Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
About 1,500 inmates in the Maximum Security Compound of the New Bilibid Prison 
have benefited from the Department of Education’s informal education program, the 
Alternative Learning System (ALS). Last 2019, a total of 139 persons deprived of 
liberty (PDL) graduates attended their recognition and graduation ceremony at the 
Maximum Security Compound (MaxSeCom) of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP). 
The implementation of this program in Philippine penitentiaries came from the Bureau 
of Corrections’ conviction that “the best reformatory program in the world is an 
educational program”. 
This sentiment was seconded by non-government 
organizations and education institutions dedicated to providing inmates a second 
chance to acquire a college degree while in detention and have set up college 
education centers in prisons such as in Davao City. 
However, as inmates are not obliged to attend school, graduate rate of programs like 
the ALS is low. In 2015, only a third of the annual enrollees from the New Bilibid Prison 
graduated. Despite the low figure in graduates, the passing rate of those who did finish 
and eventually take the Accreditation and Equivalency Test has been exemplary. The 
2014 exams reported that 210 out of 214 takers passed. 
This bill intends to incentivize inmates who have earned or have made satisfactory 
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progress in their education by granting time credit towards the service of sentence. 
Programs for academic, vocational, technical and values development programs for 
prisoners shall be coordinated and implemented by the Department of Education and 
the Technical Education Skills Development Authority. This hopes to encourage 
inmates, especially those who are illiterate, to continue their education and develop 
further skills and moral values while under detention. 
The approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
 MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE 
TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 
AN ACT  
GRANTING GOOD CONDUCT TIME ALLOWANCE TO PRISONERS WHO 
PARTICIPATE IN LITERACY, SKILLS AND VALUES DEVELOPMENT 
PROGRAMS IN PENAL INSTITUTIONS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE 
ARTICLE 97 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 3815, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
REVISED PENAL CODE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to promote the 
correction and rehabilitation of prisoners by providing opportunities for increasing their 
literacy skills and strengthening their moral values thereby facilitating their 
reintegration into the mainstream of society as reformed and productive citizens. 
Towards this end, the State shall recognize efforts of prisoners for self-improvement 
by granting them good conduct time allowance as envisioned under Article 97, Chapter 
II of the Revised Penal Code. 
SECTION 2. Coverage. – This Act shall cover detention prisoners in detention 
facilities of law enforcement agencies and those prisoners serving sentence by virtue 
of final judgment in the Bureau of Corrections and the Bureau of Jail Management and 
Penology (BJMP). 
SECTION 3. Good Conduct Time Allowance. – Any prisoner who has earned or is 
making satisfactory progress towards warning a post-graduate of college degree, high 
school or elementary grade diploma, vocational or technical skill or values 
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development certificate or those who are being utilized to teach subjects or courses in 
the aforementioned programs shall be granted time credit towards the service of 
sentence: Provided, That the time credit shall not exceed fifteen (15) days for every 
month of study time. 
 
SECTION 4. Program Implementation. – The academic, vocational skills and values 
development programs for prisoners shall be implemented in coordination with the 
Department of Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and 
other recognized institutions and organization. 
 
SECTION 5. Authority to Grant Good Conduct Time Allowance. – The Director of 
the Bureau of Corrections, the Chief of the BJMP, wardens of provincial and sub-
provincial jails and the Director of the National Bureau of Investigation shall have the 
authority to assess, evaluate and grant good time allowances to prisoners, subject to 
the approval of the Secretary of Justice, Secretary of the Department of Interior and 
Local Government (DILG) or the Provincial Governor, as the case may be. 
 
SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Secretary of Justice and 
the Secretary of the DILG shall, within sixty (60) days from the approval of this Act, 
shall promulgate the rules and regulations necessary for its effective implementation. 
 
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. – In case any provision hereof is declared 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not so declared and affected shall remain in force 
and effect. 
 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. – All laws, rules and regulations or parts thereof, 
which are contrary to or are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or amended 
accordingly. 
 
SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of national circulation. 
 
Approved,