Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session  
HOUSE BILL NO. ________ 
Introduced by REP. JOSE FRANCISCO “KIKO” B. BENITEZ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The 1987 Constitution guarantees that the needs of children, in terms of health care and 
other social services, shall be a priority of the State (Sec. 11, Art. XIII). The Constitution also 
mandates the State to defend the right of children to assistance, including proper care and 
nutrition, and special protection from conditions prejudicial to their development (Sec. 3, Art. 
XV). 
Government responsibility to promote the full development of a child’s potential is 
shared among different agencies that address different needs at different stages of child 
development. Early programs specifically for children of ages up to six (6) years include the 
establishment of day care centers, as mandated by Republic Act No. 6972. Under this law, day 
care centers, managed by the Sangguniang Barangay and overseen by the Department of Social 
Welfare and Development, would facilitate supervised play for children, immunization, 
supplementing feeding, and counselling for maternal health, among other activities.   
In 2000, Republic Act No. 8980 was passed and a national framework was established 
for early childhood care and development, outlining interventions to ensure optimal physical, 
cognitive, emotional and social development of children from birth to the age of six (6) years. 
An ECCD Council to coordinate ECCD programs was created, attached to the Office of the 
President.1 Under RA No. 8980, the National ECCD System should have covered all regions 
after five years.    
In 2012, President Benigno Aquino III vetoed a bill that reorganizes the ECCD Council. 
In his Veto Message to the Senate, President Aquino expressed apprehension on the overlap of 
jurisdictions of concerned agencies, considering that by 2011, kindergarten attendance for 
children at least five (5) years old had been made compulsory by Republic Act No. 10157 and 
had been institutionalized as component of our basic education system. Congress addressed the 
President’s concerns and in the bill that would become Republic Act No. 10410 or the Early 
Years Act, Congress delineated the responsibility for child development between the ECCD 
Council and the Department of Education. RA No. 10410 recognized that the period from age 
zero (0) to eight (8) is a crucial window of opportunity to promote optimal child development. 
As such, the mandate to implement programs for child development between ages zero (0) to 
four (4) was granted to the ECCD Council. On the other hand, responsibility for child 
development from ages five (5) to eight (8) was placed in the Department of Education.  
1 RA No. 8980 mandated the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) to function as the National 
ECCD Coordinating Council. However, Executive Order No. 806 clarified that the ECCD Council is 
separate from the CWC.   
May 29, 2023
9:00 am
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Essentially, RA No. 10410 limited ECCD programs from previously serving children 
of ages zero (0) to six (6), to those aged zero (0) to four (4). 
Despite a more focused target cohort, ECCD programs fall short of its promise to 
address child malnutrition and increase preschool attendance. A recent PIDS study for the 
Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) cited the 2019 National Nutrition 
Survey that showed 28.8 percent of Filipino children under five years old or 3.7 million 
children were stunted, the third highest prevalence of stunting in ASEAN. According to 
UNICEF, in 2019, preschool attendance was only at 52 percent of children of ages three (3) to 
four (4) years. In 2020, as preschools closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, only 47 
percent attended preschool. 
What could be driving these low outcomes? The same PIDS study cites 2019 FLEMMS 
data that shows 98 percent of parents believe their children aged four to five are “too young to 
go to school.” Also, access may still be a problem. While there are 56,400 day care centers in 
the country, low-income local governments lack resources to establish day care centers. 
According to DSWD, around 14 percent of local government units do not have day care centers. 
Meanwhile, a World Bank report showed that 23 percent of pregnant women in 2019 were 
“nutritionally-at-risk,” explaining that poor maternal health and nutrition has negative impact 
on child development.  
This bill addresses these issues, in terms of greater integration of ECCD and related 
programs, and governance structure.  
First, this bill provides for alignment of ECCD programs with existing programs on 
maternal and child health and nutrition, recognizing the relationship between these variables. 
Second, bill also mandates the ECCD Council to ensure alignment of the ECCD curriculum 
with the basic education curriculum and programs for learners with disability, based on an 
understanding of learning progression and inclusive learning design. 
Finally, the bill reorganizes the ECCD Council, adding the Secretary of the Department 
of Interior and Local Government as ex-officio Vice Chairperson, as we delegate more 
responsibilities to LGUs in the implementation of ECCD programs through the Local School 
Boards to mobilize resources for the establishment, clustering and management of child 
development centers. This amendment follows the historical evolution of the ECCD Council, 
where leadership has shifted from DSWD to DepEd and now shared between DepEd and 
DILG. 
This bill is the counterpart bill of Senate Bill No. 2029, authored by Sen. Sherwin T. 
Gatchalian. This version has benefited from the insights of the panel of experts on ECCD of 
the EDCOM II and has been modified according to their recommendations. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought. 
JOSE FRANCISCO “KIKO” B. BENITEZ 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session  
HOUSE BILL NO. ________ 
Introduced by REP. JOSE FRANCISCO “KIKO” B. BENITEZ 
AN ACT 
ENSURING 
THE 
ALIGNMENT 
OF 
BASIC 
EDUCATION 
AND 
EARLY 
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES 
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 “Basic Education and Early 
Childhood Education Alignment Act.” 
SEC. 2. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 10410, otherwise known as the “Early Years 
Act (EYA) of 2013”, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
promote the rights of children to survival, NUTRITIONAL, SOCIAL, AND 
EDUCATIONAL development and special protection with full recognition of the 
nature of childhood and as well as the need to provide developmentally appropriate 
experiences to address their needs; and to support parents in their roles as primary 
caregivers and as their children’s first teachers. Further, WITHOUT LIMITING THE 
PRIMARY RIGHT AND DUTY OF PARENTS TO REAR THEIR CHILDREN, the 
State hereby recognizes the age from zero (0) to eight (8) years as the first crucial state 
of educational development of which the age from zero (0) to four (4) years shall be the 
responsibility of the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council. 
Therefore, the responsibility to help develop children in the formative years between 
age five (5) to eight (8) years shall be with the Department of Education (DepEd). 
The State shall institutionalize a National System for Early Childhood Care and 
Development (ECCD) that is comprehensive, integrative and sustainable, that involves 
multisectoral and interagency collaboration at the national and local levels among 
government; among service providers families and communities, and among the public 
and private sectors, non-government organizations; professional associations and 
academic institutions. 
The system shall promote the inclusion of children with special needs, provide 
for reasonable accommodation and accessible environments for children with 
disabilities and advocate respect for cultural and linguistic diversity, including the use 
of Filipino Sign Language as the visual language of the deaf community. It shall be 
anchored on complementary strategies for ECCD that include service delivery for 
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children from age zero (0) to four (4) years, educating AND TRAINING parents and 
caregivers ON RESPONSIBLE CAREGIVING AND ALTERNATIVE LEARNING 
SYSTEMS, encouraging the active involvement of parents and communities in ECCD 
programs, raising awareness about the important efforts that improve the quality of life 
for young children and families. 
 
SEC. 3. Section 4(c) of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“SEC. 4. Definitions. – The following terms are defined as follows: 
 
x x x 
 
(c) ECCD Curriculum shall refer to the developmentally-appropriate 
educational objectives and practices, programs of activities, organized learning 
experiences, recommended learning materials and appropriate assessment for children 
from age zero (0) to four (4) years that are ALIGNED WITH THE K TO 12 BASIC 
EDUCATION CURRICULUM UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10533, AND THE 
NUTRITION INTERVENTION PROGRAMS IN THE FIRST ONE THOUSAND 
(1,000) DAYS OF A CHILD'S LIFE UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11148, AND 
WHICH ALLOCATES RESOURCES IN A SUSTAINABLE MANNER TO 
IMPROVE 
THE 
NUTRITIONAL 
STATUS 
AND 
TO 
ADDRESS 
THE 
MALNUTRITION OF INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN FROM ZERO (0) TO 
TWO (2) YEARS OLD, AND implemented by service providers through center and 
home-based programs. It shall consist of national program goals and guidelines, 
instructional objectives, and content outlines that are age-appropriate, individually 
appropriate and culturally relevant.” 
 
SEC. 4. Section 5 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:  
 
“SEC. 5. System Framework and Components. x x x 
 
(a) ECCD Curriculum. – The curriculum shall focus on children’s total 
development and take into account age, individual and socio-cultural 
appropriateness. It shall promote the delivery of complementary and 
integrative services for EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION 
(ECE), health, nutrition, [early childhood education,] sanitation and 
cultural activities. [It shall use the child’s first language as the 
medium of instruction.] 
 
THE NATIONAL ECCD COUNCIL SHALL ENSURE THAT 
THE ECCD CURRICULUM IS ALIGNED WITH THE K TO 12 
BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM UNDER REPUBLIC ACT 
10533, THE NUTRITION INTERVENTION PROGRAMS IN 
THE FIRST ONE THOUSAND (1,000) DAYS OF A CHILD'S 
LIFE UNDER REPUBLIC ACT 11148, AND THE PROVISIONS 
UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11650 FOR LEARNERS WITH 
DISABILITY 
 
(b) Parent Education and Involvement, Advocacy and Mobilization of 
Communities. – This component shall harness and develop parents’ 


strengths as providers of ECCD programs at home, as active partners 
of other stakeholders, as advocates for community concerns that 
affect children, and as pillars of support for local and national ECCD 
programs through community organization efforts[;]. 
 
TOWARDS THIS END, THE ECCD COUNCIL SHALL 
PROMOTE AWARENESS ON MATERNAL HEALTH AND 
NUTRITION, PUERICULTURE AND BREASTFEEDING, AND 
ITS IMPACT ON CHILD DEVELOPMENT. FOR THIS 
PURPOSE, THE ECCD COUNCIL SHALL INTEGRATE IN THE 
ECCD SYSTEM A REFERRAL SYSTEM FOR PARENTS TO 
GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS AND HEALTH INSTITUTIONS 
FOR MATERNAL HEALTH CARE AND BREASTFEEDING, AS 
PROVIDED FOR UNDER REPUBLIC ACTS NO. 10354 AND 
10028, RESPECTIVELY;” 
 
SEC. 5. Section 7(b) of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“SEC. 7. Implementing Arrangements and Operational Structures. – The 
implementation of the National ECCD System shall be the responsibility of the ECCD 
Council. 
 
x x x 
 
(a) Responsibilities of Local Government Units. – Local government units 
(LGUs) shall include allocations from their Special Education Fund (SEF) 
and Gender and Development (GAD) Fund in addition to other local funds 
to be utilized for the following purposes[:]. 
 
FURTHERMORE, LGUs, THROUGH THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS, 
SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION IN THEIR 
RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS OF ECCD PROGRAMS AND SHALL 
PERFORM THE FOLLOWING FUNCTIONS: 
 
[(1) Support the implementation of their ECCD Program;]  
 
[(2) Organize and support parent cooperatives to establish community-based 
ECCD programs;] 
 
[(3) Provide counterpart funds for the continuing professional development 
of their ECCD public service providers; and] 
 
[(4) Provide the facilities for the conduct of their ECCD Program.] 
 
(1) FORMULATE LOCAL POLICIES ON ECCD BASED ON NATIONAL 
POLICIES ISSUED BY THE ECCD COUNCIL; 
 
(2) PROVIDE 
THE 
FACILITIES 
AND 
RESOURCES 
FOR 
THE 
IMPLEMENTATION 
OF 
ECCD 
PROGRAMS. 
THEY 
SHALL 
ESTABLISH OR CONVERT EXISTING DAYCARE CENTERS TO 


CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS (CDCs) AND MAINTAIN THEM 
ACCORDING TO STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS SET BY THE 
ECCD COUNCIL. THERE SHALL BE AT LEAST ONE (1) NATIONAL 
CDC IN EVERY CITY OR MUNICIPALITY; 
 
(3) AIM TO ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL COVERAGE FOR THE NATIONAL 
ECCD SYSTEM BY IDENTIFYING AND SUPPORTING ALL YOUNG 
CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS OR PARENT-SUBSTITUTES 
WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS; 
 
(4) CREATE PLANTILLA POSITIONS FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT 
TEACHERS (CDTs) AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT WORKERS 
(CDWs), 
AND 
PROMOTE 
AND 
ENCOURAGE 
THEIR 
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT; 
 
(5) ENGAGE 
PARENTS, 
PARENT-SUBSTITUTES, 
GOVERNMENT 
AGENCIES, CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER 
STAKEHOLDERS 
IN 
THE 
IMPLEMENTATION 
OF 
ECCD 
PROGRAMS; AND 
 
(6) ENDEAVOR TO AUGMENT THEIR SEF AND GAD FUND FROM 
PRIVATE SOURCES, BOTH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL, FOR 
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ECCD PROGRAMS.” 
 
SEC. 6. A new section to be denominated as Section 7-A is hereby inserted in the same 
Act to read as follows: 
 
“SEC. 7-A. RAISING THE QUALIFICATIONS, WORKING CONDITIONS 
AND STANDARDS OF CDTs AND CDWs. – EACH CITY OR MUNICIPALITY 
SHALL CREATE PLANTILLA POSITIONS FOR CDTs AND CDWs. THE 
GUIDELINES FOR, AMONG OTHERS, THE RECOMMENDED SALARY 
GRADES, ELIGIBILITY AND QUALIFICATIONS, AND DUTIES AND 
RESPONSIBILITIES, SHALL BE ISSUED BY THE ECCD COUNCIL IN 
CONSULTATION WITH THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION AND THE 
DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT; PROVIDED, THAT THE 
SALARY GRADES FOR CDTs SHOULD BE NO LOWER THAN SALARY 
GRADE (SG) 8 AND NO HIGHER THAN SG 11 IN CITIES, AND NO LOWER 
THAN SG 4 AND NO HIGHER THAN SG 8 IN MUNICIPALITIES; PROVIDED 
FURTHER, THAT A CDT SHOULD HOLD AT LEAST A BACHELOR’S DEGREE 
IN CHILDHOOD EDUCATION OR ELEMENTARY EDUCATION PREFERABLY 
WITH SPECIALIZATION ON EARLY CHILDHOOD, AND THAT A CDW 
SHOULD HOLD AT LEAST ANY DEGREE RELATED TO ECCD SUCH AS 
BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY, CHILD STUDY, AND FAMILY LIFE 
AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT, AMONG OTHERS. CDTs AND CDWs SHALL 
LIKEWISE COMPLETE TRAININGS OR SEMINARS RELATED TO ECCD OR 
ECED TO BE DESIGNED AND REQUIRED BY THE ECCDC AND PROVIDED 
BY 
THE 
ECCDC, 
ITS 
MEMBER 
AGENCIES 
OR 
ACCREDITED 
ORGANIZATIONS. 
 
DAY CARE WORKERS OR CDC WORKERS CURRENTLY EMPLOYED 


BY THE LGUs SHALL BE GIVEN PRIORITY IN THE FILLING UP OF 
PLANTILLA POSITIONS. IN CASE THEY DO NOT MEET THE MINIMUM 
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PLANTILLA POSITIONS, THEY SHALL STILL BE 
PRIORITIZED AND SHALL BE GIVEN FIVE (5) YEARS FROM THE 
EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT TO FULFILL THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS. 
 
THERE SHALL BE AT LEAST ONE CDT AND ONE CDW FOR EVERY 
NATIONAL CDC, AND AT LEAST ONE CDW FOR EVERY CDC, SUBJECT TO 
SEC. 16 OF THIS ACT. HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS MAY BE TAPPED 
IN ACCREDITING CDWs AND CDTs.” 
 
SEC. 7. A new section to be denominated as Section 7-B is hereby inserted in the same 
Act to read as follows: 
 
“SEC. 7-B. CREATION OF ECCD DIVISIONS IN CITIES AND 
MUNICIPALITIES. – EVERY CITY AND MUNICIPALITY SHALL CREATE AN 
ECCD DIVISION, TO BE UNDER THE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPERVISION OF 
THE MAYOR, WHICH SHALL MANAGE THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF 
CDCs, INCLUDING THE MANAGEMENT OF CDTs AND CDWs IN THE 
PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES.” 
 
SEC. 8. A new section to be denominated as Section 7-C is hereby inserted in the same 
Act to read as follows: 
 
“SEC. 7-C. STREAMLINING THE DELIVERY OF ECCD SERVICES. – 
THE 
ECCD 
COUNCIL 
SHALL 
PROVIDE 
GUIDELINES 
FOR 
THE 
STREAMLINING OF THE DELIVERY OF ECCD SERVICES, TAKING INTO 
CONSIDERATION, AMONG OTHERS, THE NUMBER OF YOUNG CHILDREN 
BEING SERVICED BY EACH CDC, THE PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY OF CDCs, 
AND THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND RESOURCES OF THE LGUs.” 
 
STREAMLINING MEASURES MAY INCLUDE CLUSTERING OF CDCs 
FOR MULTIPLE BARANGAYS, AND THE PROMOTION OF HOME-BASED 
PROGRAMS AS FAR AS PRACTICABLE, PARTICULARLY IN AREAS WHERE 
VERY FEW YOUNG CHILDREN ARE SERVICED BY THE CDCs AND FOR 
LGUs WITH LIMITED RESOURCES.” 
 
SEC. 9. Section 9 (a) of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“SEC. 9. Organization of the ECCD Council. – The ECCD Council shall be 
composed of the following: 
 
(a) ECCD Governing Board- The ECCD Governing Board shall be 
composed of: 
 
(1) Secretary of the DepEd, as ex officio Chairperson; 
 
(2) SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 
AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AS EX OFFICIO VICE-
CHAIRPERSON; 


 
(3) [(2)] Executive Director of the ECCD Council, as [Vice 
Chairperson] member; 
 
(4) [(3)] Secretary of the DSWD, as member; 
 
(5) [(4)] Secretary of the DOH, as member; 
 
(6) [(5)] Executive Director of the NNC, as member; 
 
(7) [(6)] President of the ULAP, as member; and 
 
(8) [(7)] One (1) private individual who is an ECCD practitioner and 
expert shall be appointed by the President upon the 
recommendation of the Board, as member. 
 
The Board shall meet once a month or upon the call of the Chairperson or three 
(3) members of the Board.” 
 
SEC. 10. Section 10 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“SEC.10. Functions of the ECCD Council. — The ECCD Council shall carry 
out the objectives of the National ECCD System by performing the following functions: 
 
(a) Promulgate policies and implement guidelines for ECCD programs in 
consultation with LGUs AND OTHER stakeholders, including the 
regional [level] AND LOCAL LEVELS when appropriate, consistent 
with the national policy and program frameworks as defined in this Act; 
 
(b) [Establish ECCD program] FORMULATE POLICIES AND standards 
[that reflect developmentally appropriate practices for ECCD programs, 
which shall interface with the kindergarten] TO ENSURE THAT THE 
ECCD CURRICULUM IS ALIGNED WITH THE K TO 12 BASIC 
EDUCATION CURRICULUM UNDER REPUBLIC ACT 10533 AND 
THE NUTRITION INTERVENTION PROGRAMS IN THE FIRST 
ONE THOUSAND (1,000) DAYS OF A CHILD'S LIFE UNDER 
REPUBLIC ACT 11148, WITH FOCUS ON THE ROLE OF LGUs, 
THROUGH THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS, IN IMPLEMENTING 
ECCD PROGRAMS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS; 
 
(c) Develop a national system for the recruitment, registration, 
accreditation, continuing education and equivalency, and credential 
system of ECCD service providers, supervisors and administrators to 
improve and professionalize the ECCD sector and upgrade quality 
standards of public and private ECCD programs; 
 
(d) ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 
NATIONAL CDCs AND CDCs OR THE CONVERSION OF 
EXISTING DAYCARES INTO CDCs; 
 


(e) [(d)] Develop a national system of awards and recognition to deserving 
ECCD program implementers and service providers; 
 
(f) [(e)] Promote, encourage and coordinate the various ECCD programs of 
the [DepEd, the DSWD, the DOH and the NNC,] ECCDC MEMBER 
AGENCIES, FACILITATE THE COOPERATION BETWEEN SUCH 
MEMBER AGENCIES AND THE LGUs, and monitor the delivery of 
services to the ECCD program beneficiaries nationwide; 
 
(g) [(f)] Evaluate and assess the impact and outcome of various ECCD 
programs nationwide through an effective information system; 
 
(h) [(g)] Develop a national system for early identification, screening and 
surveillance of young children from age zero (0) to four (4) years WITH 
THE AIM OF UNIVERSAL COVERAGE; 
 
(i) [(h)] Develop various support mechanisms that maximize public and 
private resources for implementing ECCD programs, giving priority to 
the needy and high-risk children from poor AND DISADVANTAGED 
communities; 
 
(j) [(i)] Provide funds to poor and disadvantaged communities for the 
establishment and expansion of public ECCD programs, improvement 
of physical facilities and for hiring of ECCD service providers; 
 
(k) [(j)] Promote and encourage private sector initiatives for the 
establishment of ECCD programs; 
 
(l) [(k)] Provide guidelines for the conduct of solicitations from local and 
international civic organizations, and request private foundations to 
supplement available resources; and 
 
(m) [(l)] Perform such other functions as the ECCD Council may deem 
necessary.” 
 
SEC. 11. Sec. 11 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“SEC. 11. Appropriations. – The amount needed for the initial implementation 
of this Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations of the [DepEd, the 
DSWD, the DOH and the NNC] ECCD COUNCIL AND LGUs for the purpose. 
Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this 
Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA.) 
 
[In addition, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation shall 
contribute an amount of Five hundred million pesos (P500,000,000.00) per year for five 
(5) years from its gross income to fund the establishment of National Child 
Development Centers and the conversion of existing Day Care Centers into Child 
Development Centers in various LGUs upon approval of this Act. Said amount shall be 
directly remitted in four (4) quarterly installments to a special account of the ECCD 
Council.]” 


 
SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). – The ECCD Council, in 
consultation with appropriate government agencies and relevant non-government 
organizations, shall formulate and issue the necessary rules and regulations within sixty (60) 
days after the effectivity of this Act. The IRR issued pursuant to this section shall take effect 
thirty (30) days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
SEC. 13. Separability Clause. – If any part or provision of this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not so declared shall remain in force and effect. 
 
SEC. 14. Repealing Clause. – All other laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, 
administrative orders, rules and regulations, issuances or parts thereof contrary to or 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
 
SEC. 15. Effectivity. – Notwithstanding the non-issuance of the IRR, this Act shall take 
effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general 
circulation.