Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

aN

Quezon Cit
‘ Y RECEINED ue
NINETEENTH CONGRESS FE b Jun 308
First Regular Session <

House BILL No. 251

Introduced by

KABATAAN PARTY-LIST Representative Raoul Daniel A. Manuel,
ACT TEACHERS PARTY-LIST Representative France L. Castro,

and GABRIELA WOMEN'S PARTY Representative Arlene D. Brosas

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE SAFE REOPENING OF SCHOOLS AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Itis the declared policy of the State to protect and promote the right of all citizens to
quality education at all levels, and to take appropriate steps to make such education
accessible to all. In line with this policy, economic, technological and health-related
barriers to achieving quality education need to be minimized if not eliminated - even
in the context of a global pandemic.

The COVID-19 public health emergency has worsened the pre-pandemic education
situation in the Philippines. Schools have remained closed since the government
declared a nationwide lockdown in March 2020, with face-to-face classes only
operating on a very limited capacity and no clear direction towards the safe and full
resumption of face-to-face classes. The abrupt shift to remote learning and teaching
has magnified the income and digital divide among students, teachers, and all other
stakeholders, thereby making quality education largely inaccessible amid the


pandemic. The prolonged school closures and never-ending lockdowns have
affected not just learning and teaching, it has also taken a toll on mental health and
the total well-being. Not everyone has conducive learning, teaching, and working
spaces at home. Children have suffered immensely from learning loss. Clearly, we
are facing a major learning crisis as much as we are in a major health crisis.

Based on World Bank (September 2020) and Asian Development Bank (December
2020) reports, the estimated cost of school closure and learning loss due to the
COVID-19 pandemic is about 16-point loss learning in terms of PISA scores, and up
to $10 trillion learning loss or 2.3% in lifetime learning of current students. In the
Philippines, school closures cost up to 1.9 trillion or 10% reduction in real GDP.
based on 2019 figures.

As of September 2021, UNICEF and UNESCO reported that the Philippines was one
of the last two countries in the world with schools fully closed since the World Health
Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic in March 2020. Eventually, the
Philippines was left behind as the last country to decide to gradually reopen schools.
Despite several criticisms launched at the implementation of distance learning, no
meaningful changes have been introduced to virtual and/or modular learning, thus
leading to the conclusion that face-to-face classes are a better option to minimize the
technological and income divide brought about by distance learning

While there have been face-to-face classes operating in a limited capacity, there
needs to be a measure that will set into motion the resumption of face-to-face
classes, and not just rely on the sluggish pace of executive action. This bill seeks to
provide the framework and funding for the safe reopening of schools—it proposes
several mandatory actions for the reopening of public and private schools in the
basic and tertiary levels of education and the conduct of face-to-face classes: the
conduct of free and regular mass testing of teachers, school personnel, field
personnel and students who are suspect cases; contact tracing of individuals testing
positive for COVID-19; referral of appropriate actions for individuals who test positive
and become probable cases such as treatment and isolation; COVID-safe
classrooms and learning spaces; devices or gadgets and internet connectivity for


teachers; hazard pay; and education information about COVID-19, its transmission,
and prevention.

The provisions of the bill aim to ensure that schools are immediately equipped with
necessary systems and facilities necessary for the implementation of full resumption
of face-to-face classes at the soonest possible and that schools are logistically
prepared to prevent the uncontrolled and unmonitored spread of COVID-19 among
teachers, non-teaching personnel and students while these institutions continue
providing education. These will address the immediate and long-term concerns
aired by teachers, employees in schools, students, and parents: How do we ensure
that reopening of schools and the conduct of face-to-face classes will not subject
them to infection from individuals who may either be with symptoms, undiagnosed
sufferers of COVID-19, or asymptomatic carriers?

Schools ought to be places where children can access basic health services—just as
the World Health Organization has urged the Philippines and other member-states in
1995 through its Global School Health Initiative to make every school an “entry point
for health promotion and a location for health intervention.” A health-based response
against COVID-19 means that schools are recognized as crucial institutions in this
long-term health crisis, where education personnel and children are empowered with
the knowledge, capacity, and facilities to prevent themselves and their families from
being infected with the novel coronavirus and to inhibit the spread in their
communities,

The essence of this bill also corresponds to several mandates under existing laws on
the working conditions of and health measures for teachers and school personnel,
such as the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers (Republic Act 4670), the Labor
Code (Presidential Decree 442), and rules and regulations issued by the Department
of Education, Commission on Higher Education, and Department of Labor.

The authors, along with various sectors of society, call on Congress to allocate
sufficient budget to address these demands, and on Malacafiang to certify as urgent
this bill along with other much-needed, long overdue ‘ayuda’ or relief measures, for
implementation at the soonest time possible.


In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is eamestty sought.

DANNIEL/A. MANUEL,
Kabataan Partylist



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO,_251__

Introduced by
KABATAAN PARTY-LIST Representative Raoul Daniel A. Manuel,
ACT TEACHERS PARTY-LIST Representative France L. Castro,
and GABRIELA WOMEN’S PARTY Representative Arlene D. Brosas.

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE SAFE REOPENING OF SCHOOLS AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR

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 “Safe Schools Reopening
Bill.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to uphold the right to
education, ensure its quality and accessibility at all levels, and allocate public funding
and resources accordingly.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Act:

(a) “Government schools’ — refers to public educational institutions owned and
controlled by the government or its instrumentalities, including state universities
and colleges, local universities and colleges, other government schools, and
Public schools in basic education;

(b) “Private schools” ~ refers to private educational institutions not owned and
controlled by the government or its instrumentalities;

(c) “Teachers” — refers to all persons engaged in teaching at the elementary,
secondary levels, or higher levels of education, whether on full-time or part-time
basis, including industrial arts or vocational teachers and all other persons
performing supervisory and/or administrative functions in all schools in the
aforesaid levels and qualified to practice teaching;

(d) “Education personnel” - refers to those persons holding some academic
qualifications and performing academic functions directly supportive of
teaching, such as registrars, librarians, research assistants, research aides,


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and similar staff and/or all other school personnel not falling under the definition
and coverage of “teachers” as defined in this Act;

(e) “Learners” — refer to all Filipino students who are either currently enrolled at the
time of the effectivity of this Act, or shall enroll at any time thereafter, at all
levels: Provided, That they pass the entrance examination and other admission
and retention requirements of these academic institutions;

(f) “Safe reopening and safe operations of schools” — shall mean schools and
learning establishments that are logistically prepared (1) to prevent the spread
of COVID-19 among teachers, non-teaching personnel, and students and (2)
to continue providing education at the same time, with the maximum protection
for all individuals. Measures for safe reopening and safe operations of schools
will ensure conditions that reduce the transmission of the coronavirus;
safeguard essential services and supplies; and promote healthy behavior
among teachers, non-teaching personnel, and students. This includes the
provision of access to clean water and soap for safe handwashing, sanitation
facilities, procedures on when staff or students feel unwell, protocols on
physical distancing, and good hygiene practices;

(g) "Risk assessment’ — refers to a methodology to determine the nature and extent
of risk by analyzing potential hazards and evaluating existing conditions of
vulnerability that together could potentially harm exposed people, property,
services, livelihood, and the environment on which they depend. Risk
assessments with associated risk mapping include: a review of the technical
characteristics of hazards such as their location, intensity, frequency and
probability; the analysis of exposure and vulnerability including the physical,
social, health, economic and environmental dimensions; and the evaluation of
the effectiveness of prevailing and alternative coping capacities in respect to
likely risk scenarios;

(h) “Low-risk areas” — refers to areas which have substantially low rates in these
respects: (i) the number of confirmed cases per 10,000 population, and (ji) the
average land area per confirmed case, as a measure of the ability to practice
social distancing; (ii) the number of isolation rooms per active case (defined as
total number of symptomatic cases less recoveries less deaths), and (iv) the
number of ventilators per active case, pursuant to local and global standards;

(i) “High-risk areas” — refers to areas which have substantially high rates in these
respects: (i) the number of confirmed cases per 10,000 population, and (i) the
average land area per confirmed case, as a measure of the ability to practice
social distancing; (ii) the number of isolation rooms per active case (defined as
total number of symptomatic cases less recoveries less deaths), and (iv) the
number of ventilators per active case, pursuant to local and global standards;

() “Community-based, people-oriented, grassroots-level response” — refers to the
planning, execution, and assessment of pandemic-related response to
educational needs of the community, with active involvement of civil society
groups, individuals, and other interested parties;


(k) “Education stakeholders” - refers to those persons or groups of persons as
such or associated in institutions involved in organized teaching and learning
systems, which may include, but are not limited to, parents, students, teachers,
school personnel, and administrators;

() ‘Well-ventilated” - means the conformity of a particular educational institution
with science-based ventilation requirements imposed by national and
international standards;

(m) “Mass testing for COVID-19" ~is the testing of teachers, school personnel, field
personnel, and students who are at risk of contracting COVID-19 infection.
Testing shall be free of charge or covered by PhilHealth, as the case may be.
No part of the test or procedure towards the same shall be charged from
teachers, personnel or students;

(n) “Suspect cases’ - are, pursuant to the case definitions published and
implemented by the World Health Organization and the Department of Health:

1. individuals with acute respiratory illness (fever and at least one sign or
symptom of respiratory disease, e.g., cough, shortness of breath), AND
a history of travel to or residence in a location reporting community
transmission of COVID-19 disease during the 14 days prior to symptom
onset;

2. individuals with any acute respiratory illness AND having been in contact
with a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case (see definition of contact)
in the last 14 days prior to symptom onset; or

3. individuals with severe acute respiratory illness (fever and at least one
sign/symptom of respiratory disease, e.g. cough, shortness of breath;
AND requiring hospitalization) AND in the absence of an alternative
diagnosis that fully explains the clinical presentation.

(0) “Probable cases” — are:
1. suspect cases for whom testing for the COVID-19 virus is inconclusive or
2. suspect cases for whom testing could not be performed for any reason

SECTION 4. Implementation of the Program for Safe Reopening of Schools. - It
is hereby mandated that a program to enable the safe reopening of schools be
instituted immediately at all levels of education amid the COVID-19 pandemic:
Provided further, that the safety of the educational institutions be based on the risk
assessment of their localities as per health and scientific standards. Commission on
Higher Education (CHED), Department of Education (DepEd), State Universities and
Colleges (SUCs), Local University and Colleges (LUCs), Department of Health (DOH),
and the Local Government Units (LGUs) will immediately implement policies in line
with said health risk assessment

SECTION 5. Coverage. — This Act shall cover all public and private educational
institutions at primary, secondary, tertiary, and postgraduate levels.


SECTION 6. Specific Programs and Funding to Ensure the Safe Reopening of
Schools. - To enable the safe reopening of schools, the following programs shall, at
minimum, be funded and implemented:

a) Proper Ventilation of Leaming Spaces. Classrooms and laboratories in
government-funded educational institutions at the basic and tertiary levels must
be provided with exhaust fans, air filters and carbon dioxide meters.

Four hundred forty-one million pesos (P441,000,000.00) for Higher Education
and Five billion, Six hundred seventy million pesos (P5,670,000,000.00) for
Basic Education is hereby appropriated.

b) On-Campus Health Facilities and Supplies. CHED and DepEd shall have
additional fund allocations equivalent to One million pesos (P1,000,000.00) per
public school in basic education and per campus of government schools in
higher education

Six hundred sixty-seven million pesos (P667,000,000.00) for Higher Education
and Forty-seven billion, Five hundred fifty-three milion pesos
(P47,553,000,000.00) for Basic Education is appropriated for supply of well-
fitting face masks for learners, teachers and education personnel; retrofitting of
classrooms; construction, repair, or conversion of spaces for school clinics;
adequate water supply; installation or repair of sanitation facilities such as
adequate comfort rooms, hand-washing facilities, and others; procurement of
supplies for hygiene and regular sanitation such as soap, sanitizers, alcohol
and disinfectant; and other necessary health facilities and supplies.

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and per district among public schools in basic education

Three hundred thirteen million, Five hundred twenty-three thousand, Three
hundred fifty pesos (P313,523,350.00) for Higher Education and Nine hundred
forty million, One hundred thousand pesos (P940,100,000.00) for Basic
Education is hereby appropriated

d)

Support for Private Educational institutions. Private schools shall hereby
receive a grant of One million pesos (P1,000,000.00) per institution for the
implementation of specific measures to ensure their safe reopening, subject to
qualifications and requirements that may be imposed by either DepEd or
CHED.

‘Two hundred twenty million pesos (P220,000,000.00) is appropriated to CHED
and One billion, Eight hundred eleven million pesos (P1,811,000,000.00) to
DepEd for this purpose.

e)

Testing Program for Leamers, Teachers and Education Personnel. PhilHealth
shall shoulder the costs of testing among teachers and education personnel,
while CHED and DepEd shall have a ready fund for weekly testing of learners.


9g

h)

d

Four hundred nineteen million, Eight hundred thirty-two thousand pesos
(P419,832,000.00) is appropriated to CHED and Three billion, Two hundred
forty-seven million, Five hundred twenty-four thousand pesos
(P3,247,524,000.00) to DepEd to ensure the regular COVID-19 testing of
leamers every seven (7) days.

Medical Fund for Free Treatment. There shall also be a ready fund for both
basic and higher education to ensure that the treatment of learners, teaching
and non-teaching personnel who contract COVID-19 will be paid for by the
state

Four billion, Seven hundred million Pesos (P4,700,000,000.00) is hereby
appropriated to DOH for this particular standby fund.

Internet Allowance for Teachers. There must be an allocation of One thousand
five hundred pesos (P1,500.00) for a period of ten (10) months to ensure
internet connectivity of teachers at both basic and higher levels of education for
the continued distance learning amid reopening of schools.

Two billion, One hundred ninety million pesos (Php 2, 190,000,000.00) is hereby
appropriated to CHED and Tweive billion, Five hundred thirty-nine million, One
hundred sixty pesos (P12,539, 160,000.00) is hereby appropriated to DepEd for
the provision of internet allowance of teachers.

Devices for Teachers. There must be a subsidy of Twenty-five thousand pesos.
(P25,000.00) for all teachers without proper devices.

Seventeen billion, Three hundred thirty nine million, Six hundred twenty five
thousand pesos (P17,339,625,000.00) is appropriated and be made available
for the procurement of laptops for basic education teachers.

Compensation for Work Rendered in Excess of Teaching Hours and Additional
Compensation for Co-curricular Activities. Teachers shall be paid an additional
compensation of at least twenty-five (25) percent of their basic pay for work
rendered in excess of six (6) teaching hours, and an additional compensation
of at least twenty-five (25) percent of their basic pay for co-curricular, out of
school activities and any other activities outside of what is defined as normal
duties of any teacher, as provided under Sections 13 and 14 of Republic Act
4670 or the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers: Provided, That this shall
include a backpay of additional compensation for excess work and co-curricular
activities rendered by teachers in School Year 2020-2021

Twenty two billion pesos (P22,000,000,000.00) is appropriated to provide for
the payment of additional compensation under this Act.

Hazard Pay for Teachers and Education Personnel. Teachers and non-
teaching personnel must be compensated for the risks they will be taking when
they perform their duties.


Three hundred fifty million pesos (P350,000,000.00) is appropriated as a
standby fund for CHED to provide hazard pay for teachers and education
personnel, while Two billion pesos (P2,000,000,000.00) is allocated as a
standby fund for DepEd for the same program

The sum of One hundred twenty-two billion, Four hundred one million, Seven
hundred sixty-four thousand, three hundred fifty pesos (P122,401,764,350.00) is
hereby appropriated to DepEd, CHED and DOH for the implementation of this Section

This section shall lose its operative force upon full utilization of the funds appropriated
therefor.

SECTION 7. Safe Operations under Better Conditions.

a) Contact tracing of individuals who test positive for COVID-19. The DOH shall
ensure that all individuals who have tested positive shall be interviewed for as.
many contacts as possible, with priority to close contacts. It shall also ensure
that all traced contacts are monitored for symptoms and, where necessary,
tested and treated

b) Referral of appropriate actions for individuals who test positive and become
probable cases, as the case may be. This shall include but not be limited to
treatment and isolation at home or at the public nearest to the individual's
residence. Referral shall be, as much as possible, to public hospitals,
institutions, and facilities so as to encourage maximum compliance and to
ensure the least financial burden to the individual concerned and her or his
family

Inno case may a teacher, non-teaching personnel, or student be discriminated
against in any manner in instances where her or his absence from school
occurs due to treatment or isolation

°)

Education information about COVID-19, its transmission, and prevention for
teaching personnel, school staff and students. The above agencies shall
ensure the conduct of activities such as a “COVID Hour” where information
about the novel coronavirus, how it is transmitted, and how it can be prevented
will be taught. This mandate shall also include the delivery of such information
through accessible learning modes for teachers and learners with disabilities.

d

All agencies shall endeavor to achieve improved leaming and the provision of
more comprehensive support for children at the school including health,
nutrition, psychosocial support, and water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.
They shall also develop the capacities of teachers and school personnel
towards making schools resilient from COVID-19.

SECTION 8. Guidelines for Reopening of Schools. - All LGUs and concerned
government agencies, together with the education stakeholders, shall evaluate actual
needs and conditions in their respective localities, and shall be guided by the following


(a) There shall be immediate planning for the mechanics of the resumption of face-
to-face classes in low-risk areas, while undertaking plans to reduce the risk in
high-risk areas;

(b) The LGUs and education stakeholders shall be involved in the conduct of
thorough and scientific risk assessments. A community-based, people-
oriented, grassroots-level response to the pandemic shall be in place.
Stakeholders shall also be included and involved in all levels of education-
related pandemic response and recovery steps;

(©) Allowing the physical use of school facilities such as libraries, laboratories and
computer rooms shall be mandatory as part of the reopening of schools, subject
to certain health regulations;

(d) Extracurricular activities may be allowed, provided that these abide with
minimum health standards and other reasonable guidelines that schools and
other education stakeholders may agree upon;

(e) Schools must be provided with necessary facilities and supplies, ensure proper
training for all personnel on sanitation procedures, and prepare a contingency
plan for suspect, probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases;

(f) Should the area where a school is located be classified as high-risk, the school
and LGU shall ramp up programs on free and efficient testing, contact tracing
and treatment, and free, safe, and accessible vaccination. Schools and LGUs
shall exhaust all possible mechanisms to provide venues that allow physical
learning among students and teachers;

(9) With the voluntary retum of stakeholders in schools, continued support for
distance learning programs, in the form of free gadgets and stable internet
connectivity to students and teachers, remains urgent and necessary for those
who opt not to avail of the physical resumption of classes; and

(h) Emphasis must be on the quality of learning rather than the imposition of heavy
academic requirements and grading system. Academic easing shall be
implemented as the need arises and upon deliberation by the educational
institutions’ administration and representatives of stakeholders.

SECTION 9. Protection of Democratic Rights and Welfare of the Education
Sector. — Upon effectivity of this Act, the democratic rights and welfare of students,
teachers and education personnel shall be guaranteed through various democratic
and inclusive means and spaces, such as, but not limited to:

(a) Guaranteeing financial autonomy and independent operations of student
councils/governments, publications and organizations;

(b) Supporting the needs for physical, mental, and emotional health;

(0) Providing adequate, accessible psychosocial services and counseling;


(d) Activating mechanisms against sexual harassment and in-campus violence;
and

(e) Upholding academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and schools as zones of
peace by prohibiting the police, military, and other law enforcement forces and
agents from entering schools and conducting red-tagging fora that endanger
the safety and security of education stakeholders: Provided, that prior
notification shall be given by the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP), or any other law enforcement agency intending
to conduct any police, military, or law enforcement operations in any
educational institution; notification shall be given to the school head, or officer-
in-charge in the event of his/her absence, and to the student regent, student
council or government, faculty regent or representative, and staff regent or non-
academic personnel representative, when the situation so warrants.

SECTION 10. Assessment at Least One Month Prior to School Reopening. Within
one (1) month before the target reopening of schools, the DOH, DepEd, CHED, and
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) shall assess the
readiness of all schools under their jurisdiction for safe reopening. They shall submit
to the Senate and the House of Representatives their respective reports under this
Act, including but not limited to statistics on mass testing, contact tracing, availability
of COVID-safe classrooms or lack thereof, and the budgetary and personnel
requirements of public schools and higher education institutions for the safe reopening
of schools.

SECTION 11. Participatory and Transparent Mechanisms for the Safe
Reopening of Schools. In the fulfiliment of their respective mandates under this Act,
the DOH, DepEd, CHED, and TESDA shall be in strict consultation with organizations
and unions of teaching and non-teaching staff in schools, field personnel, parents and
students. All dialogues and documents, especially those which are made the bases
of policy, shall furthermore be open to the public.

At the school and LGU level, the genuine participation of students, parents, teaching
and non-teaching personnel, and representatives of immediate communities in
committee meetings and planning related to school reopening must be ensured.

SECTION 12. Prohibited Acts. - Upon effectivity of this Act, it shall be unlawful for
any person and/or any learning institution to

(a) Impose additional rates on the tuition and/or other school fees being charged
to its students under a State of Calamity and/or Public Health Emergency;

(b) Unlawtully appropriate said funding for purposes other than those specified in
this Act: Provided, That the criminal offense arising from the violation of this
Section does not preclude the criminal offenses that may be charged under the
Revised Penal Code and other special laws;

(0) Allow entry in schools and the conduct of fora of police, military, and other law
enforcement forces and agents, who endanger the safety and security of
education stakeholders based on national and international laws and
agreements, and violate Section 8(f) of this Act


SECTION 13. Penalties. — A violation as enumerated under Section 8 of this Act shall
be meted a penalty of imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not more than
fone (1) year or a fine of not less than Twenty thousand pesos (Php 20,000.00) but not
more than One hundred thousand pesos (Php 100,000.00), or both, at the discretion
ofthe court. In case of a university, college or any other judicial entity, the penalty shall
be imposed on the president, treasurer or the officer or person responsible for the

violation.

SECTION 14. Sources of Funding.

(a) For the immediate implementation of Section 6 of this Act, funds shall be
sourced from the following:

(i)

(i)

(ii)

(v)

™

‘The General Appropriations Act (GAA) in place for the particular
fiscal year that this Act is passed: Provided, That funds for the
herein authorized programs, activities and projects (P/A/Ps) shall
be sourced primarily from the unprogrammed funds and savings
realized from modified, realigned, or reprogrammed allocations
for operational expense of any government agency or
instrumentality under the Executive Department, including, but
not limited to, traveling expenses, supplies and materials,
expenses, professional services, infrastructure projects, general
services, advertising expenses, printing and publication
expenses, and other maintenance and operating expenses in the
GAA currently in place: Provided, That such discontinued P/A/Ps
do not support the objectives of economic stimulus and recovery
for having low labor intensity or low multiplier effects: Provided,
further, That infrastructure, having the highest multiplier effect can
only be discontinued when all other funds, including unobligated
allotments and unreleased appropriations, have been exhausted

Excess revenue collections in any one of the identified tax or non-
tax revenue sources from its corresponding revenue collection
target, as provided in the Budget of Expenditures and Sources of
Financing (BESF);

New revenue collections or those arising from new tax or non-tax
sources which are not part of nor included in the original sources
included in the FY 2021 BESF;

Any unutilized or unreleased balance in special purpose funds
(SPFs) shall be considered to have their purpose abandoned as
declared by the President. All such unspent, unutilized, or
unreleased money or funds sourced from SPFs shall be utilized
and are hereby appropriated for such measures to accomplish the
declared national policy herein;

Cash, funds, and investments held by any GOCC or any National
Government Agency: Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the

9


President is hereby authorized to allocate cash, funds,
investments, including unutilized or unreleased subsidies and
transfers, held by any GOCC or any National Government
Agency; and

(vi) Unused appropriation for debt servicing: Notwithstanding any law
to the contrary, the President may direct the discontinuance of
unutilized automatic appropriations for debt service and available
appropriation for redemption of maturing government securities
and use the savings generated therefrom to augment the
allocation for any item necessary for the purposes identified in this
Act. All amounts so reprogrammed, reallocated, or realigned shall
be deemed automatically appropriate for the said purposes:
Provided, That for interest payments, the savings will be
generated from the unused appropriations after actual payment
of interest per month as reported by the Bureau of Treasury to the
DBM: Provided further, That for principal repayment the savings
will be generated from the funds freed up as a result of a debt
exchange by the Bureau of Treasury.

(b) For succeeding implementation of this Act, the amounts necessary to
carry out the provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual
General Appropriations Act (GAA) and shall be appropriated under
SUCs, DepEd, CHED, TESDA and PhilHealth in accordance with the
provisions of this Act.

SECTION 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Upon enactment of this Act,
a task force shall be created in charge of the promulgation of the Implementing Rules
and Regulations (IRR) needed for the implementation of the relevant provisions of this
Act. This task force shall be led by representatives of DepEd and CHED, and
composed of following members: (1) representatives of accredited regional unions of
public school teachers and unions of education teaching personnel in public schools;
(2) National Youth Commission; (3) a representative from the Philippine Association
of State Universities and Colleges; (4) a representative from the Coordinating Council
of Private Educational Associations; (5) a representative from the Association of Local
Colleges and Universities; (6) representatives from the Student Regents’ Federation
and student councils; and (7) representatives from the National Youth and Student
Organizations and Formations: Provided, That the committee shall finish and
promulgate the IRR within thirty (30) days after the effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 16. Reporting to Congress. - The implementing agencies shall submit, in
either printed form or by way of electronic document, to the Joint Congressional
Oversight Committee, the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate
Committee on Finance and the Commission on Audit, the monthly reports regarding
the implementation of this Act. The quarterly reports shall likewise be uploaded on the
official website of the respective implementing agencies.

SECTION 17. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason or reasons, any part or
provision of this Act shall be declared as unconstitutional or invalid, the other parts or


Provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and
effect.

SECTION 18. Repealing Clause. - All provisions of existing laws, orders, rules and
regulations or parts thereof which are in conflict or inconsistent with the provisions of
this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly

SECTION 19. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect immediately upon its

Publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
circulation in the Philippines.

Approved,