Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. BRIAN RAYMUND S. YAMSUAN 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article XIV, Section 1 of the 1987 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.” Furthermore, Article XIV, 
Section 2 mandates the State to “establish and maintain a system of scholarship 
grants, student loan programs, subsidies, and other incentives which shall be 
available to deserving students in both public and private schools, especially to the 
underprivileged.” 
While tuition in public schools is free, there remain “hidden costs” to education that 
may pose barriers to learning, especially for students from low-income families. One 
of the most significant of these is the cost of school supplies, which are essential for 
the effective participation in classroom activities. Based on a study by WorldRemit, 
the average annual cost of school supplies per child is more than P2,600, or more 
than P7,000 per household.1 For many families, this represents a significant portion 
of their income, resources that could have otherwise been allocated to other 
necessities.  
At present, there are local government initiatives that provide free school supplies and 
1 https://www.worldremit.com/en/back-to-school 
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uniforms to students at the start of every school year. However, such programs 
depend on the availability of funds and priorities of each local government unit. For 
example, in the 2nd District of Parañaque, we chose a different approach through our 
Bigay Ayuda at Oportunidad sa Nakababata (BAON) Program, which grants qualified 
students Php 5,000 or Php 10,000 in educational assistance, which covers not only 
school supplies but also other education-related expenses. While this benefits select 
students, our goal is to extend a similar lifeline to all public school students and help 
ease their financial burden. 
The Provision of Academic Supplies for All or PASA bill therefore seeks to 
institutionalize the provision of free school supplies to all students in public schools 
nationwide. This ensures that every student has the basic tools and materials needed 
for schooling. In doing so, we fulfill the constitutional mandate of making quality 
education truly accessible to all. 
For the school year 2024-2025, over 20 million students enrolled in basic education 
in public schools.2 With the passage of this measure, millions of families will no longer 
have to worry about the recurring cost of school supplies during the back-to-school 
season. Sa PASA Act, maiaabot ng gobyerno ang tulong para sa bawat mag-aaral 
upang mas madaling makapasa. 
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this measure is earnestly sought. 
 BRIAN RAYMUND S. YAMSUAN 
       Representative 
    2nd District of Parañaque 
2https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1969717/sy-2024-2025-sees-over-23-million-enrollees-in-elementary-
high-school 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. BRIAN RAYMUND S. YAMSUAN 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Provision of Academic 
Supplies for All or PASA Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State shall protect and promote the right 
of all citizens to quality and accessible education at all levels. The State shall also 
take appropriate steps to remove barriers to education, including the financial burden 
posed by the cost of essential school supplies. Toward this end, the State shall 
institutionalize the provision of free school supplies to all students in public schools to 
ensure that every child is equipped with the basic tools necessary for learning. 
SECTION 3. Provision of School Supplies for Students in Public Schools. – 
Every student enrolled in kindergarten, elementary, junior high school, and senior high 
school in all public schools, including learners under the Alternative Learning System 
(ALS), shall be entitled to the provision of school supplies for each academic year.  
The Department of Education (DepEd) shall identify the basic school supplies, which 
shall include but shall not be limited to notebooks, pad papers, pens, pencils, and 
erasers, and cause the procurement and distribution of school supplies kits every 
year. 
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SECTION 4. Periodic Review. – The DepEd shall conduct a mandatory review of the 
implementation of this Act every three (3) years, taking into account the changing 
needs of public school students.  
 
SECTION 5.  Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The DepEd, in consultation 
with relevant stakeholders, shall promulgate the implementing rules and regulations 
(IRR) within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act.  
  
SECTION 6. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the implementation of this 
Act shall be charged against the appropriations of the DepEd for the year following its 
enactment into law. Thereafter, sums necessary for the continued implementation of 
this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
regulations inconsistent with any provision of this Act are hereby repealed, modified, 
superseded, or amended accordingly. 
 
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act or the application of 
such provision to any person or circumstance is held invalid for any reason, the 
remainder of this Act or the application of such provision to other persons or 
circumstances shall not be affected thereby. 
 
SECTION 9. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general 
circulation, whichever comes earlier. 
 
Approved,