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

sno. 1889

TREE

Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The Constitution, Article 2, Section 13, provides:

The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall
promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being. It
shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement
in public and civic affairs
Gifted and talented students give evidence of high performance capability in specific

academic fields, or in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, and
require services or activities not ordinarily provided by a school in order to fully develop such
capabilities.

Many of these students have been historically underrepresented in gifted education
programs. Because gifted and talented students generally are more advanced academically, they
are able to learn more quickly and study in more depth and complexity than others their age.

If the country is to compete successfully in the global economy, it is important that more
students achieve to higher levels, and that highly capable students receive an education that
prepares them to perform the most highly innovative and creative work necessary in today's
workplace.

This bill seeks to provide indigent but gifted and talented students the opportunity to

develop their capabilities..'
( ,
as, ot sates
poi ‘MIRIAM DEFHNSOR S

"This bill was originally filed during the Fourteenth Congress, First Regular session,
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) i

OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session )
10 wl 27 AI SE
SENATE
S.No.__1
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago J
* AN ACT

GRANTING INDIGENT BUT GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY
TO DEVELOP THEIR CAPABILITIES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Gifted and Talented Students

Education Act.”

SECTION 2. Purpose. - The purpose of this Act is to provide grants to public schools to
support programs, classes, and other services designed to meet the needs of indigent but gifted

and talented student in elementary and secondary schools.

SECTION 3. Definitions. -For purposes of this Act, the term:

(AyThe term “gifted and talented” means such term as defined by the Department of
Education;

(B) The term “Secretary” refers to the Secretary of the Department of Education; and

(C) The term “DepEd” refers to the Department of Education;

SECTION 4. Programs Authorization and Activities. - The Secretary is authorized to
provide grants to each DepEd regional office for use by public schools to develop or expand
gifted and talented education programs through one or more of the following activities.

(A) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS - The government may expend
funds to develop and implement programs to address local needs for in service administrators,
school counselors, or other personnel at the elementary and secondary levels.

(B) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE - The government may make materials and aces

available through regional education service centers, universities, colleges, or other entities.

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(INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES - The government may provide funds
to provide challenging, high level course work to individual students or groups of students in
schools and school districts that do not have the resources to otherwise provide the courses
through new and emerging technologies, including distance learning. Funds may be used to
develop curriculum packages, compensate distance-leaming educators, or for other relevant
purposes, but may not be used for the purchase or upgrading of technological hardware.

SECTION 5. State Infrastructure Costs, - Not more than ten percent (10%) of the total
amount received under this Act may be used for DepEd administrative costs, such as facilitating
the coordination of gifted and talented education programs sand services, disseminating
information and materials to teachers and parents, creating national or regional, as the case may

be, gifted education advisory boards, and administering funds received under this Act.

SECTION 6. Application. -

(A) IN GENERAL - To be eligible to receive a grant award under this act, each DepEd
regional office shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and in such form and
manner as the Secretary may reasonably require,

(B) CONTENTS -The application shall include assurances that-

(1) funds received under this Act shall be used to support gifted and talented students in
public schools, including students from all economic and ethnic backgrounds, gifted students
with disabilities and highly gifted students;

(2) not less than ninety percent (90%) of the funds received by the DepEd regional office
will be distributed to public schools within the region; and

(3) funds received under this act shall be used only to supplement, but not supplant, the
amount of funds expended for the specialized education and related services provided for the
education of gifted and talented students;

(4) The DepEd shall develop and implement program assessment models to measure

whether or not the purposes of this Act was, or is being, met.


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(© APPROVAL - To the extent funds are made available for this Act, the Secretary
shall approve an application of an educational agency if such application meets the requirements

of this Section.

SECTION 7. Allotment to Regions. - Except as provided in subsection (B), of the total
amount made available for this Act, the Secretary shall award to each region an amount that
bears the same relation to the total amount as the number of children ages five (5) through
eighteen (18) in the region for the preceding academic year beats to the total number of all such
children in all region for such year.

(A)MINIMUM AWARD - If sufficient funds are made available for this Act for each
region to receive Two Thousand Pesos (P2,000.00) in each fiscal region that meets the
requirements of this Act shall receive not less than Two Thousand Pesos (P2,000.00) each fiscal
year.

(B) RATABLE REDUTION - If the amount made available for this Act is insufficient to
allocate the amount specified in subsection (A), the allocation shall be ratably reduced for each

region.

SECTION 8. Reporting.- Each regional office of the Department of Education shall
submit a report to the Secretary beginning one (1) year after the date of the enactment of this Act
and cach subsequent year that describes the number of students served and the activities
supported with funds provided under this Act. The report shall include a description of the

measures taken to comply with the accountability requirements of Section 4.

SECTION 9. Authorization of Appropriation, - Thete are authorized to be appropriated
‘Thirty Million Pesos (P30,000,000.00) to carry out this Act for each of the first four fiscal years

following the effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 10, Separability Clause. - If 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.


SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent

with, the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.

SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,