THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPWES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
'04 .iU1. 
29 P 4  :52 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 17, provides: 
The State shall give priority to education, science and t&hnology, arts, 
culture, and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, 
and promote total human liberation and development. 
Our schools must prepare young people for active participation in community life and a 
democratic society. This is not possible without knowledge and understanding of humanities. 
In order to ensure that our children acquire the necessary conceptual and analytical skills 
and have an appreciation for the tradition and values of our culture, studies in the humanities are 
essential. However, it is not possible to accomplish this goal unless our teachers have the 
necessary background and training in the humanities. 
Hence, it is the purpose of this Act to authorize a national program for the establishment 
and operation of teacher institutes for the enhancement of the humanities knowledge of private 
and public elementary and secondary school teachers. 


‘., 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING A NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF 
INSTRUCTION IN THE HUMANITIES IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “The Humanities Excellence 
and Teacher Training Act.” 
SECTION 2. Purpose. - It is the purpose of this Act to authorize a national program for 
improving the quality of education which would make grants to institutions of higher education 
for the establishment and operation of teacher institutes for the enhancement of the humanities 
knowledge of private and public elementary and secondary school teachers. 
SECTION 3. Definition. -For purposes of this Act, the terms - 
(1) ‘institution of higher education’ means any college or university within a 
region. 
(2) ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Education. 
(3) ‘humanities’ means both modem and classical languages, literature, history, 
and philosophy; and language arts and social studies when taught in elementary and high 
schools. 
SECTION 4. Grants. - 


(1) The Secretary shall make grants in each region to an institution of higher 
education (or a consortium of such institutions) whose application is approved under subsection 
(2) for the purposes of conducting summer humanities training institutes for the professional 
development of elementary and secondary school teachers. Any institution or consortium whose 
application is so approved shall receive an amount equal to not more than Three Thousand Five 
Hundred Pesos (P3,500.00) multiplied by the number of teachers, not to exceed two hundred 
(200) enrolled in such institute. 
(2) Any institution of higher education or consortium desiring to receive a grant 
shall submit an application to the Secretacy at such time, in such form, and containing such 
information and assurances as the Secretary may require. No such application may be approved 
by the Secretary unless the application - 
(A)contains a description of the proposed program of instruction, and the 
extent to which eligible classroom teacher participants will be involved in the 
planning and design of the institutes; 
(B) contains an estimate of the number of teachers, including the number 
of teachers from private elementary and secondary schools, to attend the institute, 
and describes the selection procedures; 
(C) describes the nature and location of existing facilities to be used in the 
operation of the institute; 
(D) specifies the teaching and administrative staff for the institute 
including the involvement of faculty from both the humanities and education 
departments and elementary and secondary school teachers; 
(E) specifies the academic credits, if any, to be awarded for the completion 
of the course of study to be offered at the institute; 
(F) provides a schedule of stipends to be paid teacher participants in the 
institute including (i) allowances for subsistence and other expenses for teachers 
attending the institute and their dependents; and (ii) provisions assuring that there 
will be no duplication of governmental benefits paid to participants; 


(G)provides adequate assurances that teachers who wish to participate will 
be selected on the basis of recommendations from a principal or other supervisory 
official and a demonstrated interest in the humanities discipline or disciplines 
studied in the institute; and 
. @)provides assurances that the institution of higher education will seek to 
enroll at least eighty (80) qualified teachers in the institute; 
(3) Awards under this section shall be made to the institutions (or consortia) on 
the basis of excellence of the program proposed in the application, taking into consideration such 
elements as library resources, faculty achievement, and humanities learning facilities. 
(4) Funds available to institutions under this section may be used to cover costs 
associated with enrollment in an institute, including tuition, fees, administration, and living 
expenses. 
(5) In making grants under this section, the Secretary shall assure, to the 
maximum extent consistent with the purposes of this Act, that there is an equitable distribution of 
institutes established and operated under approved applications among regions and within 
regions. The Secretary shall award not less than one (1) institute in each region. 
(6) No grant to a single application may exceed Seven Hundred Thousand Pesos 
(P700,OOO.OO) in any fiscal year. 
SECTION 5. Restrictions. -No grants shall be made or contracts entered into under this 
Act except to such extent, or in such amounts, as may be provided in the Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, or rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 


SECTION 8. Effectivitj Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved. 
FN: 1540 CMH