EPRE;
LEED,

oN
RECEIVED ©
pyre, SUL 09 2010 A

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

My
ef
=

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No, 1706

Introduced by HONORABLE LUIS RAYMUND F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Itis enshrined in the Constitution that the State must provide quality education
that is accessible to all. As an archipelago, however, the country is replete with areas
that are far too remote from city centers or unreachable due to natural topographic
conditions, These same areas are heavily reliant on agriculture as their main source
of income, and report high incidence of poverty. Due to limited opportunities, many
residents choose to leave their rural hometowns in search of better employment
and/or educational opportunities in the cities or even abroad. Such migration results in
a vicious cycle of poverty and brain drain in the areas they leave behind.

Teachers are one of the most in demand professionals, especially abroad. In
the last decade alone, the United States needed two million teachers while Arab
countries reportedly needed at least 450 000. It is hereby imperative upon the State to
take urgent steps to combat the massive migration of top Filipino teachers who leave
the country in droves in pursuit of higher pay and better working conditions. This bill
seeks to counter such migration of talent by providing financial incentives to highly
qualified teachers or highly qualified special education teachers in the rural areas.

Under a five-year pilot program, the Department of Education (DepEd) shall
award grants, on a competitive basis, to not more than 10 provinces to enable them to
extend salary bonuses to highly qualified teachers or highly qualified special
education teachers who teach, or to commit to teach, for at least three (3) academic
years in select rural academic institutions. It is the ardent hope of the bill that this
incentive shall inspire our teachers to stay in our country, especially in rural areas
where students need their talent and competence the most.

In light of the foregoing premises, the swift passage of this bill js humbly sought.

LUIS IND ILLAFUERTE, JR.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 1706

Introduced by HONORABLE LUIS RAYMUND F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A COMPETITIVE GRANT PRGRAM TO RETAIN HIGHLY
QUALIFIED TEACHERS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES

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

CHAPTER |
GENERAL PROVISIONS

S|
Act of 2018."

SECTION 2. Definition. — For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean:

A. Child with disability — a minor who has a physical, mental or medical impairment
resulting from an anatomical, physiological, or neurological condition that
prevents the exercise of a normal bodily function or that substantially impair
Cognitive function, and include but is not limited to, impairments requiring the use
of an artificial device to move, walk, see, hear or breath, such as a wheelchair,
braces, respirator, or other supportive equipment, or use of a guide dog, or other
guiding device, which renders such person incapable of adequately providing for
his or her own health and personal care;

B. Department — the Department of Education (DepEd); and

C. Secretary — means the Secretary of Education.

SECTION 3. Grant — The Secretary shall carry out a five-year pilot program under
which the Secretary awards grants, on a competitive basis, to not more than 10
provinces to enable them to award salary bonuses to highly qualified teachers or highly
qualified special education teachers who teach, or to commit to teach, for at least three
(3) academic years in such institution.

SECTION 4. Basis. — The Secretary shall award grants under this section on the
basis of the needs of rural local educational agencies within a province for recruiting
and retaining highly qualified teachers or highly qualified education teachers.


SECTION 5. Consideration of Needs. — In determining the needs of rural education
teachers for recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers and highly qualified
special education teachers under Section 5. the Secretary shall consider one or more
of the following

A. The impact on a rural local education agency of low-income students who are
served by the rural local educational agency

B. The impact on a rural local educational agency of children with a disability who
are served by the rural educational agency

C. The long-term plans of a province to improve the recruitment and retention of
highly qualified teachers and highly qualified special education teachers in rural
local educational agencies with the province.

SECTION 6. Application. — A province that desires to receive a grant under this section
shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and
accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require. The application shall
contain a plan for the proposed distribution and use of the grant funds among rural local
educational agencies within the province.

SECTION 7. IJse of Funds. — Grant funds under this Section shall be used to provide
salary bonuses for highly qualified teachers or highly qualified special education
teachers who teach, or commit to teach, for at least 3 academic years, in an elementary
school or secondary school served by the same rural local educational agency.

SECTION 8. Study. — The Secretary shall carry out a study of each project that is
funded under this Act. The study shall track and assess the implementation and
effectiveness of each project.

SECTION 9. Report. -

a) ANNUAL REPORTS FROM PROVINCES - Each province receiving a grant
under this Act shall submit an annual report to the Secretary regarding each
project within the State that is funded under this Act. The report shall contain
‘such information as the Secretary determines necessary to evaluate the project.

b) REPORT TO CONGRESS — The Secretary shall submit a report on the study
described in Section 8 to the appropriate committees in the Senate and in the
House of Representatives within five (5) years from the effectivity of this Act

1. the number of rural local educational agencies assisted under this Act.
a. the characteristics of such local rural educational agencies with respect to
the considerations of needs described in section 5 (c);

2. the number and demographic characteristics of teacher receiving bonuses under
this Act;

3. the impact of the bonuses provided under this Act on the ability of rural local
educational agencies assisted under this Act to recruit and retain highly qualified
teachers and highiy qualified special education teachers; and

4. such other information and analysis as the Secretary determines necessary to
evaluate the projects.


SECTION 10. Appropriations. The amount necessary for the initial implementation of
this Act shall be charged against the appropriations of the Department of Education
under the current General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such sum as may be
Necessary for its full implementation shall be included ‘in the annual General
Appropriations Act as a distinct and separate item,

SECTION 11. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is
declared unconstitutional or invalid, such parts or portions not affected thereby shall
remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. — Alll laws, executive orders, presidential decrees,
issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 13. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
Publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,