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Republic of the Philippines fe _E-Filed “y\
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES iS RECEIVED <\
Batasan Hills, Quezon City = DATE July 13, 2022 1)
*

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.__1958 Wo inp ok

Introduced by

HON. YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ
and
HON. JUDE A. ACIDRE

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OPTIONAL
TEACHING OF RELIGION IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY
SCHOOLS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article XIV, Section 3 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that
religion shall be allowed to be taught to the children or wards in public
elementary and high schools within the regular class hours by instructors
designated or approved by the religious authorities of the religion to which the
children or wards belong, without additional cost to the Government.

In accordance with the provisions of the Philippine Constitution, this bill
seeks to mandate the teaching of religion in all public elementary and high
schools to children or wards; Provided, that there shall be a written request from
their parents or guardians and a duly accomplished application form.

* TIME 4:57 pm
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The State is cognizant of the vital role that the teaching of religion plays
in molding the citizens, especially the youth, as it promotes spiritual, moral, and
cultural development.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

Rep. YEDDA RIE K. ROMUALDEZ
RepresentativeVTingog Sinirangan

. ACIDRE
ive, Tingog Sinirangan


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. __ 1958

Introduced by

HON. YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ
and
HON. JUDE A. ACIDRE

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OPTIONAL
TEACHING OF RELIGION IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY
SCHOOLS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of the Representatives of the

Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Teaching of
Religion in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools Act.”

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. — \t is the declared policy of the State
in conformity with the mandate of the Constitution, to encourage and promote
the teaching of religion to children in public elementary and high schools within
the regular class hours.

The State is also cognizant of the vital role that the teaching of religion
assumes in citizen formation, particularly the molding of our youth. Hence, the
State recognizes the necessity of religious instruction not only in the private
school but also in public schools.


Section 3. Coverage. - This Order shall apply to all public elementary
and high schools in the Philippines.

Section 4. Definition of Terms. As used in this Act, the following terms

shall mean:

(a) “Religion’ — an institutionalized systems of belief, attitude, and
practices;

(b) “Values educations’ — the integration into the school curriculum of
universally accepted as well as Filipino human, social, moral,
political, economic, and cultural values;

(c) “Optional religious instruction’ - refers to the religion classes
conducted in the public elementary and high schools for students or
pupils whose parents opted to exercise their right to request religious
instruction for their children or ward. The optional character of
religious instruction in public schools is in reference to the parents or
guardians of the children, who are free to request or not to request
that the children under their care be instructed in the religion of their
choice. It is not option for the Principal or school heads to either
accept or reject the formal request of the parents to have their
children instructed in the religion of their choice during regular hours;

(d) “Regular class hours” — refers to the regular or normal scheduled
periods of instruction or laboratory work for a student;

(e) “Class period’ — the average length of time scheduled for one
‘session or instructional period in a course.

Section 4. The Teachers/nstructors. — The religious teachers or
instructors who teach religion classes in the public elementary and high schools
shall be designated by their respective religious authorities and shall submit to
the principal or school head their proper authorization papers and request for
time allocation for the optional religious instruction


Ordinary teachers teaching in a certain school may also teach religion in
the same school during the periods when they are free from their ordinary
teaching loads; Provided, that they are authorized to do so by the competent
religious authority of their denomination

Section 5. Aecipient of Religious Instruction. — The teachers of
religion as referred to in paragraph 4 shall be allowed to teach those
pupils/students whose parents or guardians have opted to request that their
children or wards be taught the religion of their choice.

The option to request their children or wards to learn religion in schoo!
shall be expressed in writing by the parents or guardian who shall likewise
accomplish in full the necessary application form.

No student/pupil shall be allowed or permitted to attend religious
instruction classes without the said written application and duly accomplished
request of his/her parent or guardian.

Section 6. The application. — The application referred to in the next
preceding paragraph, shall clearly indicate the faith or religious instruction the
student/pupil should receive from the authorized religion teachers, and the
preferred schedule for religious instruction.

Section 7. Size and Scheduling of Religious Classes. — The optional
religious instruction shall be taught during class hours only and not before or
after class time, or during recess time. Religion classes should not number
more than forty students of the same level and of the same religion. In case the
students of the same level and religion exceed that number, the principal or
school head shall divide the students/pupils into two or more classes after
consulting the religious authorities of that faith or the person delegated by them.


The principal or school head shall fix the schedule of the religion class
hours considering the number of the religion teachers/instructors that can be
fielded by the different denominations at one time.

Section 8. Duration of Religion Classes. — The optional religious
instruction shall be allotted at least eighty (80) minutes a week, spread over at
least two (2) but no more than three (3) meetings in one week. In no case shall
the class periods be allotted less than eighty (80) minutes per week.

Section 9. Optional Religious Instruction and Values Education. -
The optional religious instruction and the values education of this Department
are two separate, different, and distinct subjects. As such, they shall be allotted
separate class hours and in no case shall they be taken together by the student
in one and the same class period; Provided, however, that if the principal or
school head cannot find any available time slots for the optional religious
instruction in the weekly class schedule, in agreement with the religious
teachers or instructors, the optional religious instruction shall be allotted at least
two (2) of the present five (5) time slots assigned every week to Values
Education.

Section 10. Administrative Sanctions. — Any principal, school head,
or teacher who violates any provision of this Order shall, after due process, be
subjected to appropriate disciplinary sanctions.

Section 11. Separability Clause. — \f any provision of this Act is
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the provisions not affected thereby shall
remain in full force and effect.

Section 12. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees,
executive orders, presidential proclamations, rules and regulations or parts
thereof contrary to or inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.


Section 13. Effectivity.— This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers. of general

circulation.

Approved,