Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ________ 
Introduced by KABATAAN PARTY-LIST Representative Sarah Jane I. Elago 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE SAFE AND PHASED REOPENING OF SCHOOLS AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is the declared policy of the State to protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality 
education at all levels and take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to 
all. 
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. 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.  
UNICEF and UNESCO (September 2021) 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. 
October 21, 2021
10:41 am
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This bill seeks to provide the framework and funding for the safe and phased reopening 
of schools beginning from low-risk areas. 
Students and stakeholders have long been pushing for “#LigtasNaBalikEskwela” safe, 
phased reopening of schools, limited face-to-face classes, “#10kStudentAid” education 
aid as well as “#WalangIwanan” inclusive mechanisms to leave no student behind. 
This representation, along with Rise for Education Alliance, Student Aid Network, and 
various sectors of society, call on Congress to allocate sufficient budget to address these 
demands, and for Malacañang to certify this bill as urgent and other much-needed, long 
overdue ‘ayuda’ or relief measures.  
While this representation continues to push for substantial public financing for 
strengthening our healthcare system, expanding our public health service capacities, 
ensuring expedient and transparent vaccination, mass testing, aggressive contact 
tracing, among other scientific and medical solutions—which must be at the helm of 
COVID-19 pandemic response—we in Kabataan believe that we must put forward and 
fund no less for the safe and phased school reopening.  
This representation believes that the needed funding is not only necessary but well within 
our means if only the current administration is willing to forgo dubious allocations in the 
billions for confidential and intelligence funds and other lump sums which are very prone 
to misuse and abuse. The education of the present and the next generation deserves 
more attention and much better policy and funding support. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
Rep. SARAH JANE I. ELAGO 
Kabataan Party-List 


Republic of the Philippines 
1 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
2 
Quezon City 
3 
4 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
5 
Third Regular Session 
6 
7 
HOUSE BILL NO. ________ 
8 
9 
10 
Introduced by KABATAAN PARTY-LIST Representative Sarah Jane I. Elago 
11 
12 
13 
AN ACT 
14 
PROVIDING FOR THE SAFE AND PHASED REOPENING OF SCHOOLS AND 
15 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
16 
17 
    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
18 
Congress assembled: 
19 
20 
 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This act shall be known as the “Safe Schools 
21 
Reopening Bill." 
22 
23 
     SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to uphold the 
24 
right to education, ensure its quality and accessibility at all levels, and allocate public 
25 
funding and resources accordingly. 
26 
27 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act, the following terms shall 
28 
mean: 
29 
30 
(a) "Schools” – refers to public educational institutions, from elementary schools,
31 
high schools, and higher education institutions.
32 
(b) “Private schools” – refers to private educational institutions not owned and
33 
controlled by the government or its instrumentalities;
34 
(c) “Teachers” – refers to all persons engaged in teaching at the elementary,
35 
secondary levels, or higher levels of education, whether on full-time or part-
36 
time basis, including industrial arts or vocational teachers and all other persons
37 
performing supervisory and/or administrative functions in all schools in the
38 
aforesaid levels and qualified to practice teaching;
39 
(d) “Education personnel” – refers to those persons holding some academic
40 
qualifications and performing academic functions directly supportive of
41 
teaching, such as registrars, librarians, research assistants, research aides,
42 
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and similar staff and/or all other school personnel not falling under the definition 
1 
and coverage of “teachers” as defined in this Act; 
2 
(e) “Learners” – refer to all Filipino students who are either currently enrolled at the
3 
time of the effectivity of this Act, or shall enroll at any time thereafter, at all
4 
levels: Provided, That they pass the entrance examination and other admission
5 
and retention requirements of these academic institutions;
6 
(f) “Risk assessment” – refers to a methodology to determine the nature and
7 
extent of risk by analyzing potential hazards and evaluating existing conditions
8 
of vulnerability that together could potentially harm exposed people, property,
9 
services, livelihood, and the environment on which they depend. Risk
10 
assessments with associated risk mapping include: a review of the technical
11 
characteristics of hazards such as their location, intensity, frequency and
12 
probability; the analysis of exposure and vulnerability including the physical,
13 
social, health, economic and environmental dimensions; and the evaluation of
14 
the effectiveness of prevailing and alternative coping capacities in respect to
15 
likely risk scenarios;
16 
(g) “Low-risk areas” – refers to areas which have substantially low rates in these
17 
respects: (i) the number of confirmed cases per 10,000 population, and (ii) the
18 
average land area per confirmed case, as a measure of the ability to practice
19 
social distancing; (iii) the number of isolation rooms per active case (defined as
20 
total number of symptomatic cases less recoveries less deaths), and (iv) the
21 
number of ventilators per active case, pursuant to local and global standards;
22 
(h) “High-risk areas” – refers to areas which have substantially high rates in these
23 
respects: (i) the number of confirmed cases per 10,000 population, and (ii) the
24 
average land area per confirmed case, as a measure of the ability to practice
25 
social distancing; (iii) the number of isolation rooms per active case (defined as
26 
total number of symptomatic cases less recoveries less deaths), and (iv) the
27 
number of ventilators per active case, pursuant to local and global standards;
28 
(i) “Community-based, people-oriented, grassroots-level response” – refers to the
29 
planning, execution, and assessment of pandemic-related response to
30 
educational needs of the community, with active involvement of civil society
31 
groups, individuals, and other interested parties;
32 
(j) “Education stakeholders” – refers to those persons or groups of persons as
33 
such or associated in institutions involved in organized teaching and learning
34 
systems, which may include, but are not limited to, parents, students, school
35 
personnel, and administrators;
36 
(k) “Gradual reopening” – refers to the phasing of the physical resumption of
37 
classes, starting from low-risk areas to high-risk areas; and
38 
(l) “Well-ventilated” – means the conformity of a particular educational institution
39 
with ventilation requirements imposed by national and international standards.
40 


 
 
SECTION 4. Implementation of the Program for Safe and Phased Reopening 
1 
of Schools. – It is hereby mandated that a program to enable the safe and phased 
2 
reopening of schools be instituted immediately at all levels of education amid the COVID-
3 
19 pandemic: Provided, that the safety of the educational institutions be based on the risk 
4 
assessment of their localities as per health and scientific standards: Provided further, that 
5 
the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), Department of Education (DepEd), State 
6 
Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Local University and Colleges (LUCs), Department of 
7 
Health (DOH), and the Local Government Units (LGUs) will immediately implement 
8 
policies in line with said health risk assessment. 
9 
 
10 
SECTION 5. Scope. – This Act shall cover all public and private educational 
11 
institutions at primary, secondary, tertiary, and postgraduate levels.  
12 
 
13 
SECTION 6. General Framework towards the Safe Resumption of Physical 
14 
Classes. – The National and Inter-Agency Task Force against COVID-19 shall be geared 
15 
to promote and support schools in the careful preparation and implementation of 
16 
prevention and mitigation strategies against the coronavirus.  
17 
 
18 
In adherence to UNICEF and UNESCO recommendations, schools must be the 
19 
last to close and the first to open, even in high-risk areas with the necessary protocols 
20 
and programs for mitigation and response in place.  
21 
 
22 
SECTION 7. Specific Programs and Funding to Ensure the Safe and Phased 
23 
Reopening of Face-to-Face Classes. – To enable the safe and phased reopening of 
24 
classes, the following programs shall, at minimum, be funded and implemented: 
25 
 
26 
(a) Testing Program for Learners and Education Personnel. Testing of personnel 
27 
should be covered by PhilHealth; Commission on Higher Education and 
28 
Department of Education should have a standby fund to test at least 1% of 
29 
learners every 14 days. 
30 
 
31 
Five hundred sixty-one million pesos (Php 561,000,000.00) is hereby 
32 
appropriated to the Commission on Higher Education, and Four billion three, 
33 
hundred thirty-nine million, and Five hundred thousand pesos (Php 
34 
4,339,500,000.00) is hereby appropriated to the Department of Education for 
35 
the conduct the regular COVID-19 testing of learners and education personnel 
36 
every 14 days. 
37 
 
38 


 
 
(b) Priority Education Health Facilities and Supplies. Commission on Higher 
1 
Education and Department of Education shall have additional fund allocations 
2 
equivalent to P2.4 million per HEI and school campus. 
3 
 
4 
Five billion and Seven hundred fifty million pesos (Php 5,750,000,000.00) is 
5 
hereby appropriated to the Commission on Higher Education, and One hundred 
6 
thirteen billion pesos (Php 113,000,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated to the 
7 
Department of Education, for adequate water supply, health and safety facilities 
8 
such as comfort rooms, handwashing facilities, and school clinics, well-
9 
ventilated classrooms, posted reminders/markings for proper physical 
10 
distancing, free face masks and alcohol, and for other health facilities and 
11 
supplies needed for maintenance of the implementation of resumption of 
12 
physical classes. 
13 
 
14 
(c) Hiring of Human Resources for Health. There must be an addition of at least 
15 
one (1) school nurse per HEI campus and per DepEd district.  
16 
 
17 
Three hundred thirteen million, Five hundred Twenty Three million, and Three 
18 
hundred fifty pesos (Php 313,523,350.00) is hereby appropriated to the 
19 
Commission on Higher Education, and Nine hundred Forty million One hundred 
20 
thousand pesos (Php 940,100,000.00) is hereby appropriated to the 
21 
Department of Education, for the engagement of proper health personnel. 
22 
 
23 
(d) Internet Allowance for Teachers. There must be an allocation of Php 1,500 for 
24 
a period of ten months to ensure internet connectivity of teachers at both basic 
25 
and higher levels of education for the continued distance learning amid gradual 
26 
reopening of schools. 
27 
 
28 
Two billion and One hundred ninety million pesos (Php 2,190,000,000.00) is 
29 
hereby appropriated to the Commission on Higher Education, and Twelve 
30 
billion Five hundred thirty nine million, One hundred sixty pesos (Php 
31 
12,539,160,000.00) is hereby appropriated to the Department of Education, for 
32 
the provision of internet allowance of teachers. 
33 
 
34 
(e) Devices for Teachers. There must be a subsidy of Php 25,000 for all teachers 
35 
without proper devices.  
36 
 
37 
Seventeen billion, Three hundred thirty nine million, and Six hundred twenty 
38 
five thousand pesos (Php 17,339,625,000.00) is hereby appropriated to the 
39 


 
 
Department of Education and be made available for the procurement of laptops 
1 
for basic education teachers. 
2 
 
3 
(f) 25% Overtime Premium for Teachers. Teachers shall be compensated for their 
4 
overtime work as the current school calendar necessitates them to render 77 
5 
more working days than the mandated 220 school days in a school year. They 
6 
shall be given fair compensation for their hours of service especially with the 
7 
lack of actual break for teachers since the intended break was given to In-
8 
Service-Trainings, SLAC or LAC sessions and other paperwork, and work-
9 
from-home arrangements for teachers do not follow the eight-hour workday 
10 
rule.  
11 
 
12 
Twenty billion, Eight hundred twenty one milion, Six hundred twenty eight 
13 
thousand, Five hundred sixty five pesos (Php 20,821,628,565.00) is 
14 
appropriated to provide for the payment of 25% premium on the salaries of 
15 
basic education teachers to compensate for their rendered overtime work. 
16 
 
17 
(g) Hazard Pay for Education Personnel. Teachers and non-teaching personnel 
18 
must be compensated for the risks they will be taking when they perform their 
19 
duties.  
20 
 
 
 
21 
Three Hundred Fifty Million Pesos (Php 350,000,000.00) is appropriated as a 
22 
standby fund for Commission on Higher Education to provide hazard pay for 
23 
education personnel, while Two Billion Pesos (Php 2,000,000,000.00) is 
24 
allocated as a standby fund for Department of Education for the same program. 
25 
 
26 
(h) Medical Fund for Free Treatment. There shall also be a standby fund for both 
27 
basic and higher education to ensure that the treatment of teaching and non-
28 
teaching personnel in either public or private schools who contract COVID-19 
29 
in the course of teaching will be paid for by the government. 
30 
 
31 
Two Billion, Three hundred and Fifty million Pesos (Php 2,350,000,000.00) is 
32 
hereby appropriated to the Department of Health for this particular standby 
33 
fund.  
34 
 
35 
(i) Overload Pay. There must be proper compensation for the overloading of 
36 
teachers beyond their usual teaching load.  
37 
 
38 
Two Billion Pesos (Php 2,000,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated to 
39 
Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education, allocated for 
40 


 
 
the immediate compensation of teachers at the basic education level with class 
1 
overloads. 
2 
 
3 
(j) Support for Private Educational Institutions. Private schools shall hereby 
4 
receive a grant of One million and Two hundred Thousand pesos (Php 
5 
1,200,000.00) per institution for the provision of specific measures to ensure 
6 
the safe and phased reopening of face-to-face classes, subject to qualifications 
7 
and requirements that maybe imposed by either the Department of Education 
8 
or Commission on Higher Education. 
9 
 
10 
Seventeen billion and Three hundred twenty-two million Pesos (Php 
11 
17,322,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated to Commission on Higher 
12 
Education and Department of Education for this purpose. 
13 
 
14 
The sum of One hundred Eighty-four Billion, Four hundred Ninety four 
15 
Million, Five hundred Thirty six Thousand, Nine hundred Fifteen Pesos (Php 
16 
184,494,536,915.00) is hereby appropriated to the Development of Education, 
17 
Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Health for the 
18 
implementation of this Section in public educational institutions. 
19 
 
20 
The sum of Seventeen billion and Three hundred twenty-two million Pesos 
21 
(Php 17,322,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated to Commission on Higher 
22 
Education and Department of Education to be dedicated to subsidy for private 
23 
educational institutions. 
24 
 
25 
This section shall lose its operative force upon full utilization of the funds 
26 
appropriated therefor. 
27 
 
28 
 
SECTION 8. Guidelines for Resumption of Schools. – All local government 
29 
units and concerned government agencies, together with the education stakeholders, 
30 
shall form a roadmap based on the actual needs and conditions in their respective 
31 
localities, and shall be guided by the following: 
32 
 
33 
(a) There shall be immediate planning for the mechanics of the phasing of the 
34 
resumption of the schools, with priority on the resumption of physical classes 
35 
in low-risk areas, while undertaking plans to reduce the risk in high-risk areas; 
36 
(b) The LGU’s and education stakeholders shall be involved in the conduct of 
37 
thorough and scientific risk assessments. A community-based, people-
38 
oriented, grassroots-level response to the pandemic shall be in place. Students 
39 


 
 
shall also be included and involved in all levels of education-related pandemic 
1 
response and recovery steps; 
2 
(c) Physical use of school facilities such as libraries, laboratories, computers, etc. 
3 
shall be mandatory as part of the initial phase of gradual reopening of schools, 
4 
subject to certain health regulations; 
5 
(d) The scope of allowed courses, degree programs and forms of physical learning, 
6 
as recommended by schools upon consultation with education stakeholders, 
7 
shall be expanded. Extracurricular activities may be allowed, provided that 
8 
these abide with minimum health standards and other reasonable guidelines 
9 
that schools and other education stakeholders may agree upon; 
10 
(e) Beginning in low-risk areas, schools must be provided with adequate water 
11 
supply, health and safety facilities such as comfort rooms, handwashing 
12 
facilities, 
and 
school 
clinics, 
well-ventilated 
classrooms, 
posted 
13 
reminders/markings for proper physical distancing, school nurse, free face 
14 
masks and alcohol, proper training for all personnel on sanitation procedures, 
15 
contingency plan for suspect, probable and confirmed Covid-19 cases, among 
16 
others; 
17 
(f) For schools in high-risk areas, the respective schools and LGU’s shall ramp up 
18 
programs on free and efficient testing, contact tracing and treatment, and free, 
19 
safe, and accessible vaccination. Schools and LGU's shall exhaust all possible 
20 
mechanisms to provide venues that allow physical learning among students 
21 
and teachers; 
22 
(g) With the phased and voluntary return of stakeholders in schools, continued 
23 
support for distance learning programs, such as free gadgets and stable 
24 
internet connectivity to students and teachers, remains urgent and necessary, 
25 
for those who opt not to avail of the physical resumption of classes; and 
26 
(h) The emphasis will be on the quality of learning rather than the imposition of 
27 
heavy academic requirements and grading system. Academic easing shall also 
28 
be implemented as the need arises and upon deliberation by the educational 
29 
institutions’ administration and their respective student government. 
30 
 
31 
SECTION 9. Protection of Democratic Rights and Welfare of the Education 
32 
Sector. – Upon effectivity of this Act, the democratic rights and welfare of students, 
33 
teachers and staff shall be guaranteed through various democratic and inclusive means 
34 
and spaces, such as, but not limited to: 
35 
 
36 
(a) At the school and community level, ensure genuine participation of students, 
37 
parents, teaching and non-teaching personnel and the representatives of 
38 
immediate communities in committee meetings and planning; 
39 


 
 
(b) Guarantee financial autonomy and independent operations of student 
1 
councils/governments, publications and organizations; 
2 
(c) Support the needs for physical, mental, and emotional health; 
3 
(d) Provide adequate, accessible psychosocial services and counseling; 
4 
(e) Activating mechanisms against sexual harassment and in-campus violence; 
5 
among others; and 
6 
(f) Uphold academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and schools as zones of 
7 
peace by prohibiting the police, military, and other law enforcement forces and 
8 
agents from entering schools and conducting red-tagging fora that endanger 
9 
the safety and security of education stakeholders: Provided, that prior 
10 
notification shall be given by the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed 
11 
Forces of the Philippines (AFP), or any other law enforcement agency intending 
12 
to conduct any police, military, or law, enforcement operations in any 
13 
educational institution concerned, or respective officers-in-charge in the event 
14 
of their absence, as the case may be, and to the student regent, university 
15 
student council or government, faculty regent or representative, and staff 
16 
regent or non-academic personnel representative, when the situation so 
17 
warrants. 
18 
 
19 
SECTION 10. Prohibited Acts. – Upon effectivity of this Act, it shall be unlawful 
20 
for any person and/or any learning institution to: 
21 
 
22 
(a) Impose additional rates on the tuition and/or other school fees being charged 
23 
to its students under a State of Calamity and/or Public Health Emergency;  
24 
(b) Unlawfully appropriate said funding for purposes other than those specified in 
25 
this Act: Provided, That the criminal offense arising from the violation of this 
26 
Section does not preclude the criminal offenses that may be charged under the 
27 
Revised Penal Code and other special laws; 
28 
(c) Allow entry in schools and the conduct of fora of police, military, and other law 
29 
enforcement forces and agents, who endanger the safety and security of 
30 
education stakeholders based on national and international laws and 
31 
agreements, and violate Section 9(f) of this Act. 
32 
 
33 
SECTION 11. Penalties. – A violation as enumerated under Section 8 of this Act 
34 
shall be meted a penalty of imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not more 
35 
than one (1) year or a fine of not less than Twenty thousand pesos (Php 20,000.00) but 
36 
not more than One hundred thousand pesos (Php 100,000.00), or both, at the discretion 
37 
of the court. In case of a university, college or any other judicial entity, the penalty shall 
38 
be imposed on the president, treasurer or the officer or person responsible for the 
39 
violation. 
40 


 
 
 
1 
SECTION 12. Sources of Funding. 
2 
 
3 
(a) For the implementation of Section 6 of this Act, funded shall be sourced from 
4 
the following: 
5 
 
6 
(i) 
2021 General Appropriations Act (GAA): Provided, That funds for the 
7 
herein authorized programs, activities and projects (P/A/Ps) shall be 
8 
sourced primarily from the unprogrammed funds and savings 
9 
realized from modified, realigned, or reprogrammed allocations for 
10 
operational expense of any government agency or instrumentality 
11 
under the Executive Department, including, but not limited to, 
12 
traveling expenses, supplies and materials, expenses, professional 
13 
services, infrastructure projects, general services, advertising 
14 
expenses, printing and publication expenses, and other maintenance 
15 
and operating expenses in the 2022 GAA: Provided, That such 
16 
discontinued P/A/Ps do not support the objectives of economic 
17 
stimulus and recovery for having low labor intensity or low multiplier 
18 
effects: Provided, further, That infrastructure, having the highest 
19 
multiplier effect can only be discontinued when all other funds, 
20 
including unobligated allotments and unreleased appropriations, 
21 
have been exhausted. 
22 
 
23 
(ii) 
Savings pooled pursuant to Republic Act No. 11469, otherwise 
24 
known as the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act” and Republic Act No. 
25 
11494, otherwise known as “Bayanihan to Recover as One Act”; 
26 
 
27 
(iii) 
Excess revenue collections in any one of the identified tax or non-tax 
28 
revenue sources from its corresponding revenue collection target, as 
29 
provided in the FY 2021 Budget of Expenditures and Sources of 
30 
Financing (BESF);  
31 
 
32 
(iv) 
New revenue collections or those arising from new tax or non-tax 
33 
sources which are not part of nor included in the original sources 
34 
included in the FY 2021 BESF; 
35 
 
36 
(v) 
Any unutilized or unreleased balance in special purpose funds 
37 
(SPFs) shall be considered to have their purpose abandoned as 
38 
declared by the President. All such unspent, unutilized, or 
39 
unreleased money or funds sourced from SPFs shall be utilized and 
40 


 
 
are hereby appropriated for such measures to accomplish the 
1 
declared national policy herein; 
2 
 
3 
(vi) 
Cash, funds, and investments held by any GOCC or any National 
4 
Government Agency: Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the 
5 
President is hereby authorized to allocate cash, funds, investments, 
6 
including unutilized or unreleased subsidies and transfers, held by 
7 
any GOCC or any National Government Agency; and 
8 
 
9 
(vii) 
Unused appropriation for debt servicing: Notwithstanding any law to 
10 
the contrary, the President may direct the discontinuance of 
11 
unutilized automatic appropriations for debt service and available 
12 
appropriation for redemption of maturing government securities and 
13 
use the savings generated therefrom to augment the allocation for 
14 
any item necessary for the purposes identified in this Act. All 
15 
amounts so reprogrammed, reallocated, or realigned shall be 
16 
deemed automatically appropriate for the said purposes: Provided, 
17 
That for interest payments, the savings will be generated from the 
18 
unused appropriations after actual payment of interest per month as 
19 
reported by the Bureau of Treasury to the DBM: Provided further, 
20 
That for principal repayment the savings will be generated from the 
21 
funds freed up as a result of a debt exchange by the Bureau of 
22 
Treasury. 
23 
 
24 
(b) For succeeding implementation of this Act, the amounts necessary to carry out 
25 
the provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations 
26 
Act (GAA) and shall be appropriated under SUCs, Commission on Higher 
27 
Education, Department of Education and Technical Skills Development 
28 
Authority, and PhilHealth in accordance with the provisions of this Act. 
29 
 
30 
SECTION 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Upon enactment of this 
31 
Act, a task force shall be created in charge of the promulgation of the Implementing Rules 
32 
and Regulations (IRR) needed for the implementation of the relevant provisions of this 
33 
Act. This task force shall be led by representatives of the Department of Education and 
34 
Commission on Higher Education, and composed of following members: (1) National 
35 
Youth Commission; (2) a representative from the Philippine Association of State 
36 
Universities and Colleges; (3) a representative from the Coordinating Council of Private 
37 
Educational Associations; (4) a representative from the Association of Local Colleges and 
38 
Universities; (5) representatives from the Student Regents’ Federation and student 
39 
councils; and (6) representatives from the National Youth and Student Organizations and 
40 


 
 
Formations: Provided, That the committee shall finish and promulgate the IRR within thirty 
1 
(30) days after the effectivity of this Act. 
2 
 
3 
SECTION 14. Reporting to Congress. – The implementing agencies shall submit, 
4 
in either printed form or by way of electronic document, to the Joint Congressional 
5 
Oversight Committee, the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Committee 
6 
on Finance and the Commission on Audit, the monthly reports regarding the 
7 
implementation of this Act. The quarterly reports shall likewise be uploaded on the official 
8 
website of the respective implementing agencies. 
9 
 
10 
SECTION 15. Separability clause. –  If, for any reason or reasons, any part or 
11 
provision of this Act shall be declared as unconstitutional or invalid, the other parts or 
12 
provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and 
13 
effect. 
14 
  
15 
SECTION 16. Repealing clause. – All provisions of existing laws, orders, rules 
16 
and regulations or parts thereof which are in conflict or inconsistent with the provisions of 
17 
this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
18 
  
19 
SECTION 17. Effectivity clause. – This Act shall take effect immediately upon its 
20 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation 
21 
in the Philippines. 
22