FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBlRl 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
School teachers play a vital role in our educational system. While the state 
recognizes the rights of public school teachers, the case is not the same with private 
school teachers. 
The Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, a law enacted in 1966, gives 
many important rights to public school teachers. It has strengthened the country's 
public school system. It is believed, however, that, the same law must apply to the 
private school system. 
This bill seeks to give security of tenure to private school teachers, the right 
against discrimination, academic freedom, and benefits related to health and study 
leaves. It also provides private school teachers the right to self-organization, and 
extending it also to those in non-profit institutions. 
This bill is expected to promote and improve the social and economic status of 
private school teachers, their terms of employment and working conditions in order that 
the teaching profession in our private school system may attract and retain qualified 
and dedicated personnel. 
Approval of this bill is urgently requested. 


1 
2 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
7 YEP 1 1 
r y i :  'L: 
II 
, .  ,~ 
SENATE 
S. ~0.15 
4 8 
Introduced by Senator JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBlRl 
THE MAGNA CARTA FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL TEACHERS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Magna Carta for Private 
School Teachers." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared to be the policy of this 
Act to promote and improve the social and economic status of private school teachers, 
their terms of employment and working conditions in order that the teaching profession 
in our private school system may attract and retain qualified and dedicated persons, it 
being recognized that our private school system plays a vital role in the education of our 
people for the duties of citizenship. 
SECTION 3. Definition. - As used in this Act, the term "teacher" shall mean all 
persons engaged in teaching in any level of instruction on full-time or part-time basis, 
including guidance counselors, school librarians, industrial arts or vocational instructors, 
and all other persons performing supervisory or administrative functions in all private 
schools, colleges and universities. 
This Act shall apply to all private school teachers including those in the 
professional staff or private colleges and universities. 
SECTION 4. Tenure of Office. - In order to secure for teachers stability of 
employment and security of tenure, the teachers shall not be dismissed except for 
dishonesty, oppressions, misconduct, neglect of duty, conviction of a crime involving 
moral turpitude, notoriously disgraceful or immoral conduct, improper or unauthorized 
solicitation of contributions from subordinate employees or from students or any 


1 
2 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 
33 
34 
violation of the rules and regulations issued by the Department of Education and by 
Commission on Higher Education, as the case maybe. 
SECTION 5. Safeguards in Disciplinary Procedure. - In connection with the right 
granted to teachers in the immediately preceding section, every teacher shall enjoy 
equitable procedural safeguards at each stage of any disciplinary procedure and shall 
have: 
a) the right to be informed, in writing of the charges against him; 
b) the right to full access to the evidence in the case: 
c) the right to defend himself and to be defended by a representative of his 
choice or by his organization, adequate time being given to the teacher for 
the preparation of his defense: and 
d) the right to appeal to clearly designated authorities. No publicity shall be 
given to any disciplinary action being taken against a teacher during the 
pendency of his case. 
SECTION 6. No Discrimination. -There shall be no discrimination whatsoever in 
the employment of teachers or the grant of assignments, promotion and privileges 
during their incumbency or in the termination of their services, based on considerations 
other than professional qualifications. 
SECTION 7. Academic Freedom. - Teachers shall enjoy academic freedom in 
the discharge of their professional duties particularly with regard to teaching, research 
and classroom methods. 
SECTION 8. Medical Examination and Treatment - Compulsory medical 
examination shall be provided free of charges for all teachers before their employment 
and once a year thereafter. Where medical examination shows that medical treatment 
or hospitalization is necessary, the same shall be provided free by the private school 
paying the salary of the teacher. 
SECTION 9. Compensation for lnjuries. - Teachers shall be protected against 
the consequences of employment injuries in accordance with existing laws. The effects 
of the physical and nervous strain on the teacher’s health shall be recognized as a 
compensable occupational disease in accordance with existing laws. 
SECTION 10. Study Leave. - In addition to the leave privileges now enjoyed by 
teachers in the private schools, they shall be entitled to study leave not exceeding one 
school year after ten years of service. During the period of such leave the teachers 
shall be entitled to at least sixty percent of their monthly salary. 
n 


7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 
33 
34 
35 
36 
SECTION 11. Indefinite Leave. - An indefinite sick leave of absence shall be 
granted to teachers when the tenure of the illness demands a long treatment that will 
exceed one year at the least. 
SECTION 12. Freedom to Organize. - Private school teachers shall have the 
right, freely and without previous authorization, to establish and to join organizations of 
their choosing, whether local or national, to further and defend their interests. 
SECTION 13. Discrimination Against Teachers Prohibited. - The rights 
established in the immediately preceding section shall be exercised without any 
interference or coercion. It shall be unlawful for any person to commit any acts of 
discrimination against teachers which are calculated to (a) make the employment of the 
teacher subject to the condition that he shall not join an organization, or shall relinquish 
membership in an organization, (b) to cause the dismissal of, or otherwise prejudice a 
teacher by reason of his membership in an organization activities outside school hours, 
or with the consent of the proper school authorities, within school hours, and (c) to 
prevent him from carrying out the duties imposed upon him by his position in the 
organization, or to penalize him for an action undertaken in that capacity. 
SECTION 14. 
Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of 
Education, in the case of elementary and high school teachers, and the Commission on 
Higher Education, in the case of vocational, college and university teachers, shall jointly 
formulate and issue the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of 
this Act, however, such rules and regulations shall be applicable only to their respective 
constituencies. Rules and regulations issued pursuant to this section shall take effect 
thirty (30) days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation and by such other 
means as the Secretary of Education and the Chairman of the Commission on Higher 
Education deem reasonably sufficient to give interested parties general notice of such 
issuance. 
SECTION 15. Penal Provision. - A person who shall willfully interfere with, 
restrain or coerce any teacher in the exercise of his rights guaranteed by this Act or 
who shall in any manner violate any provision of this Act or the rules duly issued 
thereunder shall, upon conviction be punished by a fine of not less that one thousand 
pesos or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, in the discretion of the 
court. 
If the offender is a public official, the court shall order his dismissal from the 
government service. 
SECTION 16. 
Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and 
regulations, and issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby 
3 


1 
8 
repealed or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 17. Separabiliy Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared 
invalid, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall remain in 
force and effect. 
SECTION 18. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen days after its 
publications in the official Gazette or in at least two national newspapers of general 
circulation, whichever comes earlier. 
Approved, 
4