REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
‘Second Regular Session

House Bill No._'7664

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This proposed measure aims to institutionalize human rights education in basic and higher
‘education institutions.

‘The United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004) has defined Human
Rights Education as “training, dissemination, and information efforts aimed at the building of a
universal culture of human rights through the imparting of knowledge and skills and the molding of
attitudes which are directed to:

(a) The strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms;
(b) The full development of the human personality and the sense of its dignity;

(©) The promotion of understanding, respect, gender equality, and friendship among
all nations, indigenous peoples and racial, national, ethnic, religious and linguistic
groups; and

(@) The enabling of all persons to participate effectively in a free society.

Institutionalizing human rights education would ensure that our people will come to
understand and fully appreciate human rights and instill in them a sense of responsibility to respect,
defend, and promote such rights. The State shall ensure that the people are working hand-in-hand to
bring about human rights, justice, and dignity for all.

Considering the current political climate: the indiscriminate killing of alleged drug suspects
without due process, the repression of free speech and expression, and the seemingly passive, if not
dreadfully supportive citizens desensitized to such horrendous violations of basic human rights, it is
timely that this proposed measure be enacted so as to correct the seemingly wayward track that our
shared values are currently traversing.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
~
ALEJANO

Representative
Magdalo Parsa sa Pilipifio Party-List


REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES .
‘Quezon City
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

Howse BalNo,_'7664

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION IN BOTH BASIC AND
HIGHER EDUCATION

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 Human Rights Education Act of
2018.

‘SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy.—Article X1V, Section 3 of the Constitution provides that all
educational institutions shall include the study of the Constitution as part of the curricula. As an
integral part of our Constitution, human rights is a concept that all Filipinos must lea if we are to
survive as a modem democracy. As such, it is the duty of our learning institutions to ensure that our
citizens are properly educated of the principles of human rights in both formal and non-formal
settings. In furtherance thereof, it is hereby declared the policy of the State to require all educational
institutions to teach human rights as a specialized subject taught separately and progressively
throughout the basic and higher education programs.

SEC. 3. Curriculum.—The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on
Higher Education (CHED) shall identify international human rights education standards or best
practices for basic and higher education, respectively, and adopt those that they determine to be
aligned with existing State policies and domestic conditions. Consistent with such standards or best
practices, the DepEd and CHED, in consultation with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR),
shall formulate the respective curricula and course programmes for human rights studies for basic
and higher education that shall, at the minimum:

a. Consist of teaching modules or course syllabi that cover an introduction to basic
human rights principles, such as equality, non-discrimination, human dignity, inclusion,


empowerment, environmental awareness, and respect for the rights of women, children,
indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities (PWD), and other marginalized or vulnerable
sectors;

b. Focus on personal values, attitudes, and behaviors that promote personal
responsibility for respecting, upholding, and protecting human rights; and

c. Provide practical information for protecting oneself from gender-based violence,
child abuse, and exploitation.

SEC. 4. Implementation Period.—The DepEd and CHED shall formulate and finalize their
respective curricula within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act; and implement the same
within two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act.

SEC. 5. Reporting.—Every four (4) years, the DepEd and CHED shall conduct a mandatory
review of the implementation of this Act and submit a report of its findings to Congress...

SEC. 6. Appropriations.—The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act
shall be charged against the current year’s appropriation of the implementing agencies. Thereafter,
such amount necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual
General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 7. Separability Clause.—Should any provision herein be declared unconstitutional,
the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this Act.

‘SEC. 8. Repealing Clause.—A\l laws, executive orders, or administrative orders, rules and
regulations or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended, repealed or
modified accordingly.

SEC. 10. Effectivity.—This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,