REPRESEN

Republic of the Philippines le E- Filed”
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES iS RECEIVED
Quezon City DATE July 20, 2022

* TIME 11:00am
BY

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Wo invexs

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO. _2188

Introduced by Representative Roman T. Romulo

AN ACT
SUSPENDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE USE OF MOTHER TONGUE AS THE MEDIUM
OF INSTRUCTIONS FOR KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 3

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to suspend the implementation of the provisions on the Mother
Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) in the Republic Act No. 10533, otherwise
known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, particularly on the use of the Mother
Tongue or the first language as the medium of instruction for learners in Kindergarten to
Grade 3.

It cannot be gainsaid that we are in full support of the intentions and rationale behind
the crafting of the provision. However, we can no longer turn a blind eye and deny that our
schools are ill-equipped to be able to achieve our desired objectives. It appears that amidst
the height of passion to be able to deliver internationally competitive education to our
people, we have utterly failed to consider the proper preparations that are necessary to
fruitfully implement the provisions of the law. What is worrisome is the fact that those who
are suffering are precisely the youth that we sought to nurture with this Act. Instead of
comprehending the lessons and expanding their knowledge which the law seeks to attain, our
primary schoolers are afflicted with learning an unfamiliar language. Worse, they do not have
sufficient materials to understand the said language.

We must act urgently to address the patent lack of materials in our schools. The
Constitution provides that the State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to
quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education
accessible to all. It must be emphasized that there may be more than one mother tongue in
a region, province, city, or municipality. To make education accessible to all, we must consider

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the different languages of our learners. This ensures that we shall be true to the mandate in
providing our learners with quality education that is accessible to all.

To this end, this bill seeks to suspend the implementation of Sec. 4 of Republic Act No.
10533. It provides further that it shall remain suspended until and unless the Department of
Education can satisfactorily certify the preparedness of its agency to Congress. It is in this

manner that we will be able to bring forward our mandate of providing equal access to quality
education.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of the proposed measure is earnestly requested.

BR

ROMAN T. ROMULO
Lone District, Pasig Ci

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ona

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO. _2188_

Introduced by Representative Roman T. Romulo

AN ACT
SUSPENDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE USE OF MOTHER TONGUE AS THE MEDIUM
OF INSTRUCTIONS FOR KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 3

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

SECTION 1. Suspension of the Implementation of Mother Tongue or First Language
as Medium of Instructions from Kindergarten to Grade 3. ~ Section 4 of Republic Act 10533,
otherwise known as the “Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013” states as follows:

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“SEC. 4.Enhanced Basic Education Program.— The enhanced basic
education program encompasses at least one (1) year of kindergarten
education, six (6) years of elementary education, and six (6) years of
secondary education, in that sequence. Secondary education includes four

(4) years of junior high school and two (2) years of senior high school
education.

Kindergarten education shall mean one (1) year of preparatory education for
children at least five (5) years old as a prerequisite for Grade |.

Elementary education refers to the second stage of compulsory basic
education which is composed of six (6) years. The entrant age to this level is
typically six (6) years old.

Secondary education refers to the third stage of compulsory basic education.
It consists of four (4) years of junior high school education and two (2) years
of senior high school education. The entrant age to the junior and senior high
school levels are typically twelve (12) and sixteen (16) years old, respectively.

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Basic education shall be delivered in languages understood by the learners

as the language plays a strategic role in shaping the formative years of
learners.

For kindergarten and the first three (3) years of elementary education,
instruction, teaching materials and assessment shall be in the regional or
native language of the learners. The Department of Education (DepED) shall
formulate a mother language transition program from Grade 4 to Grade 6 so.
that Filipino and English shall be gradually introduced as languages of
instruction until such time when these two (2) languages can become the
primary languages of instruction at the secondary level.

For purposes of this Act, mother language or first Language (LI) refers to
language or languages first learned by a child, which he/she identifies with,
is identified as a native language user of by others, which he/she knows best,
or uses most. This includes Filipino sign language used by individuals with
pertinent disabilities. The regional or native language refers to the
traditional speech variety or variety of Filipino sign language existing in a
region, area or place.”

However, since the enactment of RA 10533 almost a decade ago, the Department of
Education (DepEd) does not have the complete books, teaching materials, and supplies, to
effectively implement the use of mother tongue or first language (L1) in the instructions and
assessment of learners in Kindergarten to Grade 3.

Considering the current inability of DepEd to effectively implement the use of the
mother tongue or first language in all regions as provided by RA 10533, the implementation
of the use of mother tongue or first language is hereby suspended until such time as DepEd
is able to certify to Congress that it has completed its books, teaching materials, and supplies
to effectively implement the use of mother tongue or first language to learners in
Kindergarten to Grade 3.

SECTION 2. Development of Teaching Materials. - The DepEd shall coordinate with
the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino (KWF) in developing books, teaching materials, and other
supplies necessary in the implementation of the use of mother tongue or first language within
sixty (60) days from its effectivity. It shall consider that regions, provinces, cities, or
municipalities may have more than one mother tongue.

SECTION 3. Assessment and Certification of First Language Instruction. - The DepEd
and KWF shall provide for the assessment of the appropriateness and capacity of all local
schools districts to use the mother tongue or first language as a mode of instruction to
learners in Kindergarten to Grade 3. They shall take into account that there can be more than
‘one mother tongue in the schools districts to absolutely achieve the intent of the law. Upon

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CONDO RON Oo

BSRSSSXSssssaeascea

SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - if any part of this Act is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the other parts or Provisions thereof shall remain valid and effective.

SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, orders, issuances, rules and regulations or
Part thereof inconsistent with the Provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified or

amended accordingly.

SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
Publication in at least two (2) Newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

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