FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
S. No. 
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. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
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S. No. sENf65 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
GIVING 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 of 2007.” 
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 gified 
and talented student in elementary and secondary schools. 
SECTION 3. De$nitions. -For purposes of this Act, the term: 
(A)The 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. Progyams AuthoYization 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. 
(€3) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE - The government may make materials and services 
available through regional education service centers, universities, colleges, or other entities. 
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(C)I"OVATIVE 
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-learning educators, or for other relevant 
purposes, but may not be used for the purchase or upgrading of technological hardware. 
SECTION 5. State Infrustructure 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. - 
@)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 
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measure whether or not the purposes of this Act was, or is being, met. 
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(C) 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 bears 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,OOO.OO) in each fiscal State that meets the 
requirements of this Act shall receive not less than Two Thousand Pesos (P2,OOO.OO) 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 (I) year after the date of the enactment of this Act 
and each 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. - There are authorized to be appropriated 
Thirty Million Pesos (P30,000,000.00) to carry out this Act for each of the fiscal years 2007, 
2008,2009, and 2010. 
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. 
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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. 
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Approved, 
SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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