NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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Second Regular Session 
j
SENATE
S.B. No. 2457
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23 SEP 27 P6:l5
Introduced by SENATOR WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
REDEFINING THE APPLICATION OF THE MOTHER TONGUE AS MEDIUM 
OF INSTRUCTION FROM KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 3, AMENDING FOR 
THE PURPOSE SECTIONS 4 AND 5 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10533, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE MENHANCED BASIC EDUCATION ACT OF 
2013”
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The appropriateness of using the Mother Tongue (MT) as medium of 
instruction (MOI) in multilingual contexts is neither supported by theory nor 
evidence. Yet, Republic Act (RA) No. 10533 or the “Enhanced Basic Education 
Act of 2013” mandated the implementation of the Mother Tongue-Based 
Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) curriculum from Kindergarten to Grade 3.
The Philippines is classified as a highly multilingual society by various 
language mapping data. Language data from the 2020 Census of Population 
and Housing shows that there are about 245 reported languages in the 
country. Currently, the Department of Education (DepEd) officially covers 
only 19 languages in implementing MTB-MLE, accounting for a measly 8% of 
the total languages reported in the census. Further analysis also shows that 
some of the widely spoken languages such as Boholano, Masbateno, and


Kankanaey are not covered by the 19 languages used by the DepEd in the 
implementation of MTB-MLE.
School-level data from different parts of the country further show the 
linguistic diversity in schools. For example, language mapping data from 
Kalinga detected 22 languages spoken by the learner population. In Marahan 
West Elementary School, a small school in the remote areas of Davao City, 
there were 9 languages detected in the school with only 238 Key Stage 1 
learners.
DepEd has issued Department Orders prescribing the use of the lingua 
franca as MOI in areas where there are three or more MTs (multilingual 
classrooms). However, the 1953 UNESCO study, the same basis used in 
adopting MTB-MLE in RA 10533, itself identified the adoption of the lingua 
franca as MOI as one of the grounds for the abandonment of the use of the 
MT as MOI. The other grounds identified by the UNESCO include: (1) shortage 
of educational materials; (2) multiplicity of languages in a locality; (3) 
multiplicity of languages in a country; and (4) shortage of trained teachers.
In a 2019 study conducted by the Philippine Institute for Development 
Studies, its findings yielded that only 9% of the surveyed schools complied 
with the 4-minima requirements for good implementation of the MTB-MLE 
where schools are expected to: (1) write big books on language, literature and 
culture; (2) document the orthography of the language; (3) document the 
grammar of language; and (4) write a dictionary of the language.
These findings were corroborated by the Committee on Basic 
Education’s Key Stage 1 class observations and focus group discussions in 
Pangasinan, Cebu, Davao and Muntinlupa City.
Finally, to verify these researches and findings on the ground, the 
Committee has conducted four public hearings on Proposed Senate


Resolution No. 51, House Bill No. 67172, and my Privilege Speech on the 
“Observations on the Implementation of the Mother Tongue-Based 
Multilingual Education Program - Theory vs. Implementation” delivered on 
May 31, 2023. All MT studies presented during these public hearings were 
conducted in monolingual settings. The other qualitative accounts that were 
presented to the Committee advocate the use of the MT in linguistically 
homogenous settings such as rural communities and communities of 
ethnolinguistic minorities.
Thus, I propose this legislation to remedy and seek the faithful 
implementation of MTB-MLE under RA 10533 by redefining its application to 
monolingual classes from Kindergarten to Grade 3. This will result in reverting 
to Section 7, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution on the MOI (“xxx Filipino 
and, until otherwise provided by law, English, xxx”) to be used in Key Stage 
1. If necessary, the regional languages, or any of the Filipino languages for 
that matter, “shall serve as auxiliary media of instruction” - a flexible 
approach to instruction as provided under the Constitution itself.
The passage of this bill is urgent and I earne^y ^ek the support of my 
colleagues in this Congress. 
/ /
:n gAtch.
1 RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON BASIC EDUCATION, ARTS AND 
CULTURE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE STATUS OF THE 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE K TO 12 LAW FOR THE PURPOSE OF CRAFTING POLICY 
RECOMMENDATIONS AND INITIATING COMPLEMENTARY AND AMENDATORY 
LEGISLATION TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN THE LAW AND ENSURE ITS EFFECTIVE AND 
EFFICIENT INTEGRATION INTO THE PHILIPPINE BASIC EDUCATION SYSTEM TO PROVIDE 
QUALITY EDUCATION AND ACHIEVE GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS (by Sen. Win Gatchalian)
2 AN ACT SUSPENDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE USE OF MOTHER TONGUE AS 
THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION FOR KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 3 PROVIDED UNDER 
SECTION 4 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10533, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ENHANCED BASIC 
EDUCATION ACT OF 2013 (by Rep. Romulo, et al.)


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session
]
SENATE
S.B. No. 2457
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23 SEP 27 P6 *15
RECEIVED BY .
Introduced by SENATOR WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
REDEFINING THE APPLICATION OF THE MOTHER TONGUE AS MEDIUM 
OF INSTRUCTION FROM KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 3, AMENDING FOR 
THE PURPOSE SECTIONS 4 AND 5 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10533, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "ENHANCED BASIC EDUCATION ACT OF 
2013”
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Redefining the Application of the Mother Tongue as Medium of
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Instruction. - The application of the Mother Tongue as medium of instruction
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from kindergarten to the first three (3) years of elementary education under
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Section 4 of Republic Act (R.A.) No. 10533, otherwise known as “An Act
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Enhancing the Philippine Basic Education System by Strengthening its
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Curriculum and Increasing the Number of Years for Basic Education,
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Appropriating Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes”, is hereby redefined.
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It shall be used as medium of instruction in monolingual classes from
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kindergarten to grade three.
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Except for these monolingual classes, the delivery of basic education
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shall continue to use the official languages of the Philippines under Article
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XIV, Section VII of the 1987 Constitution which are Filipino and, until


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otherwise provided by law, English. The regional languages shall serve as 
auxiliary media of instruction.
Sec. 2. The Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) in 
Monolingual Classes; Monolingual Classes and Language Mapping. - The 
principles and framework of MTB-MLE as embodied under Sec. 5 (f) of R.A. 
No. 10533 shall continue to be adhered to in monolingual classes. For 
purposes of this Act, a monolingual class shall refer to a group of learners 
who speak the same mother tongue and are enrolled in the same grade level 
in a given school year. The Department of Education (DepEd) shall develop a 
language mapping policy and implement a language mapping framework to 
properly identify and classify learners based on their mother tongue in order 
to systematically determine the existence of monolingual classes per school 
year.
Sec. 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). - Within ninety (90) 
days from the effectivity of this Act, the DepEd, the Komisyon sa Wikang 
Filipino, and other education stakeholders shall issue the rules and 
regulations implementing its provisions. The IRR issued pursuant to this 
section shall take effect thirty (30) days after its publication in a newspaper 
of general circulation.
Sec. 4. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the other provisions not so declared shall remain in force 
and effect.
Sec. 5. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, presidential 
decrees, administrative orders, rules and regulations, issuances, or parts 
thereof contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or amended accordingly.


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Sec. 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,