Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
99

622
H.B. No.

Introduced by HONORABLE JUAN EDGARDO “SONNY” M. ANGARA

EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Constitution, Article XIV, Section 2 (1) mandates that the State shall:

SEC. 2 (1). Establish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and integrated
system of education relevant to the needs of the people and society.

The Philippines is the only country that maintains a 10-year mandatory schooling
requirement, as compared to the 12-year standards in other countries. Though efforts have
been made to improve the quality of our primary and secondary education, we have still a long
way to go in meeting the global readiness standard for higher education. Many of OUT students
remedy the situation in the higher education fora. To further complicate the matter, poverty has
led the students to prolong their stay in the universities to be able to maintain a job while
studying for their degrees.

By encouraging programs that assist remedial education in colleges and universities, we
would be able to assist our students to cope with the ever increasing global standards. By
encouraging programs that credits work programs, we allow our students to eam their degrees
while maintaining jobs which assist their learning.

This bill seeks to establish a program that would encourage institutions of higher
education to develop programs to remedy the shortcomings of our basic education and allow

creditable work programs for our underprivileged students.

JUAN EDG. )O “SONNY” M. ANGARA

‘icf, Province of Aurora


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —)
First Regular Session )

29
H.B. No, 82°

Introduced by Honorable JUAN EDGARDO “SONNY” M. ANGARA

AN ACT
TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO COLLEGES TO IMPROVE REMEDIAL EDUCATION, TO
CUSTOMIZE REMEDIATION TO STUDENT CAREER GOALS, AND TO HELP
PROGRAM COURSES AND THROUGH PROGRAM COMPLETION
STUDENTS MOVE RAPIDLY FROM REMEDIATION INTO FOR-CREDIT
OCCUPATION

Be jit 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 “Bridges from Jobs to
Careers Act.”

SEC. 2. Authorization of Program. The Secretary of Education, hereinafter referred to
as Secretary, shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education for
the purposes of improving remedial education, including English language instruction, to
customize remediation to student career goals, and to help students move rapidly from

remediation into for-credit occupational program courses and through program completion.

The grants shall focus in particular on creating bridges to for-credit occupational certificate

programs that are articulated to degree programs.

SEC. 3. Application. An eligible institution seeking a grant under this section shall
submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require.

SEC. 4, Priorities. The Secretary shall give priority to applications that -

a)

are from institutions of higher education in which not less than 50 percent of the
institution's entering first-year students are enrolled in developmental courses to bring
reading, writing, or mathematics skills up to college-level; and

b)

propose to replicate practices that have proven effective with adults and to applications
that propose to collaborate with adult education providers.


SEC. 5. Peer Review. The Secretary shall convene a peer review process to review
applications for grants under this section and to make recommendations to the Secretary
regarding the selection of grantees,

SEC.6. Mandatory Activity. An eligible institution that receives a grant under this
section shall use the grant funds to create workforce bridge programs that customize
developmental education curricula, including English language instruction, to the content of the
for-credit occupational certificate or degree programs, or clusters of programs, in which
developmental education students seek to enroll. Such bridge programs may include those that,
integrate the curricula and the instruction of both remediation and college-level coursework or
dual enroll students in remediation and college-level coursework.

SEC. 7. Permissible Activities. An eligible institution that receives a grant under this
section, in addition to creating workforce bridge programs, may use the grant funds to carry out
the following:

a) Design and implement innovative ways to improve retention in and completion of
developmental education courses, including but not limited to enrolling students in
cohorts, accelerating course content, integrating remediation and college-level curricula
and instruction, dual enrolling students in remediation and college-level courses,
tutoring, providing counseling and other supportive services, and giving small, material
incentives for attendance and performance.

b) In consultation with faculty in the appropriate departments, redesignating class
schedules to meet the needs of working adults, such as by creating evening, weekend,

modular, compressed, distance learning formats or other alternative schedules.

c) Improving the quality of teaching in remedial courses through professional development,
reclassification of such teaching positions, or other means the eligible institution
determines appropriate.

d) Any other activities the eligible institution and the Secretary determine will promote
retention of and completion by students attending institutions of higher education.

) Fully advise students on the range of options and programs available, which may
include: diploma, certification, 2-year degree, associate's degree, transfer degree to
upper division, and career options.

SEC. 8. Grant Period. Grants made under this section shall be for a period of not less
than 36 months and not more than 60 months.

SEC. 9. Technical Assistance. The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to
grantees under this section throughout the grant period,

2


SEC. 10. Evaluation. The Secretary shall conduct an evaluation of program impacts
under the demonstration program, and shall disseminate to the public the findings from the
evaluation and information on best practices. The Secretary is encouraged to partner with other
providers of funds, such as private foundations, to allow for use of a random assignment
evaluation in at least one of the demonstration sites.

SEC. 11. Appropriations. To carry out the provisions of this Act, such amount as
hereby necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National Treasury.

SEC.12. Separability Clause. |f any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain
valid and subsisting.

SEC. 13. Repealing Clause. Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order,
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or is inconsistent with the
provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.

SEC.14, Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,