Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No._ 3033

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

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

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article 2, Section 17, of the Constitution states:

“The State shall give priority to education, science and technology, arts, culture
and sports to foster patriotism, nationalism, accelerate social progress and promote
total human liberation and development.”

Brain drain is a common phenomenon over the last several decades. It involves
many of our teachers who go abroad to seek greener pastures. As a result, we
continue to lose teachers in our schools and unnecessarily increase the burden of
teaching the ever growing number of our students to the teachers that actually stay
However, this phenomenon does not only occur from our country to overseas. It is also
happening from our rural schools to urban cities. Substandard facilities and even more
substandard communities make for additional burdens to our teachers who teach in
rural areas,

Many of our teachers find it really hard to realistically make a career teaching in
these communities much less thrive in them. As such there is little incentive for the
highly qualified teachers t6 go and stay in rural schools. As legislators, we must
acknowledge the higher level of challenge presented in those areas and provide better
incentives to highly qualified teachers. It is not only our duty to provide education to our

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children in those areas, but also to provide high quality education, that they may be able
to develop into good citizens that will help their communities and our country.

Initially, we need to establish an incentive program that will entice our highly
qualified teachers to stay. A competitive program of grants to qualified provinces will
not only motivate the provinces to develop their programs for the rural community but
likewise allow us to focus the limited resources to the provinces that is in the position to
make use of the funds best.

This bill seeks to establish a program that will provide financial assistance to
qualified provinces in order to create an incentive system for highly qualified teachers
who shall commit to stay and teach for at least three years.

In view of the foregoing, we therefore enjoin our colleagues to ensure the
immediate passage of this bill into law.

DIOSDADO MACARAGAL ARROYO GLORIA rae ARROYO
Second District, Camarines Sur Second District, Pampanga


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No,_ 3033

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

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

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 "Rural Teacher
Retention Act of 2013."

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

A. "Child with a disability" means a minor who has a physical, mental or medical
impairment resulting from anatomical, physiological, or neurological conditions
that prevent 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 breathe, such as a wheelchair,
braces, crutches, respirator, or other supportive equipment, or use of a guide dog
or other guiding device, and which renders such person incapable of adequately
providing for his or her own health and personal care.

B. "Department" means the Department of Education

C. "Secretary" means the Secretary of Education


SECTION 3. Grant. — The Secretary shall carry out a 5-year pilot program under
which the Secretary awards grants, on a competitive basis, to not more than 10 different
provinces, to enable them to award salary bonuses to highly qualified teachers or highly
qualified special education teachers who teach, or commit to teach, for at least 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 special education teachers.

SECTION 5. Consideration of Needs. — In determining the needs of rural local
educational agencies for recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers and highly
qualified special education teachers under Section 5, the Secretary shall consider 1 or
more of the following:

A. The impact on a rural local educational 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 local 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 within 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. Use 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 5 years from the effectivity of this Act which
include:

1. the number of rural local educational agencies assisted under this Act;

2. the characteristics of such rural local educational agencies with respect
to the considerations of needs described in section 4( c);

3. the number and demographic characteristics of teachers receiving
bonuses under this Act;

4. 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 highly qualified special education teachers;
and

5. 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 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 12. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to
or is inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended
accordingly

SECTION 13. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,