Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

18% Congress
First Regular Session

House BILLNo._ £259

Introduced by: HON. LORNA C. SILVERIO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

While it is true that shaping a child’s attitude always starts at home, it has
always been the parents’ duty to teach their children to determine what is right and
wrong. While children spend their first few years at home, there will come a time
when they have to go out and learn in school.

It is high time to strengthen “basic skills” in early grade levels, focusing
particularly on the first three levels of basic education: Kindergarten and Grades 1
and 2. In the first three years, there are not so many subjects, but there should be
lessons in good manners and right conduct. For example, they should know how to
say good morning, how to deal with other children, along with basic numeracy and
reading skills which are already being done in other countries.

These proposed changes were also a response to the demands of society
where children were often exposed to different environments and technologies that
could influence their behavior. When a five (5) year old child goes into
kindergarten, other institutions such as family and the church had already shaped
the child’s attitudes. This is not to say that youth’s values are failing, but the world
is changing. The values of our society and of the grown-ups are also changing.
And as we prepare our learners to be grown-ups, they can contribute to shaping
such values because eventually, they too will become leaders.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this proposed measure is
earnestly recommended.

Wt lee 5

LORNA C. SILVERIO


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

18 Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 4259

Introduced by: HON. LORNA C. SILVERIO

AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING GOOD MANNERS AND RIGHT CONDUCT AND.
CHARACTER EDUCATION IN THE CURRICULUM OF ELEMENTARY AND
SECONDARY LEVEL

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

SEC 1. Title. This Act shall be known as the "GMRC Act”

SEC 2. Declaration of State Policy- In consonance with the K-12 Program on Edukasyon
Pagpapakatao, it is the policy of the State to promote character formation and wholesome
personality development by requiring schools at the elementary and secondary level to inculcate
patriotism and nationalism, foster love of humanity, respect for human rights, appreciation of the
role of national heroes in the historical development of the country, teach the rights and duties of
citizenship, strengthen ethical and spiritual values, and develop moral character and personal
discipline. Thus, character education, good manners and right conduct (GMRC) will now be an
integral part of the basic education system of the country.

SEC 3. Definition of Terms — The terms in this Act are defined as follows:

(a.) DepEd shall refer to the Department of Education;

(b.)K to 12 Program shall be understood to cover Kindergarten and 12 years of basic
education (six years of primary or elementary education, four years of Junior High
School and two years of Senior High School or secondary level education)

(c.)Mother tongue refers to the first language learned by the child.

SEC 4, Institutionalization of Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) in the school
curriculum — Good Manners and Right Conduct is hereby institutionalized as part of the
curriculum in the present K to 12 program.

SEC 5. Medium of Instruction - The State shall hereby adopt the mother tongue based
mutilingual education (MTB-MLE) method. The mother tongue of the leaner shall be the
primary medium of instruction for teaching and learning as provided for in the K to 12 Program.


The DepEd, in coordination with the Commission on Filipino Language and in close
collaboration with academic and research institutions concerned with education, shall formulate
a mother tongue-based multilingual framework for teaching and learning.

SEC 6. Implementing Agency. The authority to regulate the implementation of the good
manners and right conduct in the curriculum of every educational institutions at the elementary
and secondary levels shall be vested upon the Deped.

SEC 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations — Within ninety days (90) after the effectivity of
this Act, the DepEd, shall promulgate the rules and regulations needed for the implementation of
this Act.

SEC 8. Seperability Clause — if any provision of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, the
same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions hereof.

SEC 8. Repealing Clause. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, ordinances, rules and
regulation, and other issuances or part thereof which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly

SEC 9. Effectivity. This Act shall take after fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or in newspapers of general circulation

Approved,

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