TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
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25 AUG-4 PI-42
SENATE
s. NO. 827
Rtctiv-n !?■'
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda
AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING RONDALLA TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR MUSIC 
TEACHERS
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Music education aids in developing mental faculties, concentration, and 
patience while promoting cultural and aesthetic awareness. Instrumental instruction, 
particularly ensemble playing, contributes to physical growth, coordination, and the 
fine-tuning of the brain's auditory system.1 Living heritage, including performing arts, 
oral expressions, social practices, rituals, festive events, and traditional knowledge, is 
an integral part of human life. Handed down from parents to children, from masters 
to apprentices, from teachers to pupils, it is safeguarded through transmission.2
The Philippine rondalla, a composite string ensemble introduced in the 15th 
century and enriched by both indigenous and Hispanic influences, remains a vibrant 
symbol of our nation's cultural identity.3 While the Department of Education has 
initiated efforts in select regions, fewer than 2% of divisions have offered structured.
1 Hipona, M. T. (2023). Assessment of the music performance skills of third-year BCAED students at
North Luzon Philippines State College. International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 1219), 
1-10. 
Retrieved 
from 
https://consortiacademia.org/wp-
content/uploads/2020/vl2i09/23070_ijrse_final.pdf
2 UNESCO. (2020). Basic Texts of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural 
Heritage (2020 ed., Foreword, p. v). UNESCO. Retrieved from 
https://ich.unesco.Org/doc/src/2003_Convention_Basic_Texts-_2020_version-EN.pdf
3 Kim Rockell. (2013). The Philippine Rondalla: A Gift of Musical Heritage in a Migrant Context [Abstract]. 
InternationaiJournai of Asia Pacific Studies, 5(1). Retrieved from:
https://eprints.usm. my/40651/ l/Art4-Rockeil. pdf
1


DepEd-facilitated rondalla training to date. Although the rondalla enjoys an enduring 
legacy, many Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health (MAPEH) teachers lack 
access to formal rondalla pedagogy, resulting in uneven instruction and limiting 
students' exposure to this living heritage.
This Bill seeks to institutionalize rondalla training by establishing a National 
Rondalla Training Center under the Department of Education (DepEd), in coordination 
with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), integrating certified rondalla 
modules into pre-service and in-service teacher development, with funding to be 
provided through the General Appropriations Act for curriculum design, instructor 
certification, instrument procurement, and regional workshops.
By formalizing rondalla pedagogy and performance ensembles, we empower 
educators, enrich cultural learning, and ensure that future generations inherit and 
advance a cornerstone of Filipino musical tradition.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
REN LEGARDA


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
827
25 AUG “4 PI-42
RtCEIVED Ov.
S. No.
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda
AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING RONDALLA TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR MUSIC 
TEACHERS
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Republic of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled:
1 
Section. 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Rondalla
2 
Training Program Act"
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to:
4 
a. Recognize the important role of the arts in fostering patriotism and
5 
nationalism and promoting human liberation and development;
6 
b. Recognize the vital role of culture and the arts in democratic, pluralistic
7 
and inclusive nation-building;
8 
c. Nurture, promote and sustain Filipino cultural and artistic diversity that
9 
mirrors and shapes Philippine economic, social and political life;
10 
d. Advance art as a form of expression and understanding and a force for
11 
achieving creative breakthroughs; and
12 
e. Safeguard and transmit traditional Filipino art forms, such as the
13 
rondalla, through education, community participation, and institutional
14 
support.
15 
Sec. 3. Implementing Agency. The Department of Education (DepEd) shall be
16 
the lead agency responsible for the full implementation of this Act. In that capacity,
17 
DepEd shall develop and promulgate all necessary rules and regulations, coordinate
18 
with the Commission on Higher Education, the National Commission for Culture and


1 
the Arts, accredited Schools of Living Traditions, local government units, and other
2 
stakeholders, manage and oversee the release and proper utilization of appropriations,
3 
monitor and evaluate program performance and outcomes, and submit an annual
4 
report to both Houses of Congress on the status and impact of the rondalla training
5 
initiatives.
6 
Sec. 4. Appropriations. The Department of Education (DepEd) is hereby
7 
mandated to include allocation for programs and activities related to rondalla,
8 
including but not limited to: training, instruction, pedagogy, and performance
9 
ensemble, in its annual budget. The implementation of this Act shall be funded through
10 
the appropriations of the DepEd. Thereafter, funding shall be provided for in the
11 
annual General Appropriations Act.
12 
Sec. 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The DepEd shall promulgate the
13 
necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act within ninety
14 
(90) days after its effectivity.
15 
Sec. 6. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, issuances, executive orders, rules,
16 
or regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or
17 
modified accordingly.
18 
Sec. 7. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
19 
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,