage of this legislation is earnestly sought.

A~ bh ba
CONG. SALVADOR B. BELARO, JR.
Representative
1-Ang Edukasyon Party List


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

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 6419

Introduced by: Hon. Salvador B. Belaro Jr.

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A BASIC EDUCATION SCHOOL IN EVERY
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the “School for Every Indigenous
Peoples Community Act of 2017”.

SECTION 2. The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality
education at all levels of education and shall take appropriate steps to make such
education accessible to all.

The Constitution provides that the State recognizes and promotes the rights
of indigenous cultural communities within the framework of national unity and
development.


SECTION 3. As used in this Act:

a. Basic Education refers to the intended basic leaming needs which
provides the foundation on which subsequent learning can be based. It
includes kindergarten, elementary and secondary education as well as
alternative learning systems for out-of-school leamers and those with
special needs.

b. Basic Education School refers to learning institutions accredited by the
Department of Education (DepEd) to deliver services addressing the
intended basic learning needs of students; and

c. Indigenous Peoples or Indigenous Peoples Community refers to the
same definition stated in Section 3h, Ch. 2 of RA No. 8371 or the
Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997 which describes it as “group of
people or homogenous societies who have 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 resisted political, social and cultural inroads
of colonization, non-indigenous reli
establishment of present state boundaries.”

SECTION 4. It is herein mandated that there shall be established at least one
Basic Education School for every Indigenous Peoples Community in the country.

SECTION 5. The Department of Education, in coordination with the Department
of Public Works and Highways, is herein tasked to formulate the Implementing
Rules and Regulation of this Act within thirty (30) days from its effectivity.

SECTION 6. An initial amount of One Hundred Million Pesos (P100,000,000.00)
necessary for the implementation of this act shall be included in the Annual
General Appropriations Act upon the effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 7. If any provision hereof is held invalid or unconstitutional, the
remainder of the law or provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid and
subsisting.


SECTION 8. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 9. This act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved.