Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.______ 
Introduced by Representative Shirlyn L. Bañas-Nograles 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to include subjects on the tribal culture, practices, arts and 
sciences, history and traditions of indigenous cultural communities/indigenous 
peoples in the primary and secondary curricula of all public and private schools 
within the ancestral domains.  
Sections 17 and 22, Article II of the 1987 Constitution provide that “the 
State shall give priority to education, science and technology, arts, culture, and 
sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and 
promote total human liberation and development”; and that “the State 
recognizes and promotes the rights of indigenous cultural communities within 
the framework of national unity and development.”  
The above-mentioned constitutional provisions find its tangible 
realizations through the passage of significant laws and accession of the 
Philippines to international agreements that protect, promote and recognize the 
rights of the ICCs/IPs.  
Section 2 (f) of Republic Act (RA) No. 8371, otherwise known as “The 
Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997” provides that “the State recognizes its 
obligations to respond to the strong expression of the ICCs/IPs for cultural 
integrity by assuring maximum ICC/IP participation in the direction of 
education, health, as well as other services of ICCs/IPs, in order to render such 
services more responsive to the needs and desires of these communities. x  x  x”  
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6:10 pm
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Article IX, Section 18 of RA 7610, otherwise known as the “Special 
Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination 
Act” provides that “the Department of Education, Culture and Sports shall 
develop and institute an alternative system of education for children of 
indigenous cultural communities which are culture-specific and relevant to the 
needs of and the existing situation in their communities.  The Department of 
Education, Culture and Sports shall also accredit and support non-formal but 
functional indigenous educational programs conducted by non-government 
organizations in said communities.”   
Article XIV (3) of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of 
Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) expressed that the “States shall, in conjunction 
with indigenous peoples, take effective measures, in order for indigenous 
individuals, particularly children, including those living outside their 
communities, to have access, when possible, to an education in their own 
culture and provided in their own language.”   
The IPs highly comprise the majority of the enrollees in the public and 
private primary and secondary schools in the ancestral domain areas.  It is 
necessary to equip the IPs students with the knowledge and skills that they need, 
to face various social realities and challenges without forgetting their roots.   
In order to preserve and continuously inculcate in the minds of the young 
IPs the significance and deeper understanding of their forebears, this proposed 
measure seeks to include subjects or lessons on the history, cultures, traditions, 
practices, arts, sciences and other important chronicles of the ICCs/IPs in the 
primary and secondary curricula of public and private schools within the 
ancestral domains.   
In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly 
sought. 
SHIRLYN L. BAÑAS-NOGRALES 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.______ 
Introduced by Representative Shirlyn L. Bañas-Nograles 
AN ACT 
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PROVIDING FOR THE INCLUSION OF SUBJECTS ON THE TRIBAL 
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CULTURE, PRACTICES, ARTS AND SCIENCES, HISTORY AND 
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TRADITIONS 
OF 
THE 
INDIGENOUS 
CULTURAL 
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COMMUNITIES/INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN THE PRIMARY AND 
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SECONDARY CURRICULA OF ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 
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PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS WITHIN THE ANCESTRAL 
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DOMAINS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
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Philippines in Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Indigenous 
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Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) Education Act.” 
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SEC. 2.  Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to promote 
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the rights of the ICCs/IPs, including the right to education that is linguistically 
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and culturally responsive. Towards this end, the State shall, through the 
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Department of Education (DepEd), enhance the curriculum of primary and 
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secondary schools within the ancestral domains by incorporating lessons on the 
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languages, cultures, traditions, practices, science, arts, and other significant 
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chronicles of the ICCs/IPs.  
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SEC. 3. Coverage. – This Act covers all primary and secondary schools 
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within the ancestral domain, or primary and secondary schools with ICCs/IPs, 
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students.  
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For purposes of this Act, ancestral domain and ICCs/IPs refer 
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respectively to the areas and group of people defined under Republic Act (RA) 
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No. 8371, otherwise known as “The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997.” 
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SEC. 4. Curriculum for ICCs/IPs Education. – The DepEd shall, in 
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close coordination with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples 
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(NCIP), the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCAA), the 
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Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT), the 
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Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and after thorough 
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consultation with the ICCs/IPs and other experts and practitioners, develop and 
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constantly update the primary and secondary curricula for ICCs/IPs education. 
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The culturally responsive curricula include: 
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(a) 
History of the ICCs/IP; 
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(b)  
Rights of ICCs/IPs under RA 8371 and the United Nations 
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Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; 
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(c) 
Customary laws of the ICCs/IPs; 
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(d) 
Practices and traditions of the ICCs/IPs; 
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(e)  
Relationship and responsibility of the  ICCs/IPs to the 
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environment; 
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(d) 
Arts and sciences of the ICCs/IPs; and 
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(e) 
Language or dialect of the ICCs/IPs. 
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SEC.  5.  Role and Functions of the DepEd. – The DepEd shall give 
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utmost priority to existing primary and secondary schools within ancestral 
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domains.  The DepEd shall, in coordination with the NCIP, the NCAA, the 
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DENR, the DICT, local government units, relevant professionals and experts, 
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exercise the following functions: 
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(a) 
Identify culture-appropriate subjects to be included in the 
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curriculum of each grade level in the primary and secondary schools;  
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(b) 
Formulate the guidelines for the hiring and deployment of teachers 
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with regard to the implementation of the curricula for ICCs/IPs education in 
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primary and secondary schools; and  
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(c) 
Review and update all existing curricula on ICCs/IPs education 
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every two (2) years to ensure that the curricula are appropriate and relevant to 
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ICCs/IPs students.  
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Other government agencies and instrumentalities shall provide assistance 
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to DepEd to ensure the effective and efficient implementation of this Act. 
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SEC. 6. Appropriations. – The amount necessary for the initial 
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implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year’s 
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appropriations of the DepEd. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the 
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continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General 
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Appropriations Act.  
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SEC. 7.  Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) 
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days from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall, in 
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consultation with the Commissioner of the National Commission on Indigenous 
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Peoples, Commissioner of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, 
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Secretary of Information and Communication Technology, and Secretary of 
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Environment and Natural Resources, promulgate the necessary rules and 
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regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. 
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SEC. 8. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part of this Act is 
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declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not 
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affected shall remain in full force and effect.  
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SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, 
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administrative order, rules and regulations, or other issuances or parts thereof 
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contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are repealed, amended 
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or modified accordingly.  
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SEC. 10.  Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
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its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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