Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
TO IMPROVE THE ACCESS TO BASIC EDUCATION FOR HOMELESS 
CHILDREN AND  YOUTH 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
 The State recognizes that educating the youth is one of the vital pillars 
of a strong nation in shaping its economy, social and cultural aspects as well 
as in building human capital. To this effect, the government has provided 
resources in support of the Philippine Development Plan towards 
Sustainable Development Goals of achieving quality education for all. 
Although education is a universal right, and the annual enrollment rate 
in the country for basic education has reportedly increased from 2005 to 
2018, by about 2%1, there are still about 1.2 million out-of-school children, 
of which 24% are 5-year-olds, 40% are children of primary school-age and 
more than 30% are children of secondary school-age.2 International studies 
have also found that 23% of homeless students must repeat a grade compared 
to 1.5% of non-homeless students.3 
The barriers faced by homeless children and youth to accessing 
education are rather unique, which can begin with their lack of legal 
identification and permanent address or guardian. Studies have also shown 
that homeless children who are in school have lower survival rates due to 
stigmatization and inadequate support within classrooms which can cause 
harm to their already psychologically vulnerable states.4   
1 Department of Education data for AY 2017-2018 
2  Philippine Institute for Development Studies. 2018 “What Do Statistics Say about Basic 
Education in the Philippines” 
3 Bay Area Rescue Mission 2023 
4 Consortium for Street Children. 2019  
March 15, 2023
9:51 am
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This bill seeks to realize that homeless children and youth should be as 
visible as their non-homeless counterparts by proposing a strengthened 
mechanism for identifying children and youth who are homeless. Further, it 
aims to expand the government’s support to this marginalized sector by 
ensuring that there are available education programs tailor-fit to their unique 
circumstances. 
As the government has been supportive of the education sector over the 
past decades, this measure will aid the State in ensuring that education is a 
right given to all and no Filipino children are left behind.    
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is urgently sought. 
REP. PM VARGAS   
Fifth District, Quezon City 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
TO IMPROVE THE ACCESS TO BASIC EDUCATION FOR HOMELESS 
CHILDREN AND YOUTH 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Educational 
Success for Homeless Children and Youth” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the 
State to recognize the vital role of the youth in national-building. Towards this 
end, the State shall promote their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and 
social well-being. 
It is also the policy of the State to protect and promote the right of all citizens 
to quality education at all levels, and it shall take appropriate steps to make 
such education accessible to all. 
The State shall ensure that each homeless child and youth has access to the 
same free appropriate public education, including public preschool education, 
as is provided to other children and youth. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – In this Act, the term: 
(A) “Department” means the Department of Education;
(B) “Enroll; enrollment” includes attending classes and participating
fully in school activities;
(C) “Homeless children and youth”:
(1) means individuals who lacked a fixed, regular, and adequate
nighttime residence; and includes:
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(i) 
children and youth who: 
(I) 
are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss 
of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; 
(II) 
are living in emergency or transitional shelters; 
(III) 
are abandoned in hospitals; or 
(IV) 
are waiting foster care placement; 
(ii) 
children and youth who have a primary nighttime 
residence that is a public or private place not designed for 
or ordinarily used as regular sleeping accommodation for 
human beings; and 
(iii) 
children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public 
spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or 
train stations, or similar setting. 
(D) “Local government” refers to the local government of cities and 
municipalities, as defined under the Local Government Code; 
(E) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Education; and 
(F) “Unaccompanied youth” means a homeless child or youth not in the 
physical custody of a parent or legal guardian. 
 
SECTION 4. Grants for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth. 
– (A) The Secretary is authorized to make grants to local governments to 
enable such local governments to carry out the activities described in this 
section. 
 
(B) For a local government to be eligible to receive a grant under this section, 
the local government, in consultation with relevant government agencies, 
shall submit an application to the Secretary, at such time, in such manner, 
and containing or accompanied by such information as the Secretary may 
require. 
 
(C) Grant funds from a grant made to a local government under this section 
shall be used for the following: 
(1) To provide activities for and services to improve the identification of 
homeless children and youth and enable such children and and youth 
to enroll in, attend, and succeed in school, including in early care and 
education programs (especially in prekindergarten). 
(2) To provide activities and services to improve the identification of 
homeless children and youth and enable such children and youth to 
enroll in, attend, and succeed in school and preschool programs. 
(3) To establish or designate an Office of the Coordinator for Education 
of Homeless Children and Youth in the local government to carry out 
the duties described in this Act. 


(4) To prepare and carry out the local government plan described in this 
section. 
 
(D) The coordinator for Education of Homeless Children and Youth 
established in each local government shall –  
(1) Gather and make publicly available reliable, valid, and comprehensive 
information –  
(i) on the number of homeless children and youth identified in each 
barangay, municipality, city, or province; 
(ii) on the nature and extent of the problems homeless children and 
youth have in gaining access to early care and education problem, 
and to public elementary schools and secondary schools; 
(iii) on any progress made by the local government in addressing 
such problems and difficulties; and 
(2) develop and carry out the local government plan described in this section; 
(3) collect data for and transmit to the Senate, at such time and in such 
manner as the Secretary may require, reports containing such information as 
the Secretary determines in necessary to assess the educational needs of all 
homeless and children and youth within the territory of the local government; 
(4) tor to improve the identification of homeless children and youth and 
improve the provision of comprehensive education and related support 
services to homeless children and youth and their families, minimize 
educational disruption, coordinate activities, and collaborate with – 
(i) educators, including teachers, administrators, special education 
personnel; 
(ii) providers of services to homeless children and youth and their 
families including services of public and private child welfare and 
social services agencies, law enforcement agencies, juvenile and 
family courts, agencies providing mental health services, 
domestic violence agencies, child care providers, and runaway 
and homeless youth centers; 
(iii) providers of emergency, transitional, and permanent housing to 
homeless children and youth, and their families, including public 
housing agencies, shelter operators of transitional housing 
facilities, and providers of transitional living programs for 
homeless youth; 
(iv)  community organizations and groups representing homeless 
children and youth and their families; and 
(v) relevant government agencies, bureaus, and instrumentalities 
(5) respond to inquiries from parents and guardians of homeless children and 
youth and unaccompanied youth to ensure that each services provided by 
this Act. 
 


(E) Local Government Plan. – Each local government shall submit to the 
Secretary and carry out a plan to provide educational and related support 
services for all homeless children and youth within its territory. Such plan 
shall include the following: 
(1) description of how such children and youth are (or will be) given the 
opportunity to meet the same challenging student academic 
achievement standards as all students as all students are expected to 
meet. 
(2) A description of the procedures for the local government will use, in 
coordination with local educational agencies, to identify all such 
children and youth and to assess their special needs. 
(3) A description of procedures for the prompt resolution of disputes 
arising under this Act. 
(4) A description of programs for school and other local educational 
agency personnel (including the liaisons, principals, teachers, 
enrolment personnel, and pupil services personnel) to heighten the 
awareness of such personnel of the specific needs of homeless 
adolescents, including runaway and homeless youth. 
(5) A description of procedures that ensure that homeless children and 
youth can participate in nutrition programs. 
(6)  A description of procedures that ensures that – 
(i) homeless children have access to public preschool programs; 
(ii) homeless youth, including youth separated from public school, 
are identified and accorded access to appropriate secondary 
education and related support services; 
(7) Strategies to address problems concerning the education of 
homeless children and youth, including enrolment problems related to 
immunization and other required health records and screenings; 
residency requirements; lack of birth certificates, school records, or 
other documentation; guardianship issues; or uniform or dress code 
requirements. 
(8) A description of policies and practices to promote school success for 
homeless children and youth, include by –  
(i) ensuring that homeless children and youth have opportunities to 
meet the same challenging student academic achievement 
standards that other students are  held; 
(ii) ensuring that homeless children and youth can participate fully 
in all classes and school activities, including extracurricular 
activities, athletic activities for which they meet skill level 
requirements, before and after school programs, summer school 
programs, field trips, classes, tests, and other activities; and 
(iii) ensuring that such policies and practices remove barriers to 
participation related to fees, lack of guardianship, lack of 


transportation, enrolment and participation deadlines, and 
residency requirements. 
 
SECTION 5. Enrollment. –  
(A)  Public elementary and secondary schools shall immediately enroll the 
homeless child or youth, even if the child or youth is unable to produce 
records normally required for enrolment, including previous academic 
records, records of immunizations and health screenings, and other 
required health records, proof of residency or guardianship, or o her 
documentation; has unpaid fines or fees from prior schools or is unable 
to pay fees in the school selected, or has missed application or 
enrolment deadlines during any period of homelessness. 
(B)  The enrolling school shall immediately contact the school last attended 
by the child or youth to obtain relevant academic and other records. 
(C)  If the child or youth needs to obtain immunizations or health 
screenings, or immunizations or o she required health records, the 
enrolling school shall immediately enroll the child or youth and refer 
the parent or guardian of the child or youth, or the unaccompanied 
youth, to the local government health center, clinic, or hospital for 
appropriate immunizations or health screenings. 
(D)   Information and about a homeless child’s or youth’s living situation 
shall be treated as a student education record, and shall not be released 
to employers, law enforcement personnel, or other persons or agencies 
not authorized to have such information under laws and administrative 
issuances, paying particular attention to preventing disruption of the 
living situation of the child or youth and to supporting the safety of 
such children and youth who are survivors of domestic violence and 
unaccompanied youth. 
 
SECTION 6. Preschool Programs for Homeless Children. – Local 
governments shall identify and prioritize homeless children for enrolment and 
increase their enrolment and attendance in early care and educational 
programs, including through policies such as reserving spaces in preschool 
programs 
for 
application 
deadlines; 
providing 
ongoing 
professional 
development for staff regarding the needs of homeless children and their 
families and strategies to serve the children and families; and developing the 
capacity to serve all identified homeless children. 
 
SECTION 7. Prohibition on Segregating Homeless Children and Youth – 
In providing free appropriate public education to a homeless child or youth, 
no local government receiving funds under this Act shall segregate such child 
or youth in a separate school, or a separate program within a school, based 
on such child’s or youth’s status as homeless. 


 
SECTION 8. Issuance of Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within 
ninety (90) days from the approval of this Act, the Department of Education, 
in consultation with the Department of Interior and Local Government, the 
Department of Social Welfare and Development, and other appropriate 
government agencies and stakeholders, shall promulgate the rules and 
regulations to implement the provisions of this Act. Such rules and 
regulations shall take effect fifteen (15) days after their publication in a 
newspaper. 
 
SECTION 9. Appropriations. – To carry out the provisions of this Act, such 
amount as may be necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from 
the National Treasury. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continuous 
operation of the Commission shall be included in the annual appropriation of 
the Department of Education. 
 
SECTION 10. Separability 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. 
 
SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, orders, and issuances, 
or portions thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are 
hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in the Official Gazette or two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation. 
 
Approved,