THIRTEENTH CONGRES 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First regular Session 
S E N A T E  
S. B. NO. 
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The gifted and talented students manifest extraordinary skills in either or both 
areas of the academic and arts. Their high potentials for excellence can be the sources 
of bright and new ideas on how to make things around us work better. These children, 
therefore, should be given special education and training to enable them to maximize 
their knowledge and skills. 
In the light of the State's recognition of the vital role of the youth in nation 
building, the "Gifted and Talented Students Education Act " seeks to provide appropriate 
programs for these children. It aims to cater even those who belong to the lower 
economic classes in our society. Recognizing their advanced and higher intellectual, 
creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, this bill seeks to mold these children so they 
can be at par with their counterparts in the global competition. 
For these reasons, the passage of this bill is recommended. 
JI 
Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
S E N A T E  
S. B. No. 
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Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada 
AN ACT 
GIVING INDIGENT BUT GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS THE 
OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP THEIR CAPABILITIES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Shod Tifle. 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 designated to meet the needs 
of the indigent but gifted and talented students in the elementary and secondary 
schools. 
SECTION 3. Definitions. - For purposes of this Act: 
(I) 
The term “gifted means such term as defined by the Department of 
Education. 
(2) The term “Secretary” refers to the Secretary of the Department of 
Education. 
SECTION 4. Program authorization and acfivifies. - The Secretary is 
authorized to provide grants to each DepEd regional office for use by public schools to 
develop or expand gifted and talented educational programs through one or more of the 
following activities: 


(I) 
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. - The government may 
expend funds to develop and implement programs to address local needs in 
service of training programs for general educators, specialists in gifted and 
talented education, administrators, school counselors, or other personnel at 
the elementary and secondary levels. 
(2) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. - The government may make materials 
and services available through regional education service centers, 
universities, colleges, or other entities. 
(3) INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. - The government may 
provide funds to develop challenging, high-level course work to 
individual students or group 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. Sfafe infrastructure cosfs. - Not more that 10 per cent 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 and 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. Applicafion. - 
(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 90 percent 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 DepEfd shall develop and implement program assessment models to 
(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 - 
(a) IN GENERAL - 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 children ages 5 through 18 in the 
region for the preceding academic year bears to the total number of all such children in 
all region for such year. 
(b) MINIMUM AWARD. - If sufficient funds are made available for this Act for 
each region to receive P2,000,000 each fiscal. State that meets the requirements of 
this Act shall receive not less than P2,OOO.OO each fiscal year. 
(c) RATABLE REDUCTION - If the amount made available for this Act is 
insufficient to allocate the amount specified in subsection (b), the allocation shall be 
ratably reduced for each region, 
SECTION 8. Reporting. - Each regional DepEd office shall submit a report to 
the Secretary beginning one 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. Aufhorizafion of Appropriafion. - There are authorized to be 
appropriated P30,000,000 to carry out this Act for each of the fiscal years 
2005,2006,2007, 2008 and 2009. 


SECTION I O .  Separabilify 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 
accord i ng I y . 
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,