TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
of tl)c in- \ ciai'P
25 AUG 14 P 2 -48
RECEIVED BY:
SENATE
S. No. 1191
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
AN ACT
FURTHER AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7836, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 
THE "PHILIPPINE TEACHERS PROFESSIONALIZATION ACT OF 1994", AS 
AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9293
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Republic Act No. 7836, as amended by Republic Act No. 9293, governs the licensure 
and regulation of the teaching profession in the Philippines. Since its enactment, major 
reforms such as the K to 12 Program, the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers 
(PPST), and the strengthened Teacher Education Council (TEC) have transformed the 
education sector, necessitating updates to the law.
This bill seeks to modernize the Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act to align the 
law with the present situation and challenges to the teaching profession.
One of the objectives is to broaden the representation in the Board for Professional 
Teachers (BPT). Under this bill, nominees will come from DepEd, CHED, TEC, ECCDC, ALCU, 
PASUC, and COCOPEA to ensure diversity, transparency, and sectoral balance.
This bill likewise updates the qualifications for board members by providing for higher 
educational, experience, and integrity standards, and clear rules against conflict-of-interest.
This bill further seeks reform on the licensure examination for teachers including the 
guidelines for the preparation of the questions, the requirements for the examinees, and the 
release of results.


This bill also makes mention of specialized fields in teachings to guide our government 
agencies on the specific needs and standards required in each discipline.
By aligning teacher licensure and regulation with present-day standards, this measure 
seeks to ensure that Filipino teachers are better prepared, highly competent, and fully 
equipped to meet the demands of the ever-changing education system.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
MANUEL "LITO" M. LAPID
Senator


^enaf'
of tiK >1?
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
F/rst Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
S. No.ll 91
25 AUG 14 P2 -48
RECEIVED BY
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
AN ACT
FURTHER AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7836, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 
THE "PHILIPPINE TEACHERS PROFESSIONALIZATION ACT OF 1994", AS 
AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9293
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Section 1. Section 5 of Republic Act No. 7836 is hereby amended as follows:
"Section 5. Creation and Composition of the Board. — There is 
hereby created under this Act a Board for Professional Teachers, 
hereinafter called the Board, a collegial body under the general 
supervision and administrative control of the Professional 
Regulation Commission, hereinafter referred to as the 
Commission, composed of five (5) members, who duly possess 
all the qualifications prescribed in Section 8 of this Act, as 
amended, and who shall be appointed by the President of the 
Philippines from among the recommendees chosen by the 
Commission.
{The rccommcndccG shall be chosen from the list of nominees
selected—by the occrcditcd- association—of teachers] THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DEPED); COMMISSION 
ON HIGHER EDUCATION (CHED); TEACHER EDUCATION 
COUNCIL (TEC); EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (ECCDC); ASSOCIATION OF 
LOCAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (ALCU); 
PHILIPPINE ASSOCIATION OF STATE UNIVERSITIES 
AND COLLEGES (PASUC); AND COORDINATING 
COUNCIL OF PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS 
(COCOPEA) SHALL EACH RECOMMEND NOT MORE THAN 
TWO (2) NOMINEES WHO SHALL BE EVALUATED BY THE 
COMMISSION BASED ON [who—dttly—posGCSs] all the 
qualifications prescribed in Section 8 of this Act, as amended.
THE FINAL LIST OF NOMINEES SHALL BE PUBLISHED IN 
A NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL CIRCULATION AND POSTED 
IN THE COMMISSION'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE.
The chairperson and the vice-chairperson of the Board shall be 
appointed from these five (5) members by the President: 
Provided, That the members of the first Board appointed under 
this Act shall be automatically registered as professional teachers 
and issued with the certificate of registration and professional 
license upon payment of the fees for examination, registration, 
and other fees prescribed by the Commission."
Sec. 2. Section 7 of Republic Act No. 7836 is hereby amended as follows:
"SEC 7. Term of Office. — The members of the Board shall hold 
office for a term of three (3) years from the date they assume 
office.[Provided, That the first appointees to the Board under 
this Act shall hold office according-to the following terms: one
(1) member shall serve for one (1) year; one (1) member for
two (2) years; the chairman, vice chairman, and one (1) member
for three (3) yeors.] MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHO ARE 
OFFICIALS OR EMPLOYEES OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES 
SHALL BE SECONDED TO THE PROFESSIONAL 
REGULATION COMMISSION FOR THE DURATION OF


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28 
29
THEIR TERM SUBJECT TO EXISTING CIVIL SERVICE 
RULES AND REGULATIONS. Vacancies shall be served for the 
unexpired term only. No person who has served AS A MEMBER 
OF THE BOARD for two (2) consecutive terms shall be eligible 
for reappointment, provided that appointment to fill an 
unexpired term shall be considered an appointment to a 
complete term."
fFhe-ehairman or any member shall take his oatbof office prior
to the performance of his duties.]
Sec. 3. Section 8 of Republic Act No. 7836 is hereby amended as follows:
"Sec. 8. Qualifications of Board Members. — Each Board member 
must at the time of his or her appointment:
a) Be a citizen and resident of the Philippines;
b) Be at least thirty-five (35) years of age, of proven integrity, 
and possessed of high moral values in his or her personal 
as well as professional conduct, and has not been 
convicted of any offense involving moral turpitude;
Ct)---- Be- a holder of the degree of Bachelor of Arts or
Bachelor of Science in Education and preferably a holder of a
master's—or—doctorate—degree—in—education,—or—thetr
equivalents, from a university, school/ college, academy or
institute duly constituted, recognized and/or accredited by the
Philippine government;
C) BE A HOLDER OF AT LEAST A MASTER'S DEGREE OR 
DOCTORATE DEGREE IN TEACHER EDUCATION OR 
OTHER ALLIED DISCIPLINES, FROM A 
UNIVERSITY, OR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION 
DULY CONSTITUTED, RECOGNIZED, AND/OR 
ACCREDITED BY THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT;


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
d) Be a professional teacher with a valid certificate of 
registration and valid professional license, save those 
members who shall compose the first Board for 
Professional Teachers;
e) Has been a professional teacher in the practice of the 
teaching profession for at least ten (10) years in the 
EARLY CHILDHOOD, elementary and secondary levels,
OR IN THE TERTIARY LEVEL AS A FULL TIME 
FACULTY IN AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION DULY 
CONSTITUTED, RECOGNIZED, AND/OR 
ACCREDITED BY THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT;
and
f) Not, AT TIME OF APPOINTMENT, an official or member 
of the faculty of, nor have pecuniary interest in any 
university, college, school, or institution conferring a 
bachelor's degree in education or its equivalents NOR 
[neither^ connected with a review center or with any group 
or association where review classes or lectures in 
preparation for the licensure examination are offered or 
conducted, NOR HAVE PECUNIARY INTEREST IN 
SUCH.
{Provided, however, That, the membership to the Board shall be
evenly distributed to cover all levels of education, including
equitable representation of the different fields of Gpedalization.]
PROVIDED, THAT ANY BOARD MEMBER SECONDED 
FROM A TEACHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION (TEI) 
SHALL HAVE LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN THE TEST 
DEVELOPMENT PHASE OF THE LICENSURE 
EXAMINATION CYCLE, AS DETERMINED BY THE 
COMMISSION: PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT THE 
COMMISSION MAY ISSUE ADDITIONAL RULES AND


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
GUIDELINES TO STRENGTHEN SAFEGUARDS AGAINST 
ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED CONFLICTS OF INTEREST IN THE 
PERFORMANCE OF THE BOARD'S DUTIES: Provided, 
FURTHER, that the membership to the Board shall be evenly 
distributed to cover all levels of education, including equitable 
representation of the different fields of specialization: 
PROVIDED, FINALLY, THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE 
BOARD SHALL ALSO HAVE THE NECESSARY EXPERTISE 
IN IMPLEMENTING TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS 
THAT ARE PRESCRIBED BY THE TEC AND REGULATED BY 
CHED, TEST DEVELOPMENT AND ANALYSIS, AND 
LOGISTICS IN IMPLEMENTING LARGE-SCALE 
ASSESSMENTS AND SYSTEM EVALUATION.''
Sec. 4. Section 13 of Republic Act No. 7836 is hereby further amended as
follows:
"SEC. 13. Examination, Registration and License Required. - 
[Except as otherwise spcdficQlly allowed under the provisions of
this Act,] UNLESS OTHERWISE PROVIDED BY LAW, all 
applicants for registration as professional teachers shall be 
required to undergo a [written] LICENSURE examination which 
shall be given at least once a year in such places and dates as 
the Board may determine upon approval by the Commission. A 
valid certificate of registration and a valid professional license 
from the Commission are required before any person is allowed 
to practice as a professional teacher in the Philippines, UNLESS 
OTHERWISE PROVIDED BY LAW OR PURSUANT TO 
GUIDELINES ISSUED BY THE PRC IN CONSULTATION 
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE 
TEACHER EDUCATION COUNCIL [except as—otherwise 
allowed under this Act].


1 
Sec. 5, Section 14 of Republic Act No. 7836 is hereby further amended as
2 
follows:
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
23
24
25
26
27
28 
29
"Sec. 14. Scope of Examination. — [The examinations- in the 
elementary and secondary school teachers shall be separate.]
The examination for teachers in the EARLY CHILDHOOD,
SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION, elementary, AND 
SECONDARY levels shall (be separate) and consist of THE 
FOLLOWING parts namely: professional education, general 
education, and/OR field of specialization, AS APPLICABLE.
THE EXAMINATION SHALL BE ALIGNED WITH THE 
FOLLOWING:
1) PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS;
2) TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS OFFERED BY 
TEC AND REGULATED BY CHED; AND
3) EXISTING CURRICULUM OF BASIC, EARLY 
CHILDHOOD, OR SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION, AS 
APPLICABLE.
THE EXAMINATION FOR GRADUATES OF 
CERTIFICATES IN TEACHING PROGRAMS SHALL ONLY 
CONSIST OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION.
Sec. 6. Section 15 of Republic Act No. 7836, as amended by Section 1 of
22 Republic Act 9293 is hereby further amended as follows:
"Sec. 15. Qualification Requirements of Applicant. — No applicant 
shall be admitted to take the examination unless, on the date of 
the filing of the application, fho shall have] THEY SHALL HAVE 
complied with the following requirements:
a) A citizen of the Philippines or an alien whose country has 
reciprocity with the Philippines in the practice of the 
teaching profession;


b) At least eighteen (18) years of age;
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
c) In good health and of good reputation with high moral 
values;
d) Has not been convicted by final judgment by a court for 
an offense involving moral turpitude;
e) A graduate from a [^school, college, or university] TEI 
DULY recognized by CHED [the government] and 
possesses the minimum educational qualifications as 
follows:
1. For teachers in [preschool] the early childhood level, a 
bachelor's degree in early childhood education (BECED) 
or its equivalent;
2. FOR TEACHERS IN THE SPECIAL NEEDS LEVEL, 
A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN SPECIAL NEEDS 
EDUCATION (SNED) OR ITS EQUIVALENT;
3. For teachers in the elementary level, a bachelor's 
degree in elementary education (BSEED) or its 
equivalent;
4. For teachers in secondary level, a bachelor's degree in 
education or its equivalent with a major and minor, or 
a bachelor's degree in arts and sciences with at least 
ten (10) units in professional education; and
5. For teachers of vocational and two-year technical 
courses, a bachelor's degree in the field of 
specialization or its equivalent, with at least eighteen 
(18) units in professional education.
6. OTHER APPLICABLE FIELDS OF 
SPECIALIZATION WITH QUALIFICATIONS AS


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSION, IN 
COORDINATION WITH THE TEC.
f) HAS COMPLETED A REFRESHER COURSE IN 
RECOGNIZED TEIS FOR APPLICANTS WHO FAILED 
TO PASS THE LICENSURE EXAMINATION THREE (3) 
TIMES. AN APPLICANT TAKING A REFRESHER 
COURSE SHALL BE GIVEN A MAXIMUM OF TWO (2) 
YEARS BEGINNING THEIR INITIAL ENROLLMENT 
TO COMPLETE THE REFRESHER COURSES AND A 
MAXIMUM OF THREE (3) YEARS FROM 
COMPLETION OF THE REFRESHER COURSE WITHIN 
WHICH TO TAKE THE EXAMINATIONS. PROVIDED, 
THE CERTIFICATION OBTAINED BY THE 
REFRESHER MAY ONLY BE USED FOR TWO (2) 
EXAMINATIONS. REFRESHER COURSES ARE 
SUBJECT FOR REVIEW BY THE TEC.
g) HAS RECEIVED A CERTIFICATE OF AFFIRMED 
BEGINNING CAREER STAGE ISSUED BY TEC, 
WHICH IS BASED ON A SUBMITTED PORTFOLIO OF 
EVIDENCE OF ATTAINMENT OF THE EXPECTATIONS 
OF THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS EXISTING IN 
ANY GIVEN TESTING YEAR.
PROVIDED, THAT GRADUATES OF CERTIFICATE 
PROGRAMS WILL ALSO RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE 
OF AFFIRMED CAREER STAGE BUT WILL BE 
ASSESSED ONLY ON APPLICABLE EXPECTATIONS 
OF THE PREVAILING PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS. 
PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT THE TEI SHALL 
ASSESS THE PORTFOLIO USING STANDARDIZED 
RUBRIC DEVELOPED BY THE TEC, TO ENSURE


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28 
29
CONSISTENCY AND 
INSTITUTIONS.
OBJECTIVITY ACROSS
TO SUPPORT THE ATTAINMENT OF THIS
REQUIREMENT, THE TEC SHALL:
1. DEVELOP AND PRESCRIBE THE STANDARDIZED 
RUBRICS FOR THE PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT, 
ENSURING ALIGNMENT WITH NATIONAL 
TEACHING STANDARDS AND COMPETENCIES.
2. 
ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT A ROBUST 
QUALITY ASSURANCE FRAMEWORK TO 
MONITOR AND EVALUATE THE 
IMPLEMENTATION OF PORTFOLIO 
ASSESSMENTS ACROSS ALL TEIS, ENSURING 
THAT THEY COMPLY WITH PRESCRIBED 
RUBRICS AND MAINTAIN HIGH ASSESSMENT 
STANDARDS.
3. BUILD THE CAPACITY OF TEIS TO CONDUCT 
EFFECTIVE PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENTS, 
PROVIDING TRAINING, SUPPORT, AND 
RESOURCES TO FACULTY MEMBERS INVOLVED 
IN THE EVALUATION PROCESS.
4. PROVIDE PERIODIC REVIEWS AND UPDATES TO 
THE PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT SYSTEM, 
ADAPTING TO EMERGING TRENDS IN TEACHER 
PREPARATION AND ENSURING CONTINUOUS 
IMPROVEMENT IN THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS.
Sec. 7. Section 16 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 16. RELEASE OF THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS;
AND REPORT OF THE Examination Resuits. — THE


1 
LICENSURE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS AND
2 
CORRESPONDING ANSWERS SHALL BE RELEASED BY
3 
THE COMMISSION TO THE TEC WITHIN FIVE (5) DAYS
4 
AFTER THE DAY OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE
5 
EXAMINATION.
6 
Further, the Board shall, within one hundred twenty (120) days
7 
after the examination, report the ratings obtained by each
8 
candidate IN EACH COMPONENT to the Commission for
9 
approval and appropriate action.
10 
THE COMMISSION SHALL ALSO MAKE PUBLIC THE
11 
LICENSURE EXAMINATION TEST QUESTIONS AND THE
12 
EXAMINERS' IDENTITIES WITHIN FIVE (5) DAYS AFTER
13 
THE DAY OF ADMINISTRATION OF EXAMINATION, AND
14 
THE PERFORMANCE OF TEIS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE
15 
RELEASE OF EXAMINATION RESULTS.
16 
Sec. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within One Hundred Eighty
17 
(180) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Commission shall update its
18 
implementing rules and regulations necessary for the full and effective implementation
19 
of this Act.
20 
Sec. 9. Transitory Provision. — The Commission and the Board shall update its
21 
existing policies and issuances relevant to this Act and ensure its alignment with the
22 
same within a period of six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act and report the
23 
same to Congress on the first year of its implementation.
24 
Sec. 10. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason, any section or provision of
25 
this Act or the application of such section in provision to any person in circumstance
26 
is declared unconstitutional or invalid, no other section or provision of this Act shall
27 
be affected thereby.
28 
Sec. 11. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, circulars, administrative orders,
29 
rules and regulations, and other issuances which are inconsistent with the provisions
30 
of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
10


1 
Sec. 12. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following
2 
its complete publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,
11