THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE RFiPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
'0/1 .jg\. 22 ;'x :/I!) 
First Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
~~ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 17 provides: 
Section 17. The State shall give priority to education, science and 
technology, arts, culture and sport to foster patriotism and nationalism, 
accelerate social progress, and promote total human liberation and 
development. 
Local businesses can play a key role in moving technology into schools, 
enhancing educators' technology capabilities, and making every student technologically 
literate. 
Educational technologies help children learn and teachers teach. Students who 
learn to use educational technologies are prepared for both high wage high skilled jobs 
and higher education. 
In order to encourage businesses to help schools provide educational 
technologies, this bill seeks to establish a program that will give national recognition to 
businesses, which show an exemplary commitment to participating with schools to make 
every student technologically literate. 
MIRIAM D E F ~ S O R  
SANTIAGO 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
RECOGNIZING BUSINESSES WHICH SHOW AN EXEMPLARY 
COMMITMENT TO PARTICIPATING WITH SCHOOLS TO ENHANCE 
EDUCATORS’ TECHNOLOGY CAPABILITIES AND TO MAKE EVERY 
STUDENT TECHNOLOGICALLY LITERATE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representalives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Shovt Tide.- 
This Act shall be known as the “Business and 
Education Sharing Technology Act (BEST).” 
SECTION 2. Purpose. -It is the purpose of this Act - 
(1) to establish a program to give local and national recognition to 
businesses which show an exemplary commitment to participating with schools to 
make every student technologically literate; and 
(2) to make information about these exemplary partnerships available to 
other businesses and schools. 
SECTION 3. Nomination - The Department of Education, Culture and Sports 
(DECS) shall form a committees composed of qualified individuals, such as 
representatives from the government, academe, private sector and appropriate sectors to 
carry out the provisions of this Act. The members shall select, through a competitive 
process, the businesses engaged in technology partnerships with schools to receive a 
BEST award. 
Representatives of any educational institutions or schools may nominate 
businesses which show an exemplary commitment to participating with schools to 


enhance educators’ technology capabilities and to make every student technologically 
literate. Such nominations shall, if available, include - 
(1) name of business; 
(2) address of business 
(3) internet address of business; 
(4) a description of the partnership between school or school district and the 
business, including the specific services provided by the business to the 
school; 
(5) a description of how the partnership is helping to enhance the technological 
capabilities of educators or to make every student technologically literate; and 
(6) a description of why the partnership is exemplary. 
SECTION 4. Criteria - To be eligible to receive a BEST recognition award - 
(1) A business must be in active partnership with a school, consortium of schools, 
or local educational agency; 
(2) The purpose of the partnership must be to enhance educators’ technology 
capabilities and contribute to making every student technology literate; 
(3) The partnership must have a plan to enhance educators’ technology 
capabilities or contribute to making every student technologically literate which can be 
shared with other schools; and 
(4) The partnership activities must be of a high level of quality. 
SECTION 5. Dissemination - The Department of Education shall issue the 
necessary rules and regulations in implementing this Act and shall make information and 
descriptions regarding the programs and partnerships that are chosen for a BEST 
recognition award available to schools nationwide. 


SECTION 6. Separability Clause -If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or provision not otherwise affected shall 
remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 7. 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 
accordingly. 
SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved. 
Fn: 1442