FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S. No. 2179 
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Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article 2, Section 17 of the 1987 Constitution provides that "The State shaJl give 
priority to education, science and technology, arts, culture, and sports to foster 
patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote total human 
liberation and development". In the same light, Section 1, Article XIV of the same 
Constitution mandates the State to "protect and promote the right of aJl citizens to 
quality education at aJl levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such 
education accessible to all". 
Schoolchildren carrying heavy bags become a common phenomenon in many of 
our country's school setting. Children hoping to be ready at all times during classroom 
discussion and other school-related activities, bring all their heavy textbooks and other 
school supplies, to and from school. 
At a glimpse, it seems this practice is good to schoolchildren. However, 
according to many foreign scientific studies conducted on this matter, overloading of 
school bags can cause side effect to the body of the children if they are exposed to this 
practice over a long period. Since, spinal ligaments and muscles are not fully developed 
until after 16 years of life. 
An investigation by the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of 
Free State compared postural deviation in children who 
carry heavy school bags 
against those who don't. 
Three hundred eighty students (380) students in the study spent an average of 
30 minutes per day carrying their bags. On average a pre-teen school bag weighed 13.1 
pounds cOl)1pared to a teenager's bag which weighed 14.3 pounds. 
Tne study revealed deviation to the side and/or backwards of children's spines 
when carrying heavy school bags. The study further revealed that children carry their 
schoolbags on a daily basis and often between classes as well, and it is the constant 
additional pressure to the spine that cause long-term damage, which also include failure 
to maintain proper standing posture. Back pains and spinal complications experienced 
by growing children are significantly connected to backpack loads. Heavy backpack 
loads can actually result in changes in lumbar disc height or curvature. As such, young 
kids who get used to carrying heavy backpacks can grow up with bad posture. 
Pediatricians and chiropractors have observed that many grade school and high 
school students are suffering from back pain due to carrying heavy backpacks. 


Overloaded backpacks can be a possible source of "chronic, low-level trauma" that can 
result to chronic shoulder, neck, and back pain in your children. 
Health is the most priority for the children. Education is futile if the frail bodies of 
children are compromised. Pupils are supposed to listen to their teachers in school, and 
read their textbooks at home. In the end, having pupils carry heavy load to school will 
be counterproductive, with many of them physically deformed as adults. Heavy load in 
school could be one reason why so many now suffer from spinal injuries, including 
slipped discs. 
As such, it is the intent of this proposed measure that school administrators, 
teachers, parents and schoolchildren be made aware of this issue on overweight bags, 
and to make necessary proactive measures to avoid this unhealthful practice. 
By reducing injuries and pain caused by overweight backpacks, we are helping 
our schoold children stay healthier and at their best to learn in the classroom. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
MA~O" 
M. LAPID 
Senator 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S. No. 2179 
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Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid 
AN ACT 
LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT OF BAGS CARRIED BY CHILDREN 
IN SCHOOL AND IMPLEMENTING PROACTIVE MEASURES TO PROTECT 
SCHOOLCHILDREN'S HEALTH FROM THE ADVERSE EFFECT OF HEAVY 
SCHOOL BAG 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
ARTICLE I 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
SECTION 1. 
Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Children's 
Schoolbag Weight Regulation Act of 2010." 
SEC. 2. 
Declaration of Policies. - It is hereby declared the policy of the 
State to safeguard the general welfare and interests of children and protect them from 
elements and conditions that could adversely affect their health, and from other factors 
that would impinge their capacity to enjoy their precious childhood. 
Furthermore, since health and safety is one of the most important priorities for 
children, the State, through its various entities an agencies, shall undertake concrete 
measures to achieve the noble intentions of this measure. 
SEC. 3. 
Scope of the Act. - It is the objective of this Act to limit the amount 
of weight of school bags carried by schoolchildren, both in elementary and secondary 
levels, in schools, and to implement proactive measures the would prevent overloading 
of school bags with the end goal of protecting children from the ill effects caused by 
overweight bags on their health. 
ARTICLE I( 
ROLE OF INSTITUTIONS 
SEC. 4. 
Role of Schools. -
A. 
School Administrators. -
It is incumbent for school authorities to 
implement measures to keep schoolchildren from bringing schoolbags that is over-
weight. Any bag that weight more than fifteen percent (15%) of the child's body weight 
is deemed overweight. 
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Pertinent on the above, school administrators, shall: 
1. 
Conduct information and education campaign to parents and students to 
create awareness of the issue. 
2. 
Assess the extent of the problem in the school. 
3. 
Promote home/school cooperation on the issue. 
4. 
Choose appropriate textbooks and other reading materials for the students 
by taking into account the book's size and weight aside from their teaching 
and educational value. 
5. 
Review the adequacy of furniture items such as lockers, bookcases and 
lockers inside the classrooms and make the necessary adjustments. 
6. 
Formulate suitable homework policies which take this issue into account 
and encourage the development of the pupil's organizational skills to 
lessen the bulk of school materials which children use to bring in the 
school. 
7. 
Place weighing scales at conspicuous places inside the school where 
schoolchildren could check the weight of their bags. 
B. 
,Parents and Teachers Association (PTA). -
Consistent with the 
provisions?f this Act, Parents and Teachers Associations (PTAs) shall: 
1. 
Assist school administrators in creating awareness of the issue. 
2. 
Help identify the extent of the problem in the school. 
3. 
Initiate projects and activities to promote good studying practices among 
children that will obviate schoolchildren from bringing all their books and 
other materials in school, and help facilitate school conferences and 
meetings in formulating homework policies. 
4. 
Assist school administrators in resource generation in improving school's 
storage facilities and furniture items. 
5. 
Mobilize parents to help weighing schoolbags to create awareness of the 
issue. 
SEC. 5. 
Role of the Department of Education (DepEd). - Pursuant to the 
provisions of this Act, the Department of Education shall: 
1. 
Conduct a nationwide assessment on the issue of. overweight schoolbags 
which children usually bring in the school. 
2. 
Liaise with the various publishers in order to craft and print books that are 
both textbooks and workbooks at the same time. 
3. 
Regulate textbooks so that book size and weight shall also be put into 
consideration aside from their teaching and educational value. 
4. 
Draft and issue the appropriate Implementing Rules and Guidelines on 
how to address the issue. 
5. 
Require the uniform design of school desks that has provisions for book 
storage underneath its writing table. 
SEC. 6. 
Role of the Department of Health (DOH). - The Department of 
Health, pursuant to this Act, shall: 
1. 
Assist the Department of Education in the conduct of a nationwide rapid 
assessment study on the issue concerning overweight schoolbags which 
children usually bring to the school; 
2. 
Provide printed IEC materials on the issue of overweight schoolbags and 
disseminate the same to the various schools in the country. 
SEC. 7. 
Role of the Local Government Units (LGUs). -
The local 
government units, though its local Social Welfare and Development Office and the Local 
School Boards, shall: 
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1. 
Assist schools in disseminating related information on the issue. 
2. 
Allocate funds and other resources for the provision of appropriate storage 
facilities and furniture items to help prevent schoolchildren from bringing 
aI/ their school books and other school materials to and from school. 
3. 
Organize activities, in coordination· with school administrators and PTAs, 
to develop cooperation among school administrators, teachers and 
parents on how to deal with the issue effectively. 
4. 
Produce lEe materials on how to educate parents and schoolchildren in 
choosing the right kind of school bags, the kind of materials schoolbags 
should be made of, the proper way of backpacking and the avoidance of 
bringing unnecessary materials in school. 
SEC. 8. 
Appropriation. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions 
of this Act shall be included and incorporated in the annual general appropriations of the 
Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Health (DOH). 
SEC. 9. 
Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). - Within ninety (90) 
days from the date of effectivity of this Act, the Department of Education (DepEd), in 
consultation with the Department of Health (DOH), shall promulgate necessary 
implementing rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this measure. 
SEC. 10. 
Repealing Clause. - AI/laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
regulations or parts thereof not consistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 11. 
Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act, or the 
application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held unconstitutional or invalid, the 
remainder of this Act shall not be affected thereby. 
SEC. 12. 
Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
from the date of its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) 
newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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