REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
Thil'd RegulaI' Session 
SENATE 
3228 
S.B.NO. __ _ 
Introduced by Senator EDGARDO J. ANGARA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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Inequality pervades in our society because opportunitics are unfairly distributed. 
And to provide equilibrium in opportunities in all social spectra, education is being 
given the thrust -- said to be the great equalizer and balance wheel of social machinery. 
But beyond the discourse of social equity, putting emphasis on education has an 
undeniable practicality because an educated citizenry correlates to a productive and 
stable society. It is more than just the perfunctory transfer of concepts and theories but 
rather a tool for transformation and empowerment of individuals and communities. 
For this reason, if the govcrnment is serious in its commitment to rural 
development and empowerment, a fundamental step to be taken is ensuring equitable 
access to education in the countryside. Statistics have consistently demonstrated the 
widening gap between urban and rural development, and concomitantly, poverty 
incidence. The poverty incidcnce victimizes a bulk of the agricultural sector who mostly 
reside in the rural areas, resulting to a vicious cycle of worsening deprivation, 
marginalization and underdevelopment. 
Education can also be used in ensuring sustainable agricultural productivity in 
the country for the coming decades by creating an educational system applicablc and 
fitting to rural, agricultural communities. As such, the youth are not keen in taking 
professions in the agricultural sector. Proof of this is the dvvindling figures of enrolment 
and number of graduatcs of agricultural courses. Thc already low figures of enrollees 
decrease furthermore as the academic years commence, resulting to disappointingly few 
graduates of agricultural courses. 
Tniditional educational systems havc long been speckled throughout the country. 
But the rural communities necd an educational system suited to their environment and 
realities. Hence, this bill proposes to promote Rural Farm Schools as an alternative 
delivery mode of secondary education without sacrificing quality of cducation. 
The Rural Farm School shall be a parallel learning system and an alternative 
delivery modc of sccondary education. It is a facilitative and experiential learning on 
the core subjects of social sciences, numeracy, literacy with focus on agriculture and 
patterned after the needs of rural, agricultural communities. It has four academic years 
with the last year being integrative learning with emphasis on farm entrepreneurship to 
encourage the youth to become local entrepreneurs in their l'espective rural, agricultural 
communities. 


The teaching methodology provides a flexible alternative to the rigid structure of 
formal education. In the Rural Farm School, students engage in an alternating training 
cycle of home and school period. The student may go to learning centers as scheduled 
by the school to learn concepts and theories or the students may obtain modules from 
the tutors and take it home subject to the monitoring and assessment ofthe tutors. The 
other half of the cycle is the home period wherein the students shall spend half of the 
educative process at home as they work in their own farms or in other farms or 
enterprises to apply and practice the academic principles learned from school. 
In consonance with the State's policy to provide free secondary education, the 
students enrolled in public Rural Farm Schools will not pay any tuition fee. Having 
minimal overhead expenses because of the flexible methodology and having no tuition 
fee lessen the financial burden on the parents especially since abject poverty is prevalent 
in the rural pocket sides. 
And in fl1ltherance of attaining social equity, the children and grandchildren of 
CARP beneficiaries are given preference in admission should the school exceed its 
allowable number of enrollees. They shall likewise be exempted from paying tuition fees 
in private sector-led Rural Farm Schools. Agrarian Reform Communities, on the other 
hand, shall be given priority in the site selection and establishment of Rural Farm 
Schools. 
The Rural Farm School is, thus, a multipronged attack against poverty, inequity, 
agricultural decline, and economic constriction in the rural areas. Firstly, it provides 
opportunities for and access to learning, at minimal or zero cost, to the rural youth, 
equipping them with appropriate knowledge and practical skills that can be readily 
applied in their environment. 
Secondly, it entices the rural youth to engage in 
agricultural courses and/or enterprises leading to agricultural viability and 
sustainability. Accordingly, these will warm the social and economic engines of the 
countryside, lessening poverty incidence and empowering the rural communities. 
In view of the foregoing, passage of this bill is fervently sought. 
SEN. EDGARDO J. ANGARA 


REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
Third Regular Session 
SENATE BILL N03 2 2 8 
Introduced By Sen. Edgardo J. Angara 
JUN ;; () 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING 
RURAL 
FARM 
SCHOOLS AS ALTERNATIVE 
DELIVERY MODE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION AND APPROPRIATING 
IIUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. 
Shori Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Rural Farm Schools Act". 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. -
It is hereby declared to be the policy of the State to 
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protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and take 
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appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all. Further to this, the State shall 
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establish, maintain and support a complete, adequate and integrated system of educalion 
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relevant to the needs of the people and society and encourage nonfonnal, informal and 
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indigenous learning systems, as well as self-learning, independent and out-of-school study 
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programs particularly those that respond to community needs. 
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The State shall likewise promote sustainable agricultural productivity and rural 
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development by empowering the human capital in the countryside through access to avenues 
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oflearning suited to the needs and realities of the rural agricultural communities. 
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In furtherance of the principles of social justice and social equity, the State shall provide 
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the necessary support to the beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program 
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(CARP) including, but not limited to, the provision of access to a broad range of educational 
1.1 
opportunities to their children. 
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SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. -
For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall be 
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defined as follows: 
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(a) Allemaiive delivery mode refers to the nontraditional education program recognized 
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by the Department of Education (DepED) which applies a flexible learning philosophy and a 
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curricular delivery program that includes nonformal and informal sources of knowledge and 
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skills. An alternative delivery mode may include the use of facilitator-aided and interactive 
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self-instructional print and audio-based learning materials, video tapes, 
face-to-face 
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strnctured learning groups, semi-structured and unstructured discussions, one-on-one 
tutorials, study groups and self-learning groups, demonstration sessions, home visits, 
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mentoring and remediation. 


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(b) Rural farm school refers to a parallel learning system and an alternative delivery 
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mode of secondary education. It provides for facilitative and experiential learning on the core 
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subjects of the secondary education curriculum with focus on agri-fisheries, designed to 
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address the needs of children in rural, agricultural or fishing communities. 
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(c) Public ruralfann school refers to a rural farm school operated by the government or 
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any of its political subdivisions. 
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(d)Priuale ruralfarm school refers to a rural farm school operated by a private entity, a 
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nongovernment organization or a farm association. This is a school which is not funded by 
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the government or any of its political subdivisions. 
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(e) Tutors refer to facilitators or instructors who comprise the teaching staff of the rural 
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farm school. They are specialists in their own fields of endeavor and who facilitate the 
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educative process. 
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(D CARP bene./lciaries refer to farmers or their kin who had received Certificates of Land 
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Ownership Award (CLOA) or Emancipation Patents under Republic Act No. 6657, as 
40 
amended, otherwise known as the "Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988". 
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(g) Agrarian reform community refers to a barangay or cluster of barangays where a 
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critical mass of agrarian reform beneficiaries is situated. 
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(h) Farm entrepreneurship refers to the intermingling of finance, business and 
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agriculture in setting into operation or motion a business venture involved in the production 
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of agricultural commodities or enterprises. 
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SEC. 4. listablishment oJ Rural ?ann Schools. 
Rural farm schools are hereby 
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established to provide an alternative delivery mode of secondary education. The public rural 
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farm schools shall be free from tuition and other school fees, except those fees which may be 
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allowed by the DepED. Private rural farm schools shall set a minimal tuition and other fees 
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subject to the approval of the DepED: Provided, That the relatives of CARP beneficiaries up 
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to the third degree of consanguinity in the descending line shall be exempt from payment of 
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the fees. 
5] 
The DepED shall institutionalize high standards of quality assurance in rural farm 
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schools. These standards shall involve prescribing guidelines and policies on the operation 
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and management of rural farm schools as well as basic curricular content to ensure the 
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credibility and academic integrity of rural farm schools. 
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Within one (1) year upon the formulation of the implementing rules and regulations of 
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this Act, the DepED shall encourage the establishment of at least one (1) public rural farm 
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school in every province in the country. 
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SEC. 5. Implementing Agency. 
The DepED, through the Bureau of Secondary 
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Education, shall regulate the organization and operation of the rural farm schools and the 
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implementation of its curriculum as prescribed herein. 


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SEC. 6. Curriculum alld Teaching Methodology. -
The curriculum of the rural farm 
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school shall follow the core secondary education curriculum of the DepED with add-on 
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courses focuscd on Agri-Fishery Arts. 
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The last two (2) academic years in the rural farm school educational system shall focus 
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on integrative learning across all subject disciplines in the curriculum with emphasis on farm 
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entrepreneurship theory and practice and its promotion as a tool in cultivating local 
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entrepreneurs, revitalizing rural economics and repopulating rllral communities. 
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The rural farll1 schools shall apply a l1exible learning philosophy which may include an 
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alternative delivery mode as recognized by the DepED. 
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SEC. 7. Eligible Students. - Graduales of elementary school education, regardless of age, 
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shall be eligible to enroll in the rural farm schools for their secondary education. 
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Relatives of the beneficiaries of the CARP up to the third degree of consanguinity in the 
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descending line shall be given priority in admission when the rural farm school cannot 
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accommodate all ofthose applyingfor enrollmenl. 
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SEC. 8. The School Head. -
Every rural farm school shall have a school head to oversee 
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its operatiolls and management. The school head shall be tasked to facilitate the tutors' 
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participation in professional development activities including technical skills training and 
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extension services by the DepED, the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of 
81 
Agrarian Reform (DAR). The school head shall also ensure that the curricular program is 
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properly implemented and sufficient and adequate educational resources arc available and 
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accessible to the students. 
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SEC. 9. The Tllt01'S. -
The tutors of the rural farm school shall be specialists in their 
85 
fields of endeavor. 
They shall act as teachers, guidance counselors, rural developers, 
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livelihood project proponents, marketing specialists and/or project consultants. They shall 
87 
establish a working partnership with the parents by conducting parent-tutor dialogues and 
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parent workshops. 
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SEC. 1O.Salm'y of RU1'al Fa1'm School Personnel. -
Public rural farm school personnel 
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shall receive a monthly basic salary based on the compensation prescribed under the Salary 
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Standardization Law, as amended, ill addition to other benefits prescribed by law. 
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In the case of private rural farm school personnel, they shall receive the salary and other 
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benefits prescribed under the Labor Code ohhe Philippines. 
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SEC. 11. Skills Tmining ((Ild Extension Support. -
The DepED, the DAR, the DA, the 
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Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Agricultural 
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Training Institute (AT!) shall provide continuous technical skills training and provision of 
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extension materials including, but not limited to, books, student workbooks, teaching session 
98 
guides and other materials or equipment on the subjects offered, and other extension services 
99 
to the tutors of rural farm schools. 


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100 
SEC. 12.Accreditulioll (~r Rural Farm Schools. - The DepED shall set the requirements 
101 
for accreditation of rural farm schools and accredit those that shall meet the prescribed 
102 
requirements. Rural farm schools may not operate unless accredited by the DepED. 
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The DepED may withdraw or downgrade the accreditation of a rural farm school if it 
104 
fails to maintain the standards set for its accredi talion. 
lOS 
All accredited private rural farm schools, their mentors or facilitators and students shall 
106 
be eligible for subsidies under Republic Act No. 6728, 
as amended by Republic Act No. 
107 
8545, or the "Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private 
IUS 
Education Act". 
109 
SEC. 13. Sclwol Monitoring and Evaluation. 
The DepED shall conduct regular 
110 
monitoring and evaluation to determine continuing compliance with the requirements on 
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accreditation status of the rural farm schools and to determine whether or not the rural farm 
112 
schools adhere to the standards of quality assurance prescribed by the DepED. 
113 
SEC. 14. Tax Exemption. -
Any donation, contribution, bequest or grant which may be 
114 
made to a rural farm school duly accredited under Section 12 of this Act shall be exempt from 
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the donor's tax and the same shall be considered as allowable deduction from the gross 
116 
income in the computation of the income tax of the donor in accordance with the provisions 
117 
of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) of 1997, as amended: Provided, That the rural 
118 
farm school has likewise been accredited by the Philippine Council for NGO Certification 
119 
(PCNC). 
120 
SEC. 15. Appropriations. - The Secretary of Education shall immediately include in the 
121 
Department's program the operationalization of the public rural farm schools, the funding of 
122 
which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
123 
SEC. 16.Implementing Rules and Regulations. -
Within ninety (90) days after the 
124 
effectivity of this Act, the DepED, in consultation with the DA, the DAR, the TESDA and the 
125 
ATI, shall formulate the rules and regulations needed for the effective implementation of this 
126 
Act. 
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SEC. 17. Separability Clause. 
If any prOVISIOn or part hereof is held invalid or 
128 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
129 
remain valid and subsisting. 
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SEC. 18.Repealing Clause. 
All laws or parts thereof, decrees, orders, rules and 
13 I 
regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
132 
accordingly. 
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SEC. 19.Effectivity Clause. 
This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
134 
publication in the OjJicial G(l7,eUe. 
135 
136 
Approved.