REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
QUEZON CITY

a” %,
f 3° ReCEWED Z
2 owe TSI 8S

Second Regular Session
nee
HB No. 4386

Introduced by Bernadette Herrera-Dy

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE “ABOT ALAM” PROGRAM OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Explanatory Note

Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest
the cornerstones of freedom, democracy, and sustainable development ~ Kofi Annan

Various sources of data put the number of Filipino out-of school youth (OSY) aged 15
to 30 at four (4) million in 2016 and most cited extreme poverty as reason for not going to
school, among other constraints. Allof them had expressed their desire to acquire some skills
and be qualified for employment while others wanted to set up small businesses that

couldsustain their cost of living.

In response to the growing number of OSY, the Department of Education launched
the AbotAlam Program as a means to reach out to OSY and enhance access to education. The
program is a convergence involving various government agencies, local government units,
civil society organizations, private sectors, and community-based groups, all with the end in
view of having a country with a zero drop-out rate. The program maps out OSY and
matchesthem with appropriate government, private-sector, or civil-society programs that will

give them opportunities for education, employment and entrepreneurship.


The success of this program is astounding despite its challenges. It came as a
surprise, therefore, that the Department of Education cut its budget and, instead, absorbed all
its prospective learners in the Alternative Learning System (ALS)'.

As education is a basic right of every Filipino, there is aneed to institutionalize the
AbotAlamprogram. This bill will not only favor OSY’s who have neither undergone nor
completed basic educationbut will also provide various modalities that canaddress various
concems which came about during the implementation of DepEd’s program. Adopted from
Senate Bill No. 1022 filed by Senator Grace Poe,this bill will serve as a counterpart bill at the

House of Representatives.

With the end in view of having no Filipino left behind, the speedy approval of this

measure is eagerly sought.

Ye

BERNADETTE HERRERA-DY

"DO 59, s. 2016 - Amendment to DepEd Order Nos. 59. s. 2012: 19, s. 2013; 17. s. 2014 and 17, s. 2015


eer annerune

10
uw
12
13
14
15
16

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
QUEZON CITY

SEVENTEENTH (17"") CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

4386

H.B. No.

Introduced by Bernadette Herrera-Dy

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE “ABOT ALAM” PROGRAM OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
Assembled:

SECTION I. Short Title- This Act shall be known as the “AbotAlam Act of 2016”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It is a policy of the State to protect and promote
the right of all citizens, especially the poor and the marginalized, to quality education at all
levels. Furthermore, the State recognizes the essential role of education in promoting a just
and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and
free the people from poverty. Therefore, the “AbotAlam” program of the Department of
Education is hereby institutionalized and recognized as a means to provide education to out-
of-school youths, adults who have neither undergone nor completed basic education, and to
other individuals who cannot be adequately served by the formal educational system.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. As used in this Act, the following terms shall be
defined as follows:
a) “AbotAlam” refers to the “AbotAlam” program of the Department of Education
which is institutionalized under Section 4 of this Act;


Coroner une

1
12
13
14
15
16
a7;
18
19
20
2a
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34

b)

¢

d

°)

“AbotAlam Enlisted Learners”or “Enlisted Learners” refers to individuals,
whether out-of-schoolyouths or adults who have neither undergone nor completed
basic education, who are enrolled in any of the components of the AbotAlam

Program.

“AbotAlam Partner"or “Partners "refers to individuals, groups, organizations or
agencies(e.g. LGUs, NGOs, private institutions/companies, religious groups, etc.)
implementing the AbotAlam Program in different areas using their own resources
and/or which provide technical assistance or other resources in support of the
Program at any level;

“Barangay AbotAlam Targeting System” ot “Targeting System” refers to the
comprehensive database of OSY established under Section 5 of this Act.

“Alternative Delivery Modes”, as defined and adopted from Department of
Education Order No. 54, s. 2012, refers to alternative modalities of delivering
education which allows schools to deliver quality education to marginalized
students and those at risk of dropping out in order to help them overcome
personal, social and economic constraints in their schooling. It shall include,

without limitation, the following:

1. Enhanced Instructional Management Parents, Communities and Teachers
(E-IMPACT);

2. Modified In-School Off-School Approach (MISOSA); and

3. Open High School Program (OHSP)

“Alternative Learning System" as defined and adopted from Republic Act No.

9155, otherwise known as the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001, is a
parallel learning system to provide a viable alternative to the existing formal
education instruction. It encompasses both the non-formal and informal sources of

knowledge and skills;


eC avraounun

8) “Out-of-School Youth” or “OSY” refers to individuals who are 7 to 24 years of

age who are not enrolled in formal schooling.

SECTION 4. Institutionalization of the AbotAlam Program- there is hereby

established a nationwide program to be known as the “AbotAlam” Program, herein referred
to as “the Program”.

SECTION 5. Objectives- The Program aims to:

a) Create a comprehensive database of OSY in the country by organizing a

Barangay AbotAlam Targeting System;
b) Unify and harmonize the efforts and resources of all agencies and
organizations directed towards providing education and training for OSY in

the Country;

5

Ensure that all OSYs have access to programs and services of different

agencies and organizations;

d

Integrate adults who have neither undergone nor completed formal education

in the Program;
SECTION 6. Coverage- the Act shall cover:
a) Out-of-School Youths;
b) Marginalized students who are at risk of dropping out; and
©) Adults who have neither undergone nor finished basic education.
SECTION 7. Barangay AbotAlam Targeting System- A comprehensive database of
OSYs in the country is hereby established. The targeting system shall be based on

information collected and updated by Barangays on OSYs in their jurisdiction, in

coordination with the relevant Public Schools District Supervisors and School Heads. The

3


1 database shall be updated annually and shall include information such as one’s name, age,

2 location, and learning needs. All information shall be submitted to and consolidated by the
3 Philippine Statistics Authority.

4

5 Existing enrollees of the Program need not be included in the database.

6

os SECTION 8. Components- The Program shall have three (3) modalities:

8

9 a.) ALS-Education- acommunity-based ALS program which helpsEnlisted Learners
10 to acquire basic reading, writing, numeracy skills and the ability to read with
uw comprehension and solve simple numeracy problems.

2

2B Enlisted Learners under this program shall undergo an accreditation and
14 equivalency test before and after the program duration which will measures their
15 learning competency. Passers of the test are shall be given a diploma certifying
16 their competencies as comparable graduates of the formal school system and shall
v7 be considered qualified to enroll secondary and post-secondary schools.

18 ;

19 This program shall be implemented by the Department of Education, in
20 coordination with interested Partners.

21

22 b.) ALS-Entrepreneurship- an ALS program which provides livelihood and
23 entrepreneurship training and assistance to Enlisted Learners. This shall be a joint
24 program of the Department of Education and Department of Trade and Industry,
25 in coordination with interested Partners.

26
2 ¢.) ALS Technical-Vocational and Employment Program- an ALS program which
28 provides technical-vocational skills training to Enlisted Learners. This shall be a
29 joint program of the Department of Education and Technical and Vocational
30 Education and Skills Development Authority in coordination with interested
31 Partners.

32

33 SECTION 9. Utilization of Alternative Delivery Modes- The Department of

34 Education and concerned Partners shall, in addition to formal, school-based modes of

4


eer anunwn

10
1
12
13
14
15
16
7
18
19
20
2
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34

delivering education, shall maximize the utilization of Alternative Delivery Modes of

education

SECTION 10.Program Implementation- DepEd Division Offices, in consultation
with all concerned Partners, shall map and provide information on all of the ALS programs of
intervention that they are offering in their jurisdiction and match the needs of Enlisted
Learmers with the available programs mapped;

SECTION II. Jmplementing Rules and Regulations Within thirty (30) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Department of Education, Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority, and the Department of Trade and Industry, in consultation with
relevant government agencies and partners, shall promulgate the rules and regulations for the

effective regulation of this Act.

SECTION 12. Appropriations- An amount of Ten Million Pesos (Php 10,000,000.00)
is hereby allocated for the initial implementation of this act. Such amounts as may be
necessary for the continuing implementation of this Act shall be included as a separate line-
item under the appropriations of the Department of Education under .the General
Appropriations Act and may be augmented by grants, donations and endowments from

domestic and foreign sources, pursuant to existing laws and regulations.

SECTION 13. Separability Clause- If any provision of this Act shall be held
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full

force and effect.

SECTION 14. Repealing Clause- All laws, executive orders, rules and regulations
inconsistent with or contrary to this Act, are hereby deemed accordingly repealed or
amended.

SECTION 15. Effectivity Clause-

completion of publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

is Act shall take effect upon its approval and

Approved,