One Tablet, One Student Act

TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES JUL -7 A9:21 First Regular Session SENATE S. No. Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE 'ONE TABLET, ONE STUDENT' PROGRAM FOR ALL STUDENTS ENROLLED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 1, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution provides that "[t]he State shall

protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all." Yet for many Filipino learners, this right remains unevenly accessible due to gaps in access to learning tools and technology. The digital divide, in particular, limits meaningful participation in today's increasingly digital learning environments. As education continues to evolve, it is essential that all learners are equipped with the tools and opportunities needed for inclusive, future-ready learning. This bill seeks to institutionalize the "One Tablet, One Student" Program for all students enrolled in public schools and state universities and colleges (SUCs). It responds directly to the stark realities reported by the Department of Education, which indicate that as of October 2024, only 17% of students have access to the necessary gadgets for online learning, and only 37% of teachers own laptops. 1 These figures reveal the deep technological inequity that threatens to leave the majority of Filipino ' Second Congressional Commission on Education (2025). Fixing the Foundations: A matter of National Survival, EDCOM II Year Two Report. Congress of the Philippines.

learners behind. The urgency is compounded by persistent textbook shortages, with only 27 titles procured for Grades 1 to 10 since 2012, and reports that, as of 2019, one in five Grade 5 students still shared textbooks with another student or more.? This bill proposes tablets as a scalable solution to this chronic gap, enabling access to a full range of digital textbooks, open educational resources, and learning modules. Moreover, these devices can ensure learning continuity amid calamities and local disruptions, which account for nearly half of all lost learning days annually. Unlike paper-based materials, tablets can store interactive and updated content and function offline, which is crucial in areas where internet connectivity is unreliable or unavailable. Beyond addressing immediate learning resource gaps, this measure is a forward-looking step toward a modernized, technology-enabled education system. By equipping students with digital tools, the program will help develop the digital literacy and 21st-century skills Filipino youth need to thrive in a competitive global economy. It also lays the groundwork for transitioning to computer-based national assessments, streamlining costly and time-consuming paper-based systems, accelerating feedback cycles, and supporting data-driven interventions. Teachers, too, stand to benefit. With proper digital infrastructure, the administrative burden they currently shoulder, which includes 50 nonteaching or administrative tasks, can be significantly reduced. This would allow them to devote more time to instruction and mentoring. For SUCs, the universal provision of tablets complements the government's broader goal of building "smart campuses," where access to learning technologies and integrated systems enhances the quality, accessibility, and resilience of higher education. This measure reinforces the government's commitment to inclusive and equitable education. By providing digital learning tools to students who may otherwise lack access, it helps create a more level playing field across the public education system. It is an investment not merely in technology, but in expanding opportunities to ensure that no Filipino learner is left behind in the digital age. 2 Second Congressional Commission on Education (2024). Miseducation: The Faiied System of Philippine Education, EDCOM II Year One Report. Second Congressional Commission on Education.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is earnestly sought. -LOREN LEGARDA

TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES JUL -7 A9:21 First Regular Session SENATE R... S. No. _ Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda INSTITUTTONALZZING THE 'ONE TABLET, ONE STUDENT' PROGRAM FOR ALL STUDENTS ENROLLED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 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 "One Tablet, One

2 Student Act."

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect and

promote the right of all citizens to quality, equitable, and accessible education at all levels. Towards this end, the State shall adopt measures to enhance access to learning resources and technologies to ensure inclusive, future-ready education. It recognizes 7 the role of digital empowerment in improving learning outcomes, bridging resource 8 gaps, and preparing Filipino learners for success in an increasingly technology-enabled world.

Sec. 3. One Tablet, One Student Program. - There is hereby established the

One Tablet, One Student Program ("Program"), which shall provide all Filipino students enrolled in public schoois and state universities and colleges (SUCs) with a tablet computer ("tablet') to support digital and technology-assisted learning. Provided, that students who already own a functional personal tablet or device may instead receive educational assistance in the form of internet or connectivity allowance; Provided, 16 further, that all public schools and SUCs shall create a mechanism whereby students

1 with financial capacity to procure their own devices and secure internet access may voluntarily opt out of receiving assistance under this Program.

Sec. 4. Implementing Agencies. - The Department of Education (DepEd) and

the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shall be the primary implementing agencies of this Act. In coordination with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), they shall: (a) Develop a secure and verifiable system of beneficiary identification, including the assessment of eligibility for device or connectivity support and management of opt-out procedures; (b) Establish an efficient, transparent, and accountable mechanism for the procurement and distribution of tablets, with priority given to disadvantaged, geographically isolated, or high-need areas; (c) Formulate clear and standardized guidelines for use, maintenance, reporting of loss or damage, and return of devices, including protocols for inventory, asset tagging, repair, replacement, and eventual disposal; (d) Provide digital orientation, training, and support to students, teachers, and parents or guardians to ensure the responsible use of tablets and promote digital literacy; (e) Maintain and regularly update a centralized asset tracking system, in coordination with the DICT; (f) Integrate digital literacy, media and information literacy, cybersecurity, data privacy, and responsible use of emerging technologies into the basic education and higher education curricula.

Sec. 5. Accountability and Device Use. - For students below eighteen (18) years

of age, the tablet shall be issued under a shared responsibility arrangement between the school or SUC and the student's parent or guardian. The parent or guardian shall sign a simplified Device Custody and Use Agreement ("Agreement'), written in a language known to them, affirming their responsibility to safeguard the device and ensure its proper use and return. Students, including parents or guardians, are prohibited from selling, leasing, pawning, or misusing the tablets for any purpose other than those expressly stated in

1 the Agreement. Any such act shall result in the forfeiture of the device and may entail 2 administrative or criminal liability under existing laws, as applicable. All incidents of loss, theft, or irreparable damage must be reported to the 4 designated school or SUC official or program focal person within five (5) working days, using a standardized incident report form.

Sec. 6. Device Custody, Inventory, and Tracking. - All tablets distributed under

this Program shall remain government property. DepEd and CHED, with support from DICT, shall ensure that all devices are entered into a centralized inventory and tracking 9 system, assigned unique asset codes, and monitored from issuance to return, reallocation, or disposal. Orientation on proper device handling, digital safety, and care shall be mandatory for all beneficiaries prior to issuance.

Sec. 7. Environmental Sustainability. - In partnership with the Department of

Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), DepEd and CHED shall develop environmentally sustainable protocols for e-waste management, device recycling, and safe disposal of obsolete or irreparable units. Devices that are no longer usable may be repurposed for training or other educational purposes where appropriate.

Sec. 8. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to implement the provisions of

this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Sec. 9. Other Sources of Funds. - DepEd, CHED, and DICT may also mobilize

additional funding support from local government units (LGUs), private sector donors, and international development partners through official development assistance (ODA) and public-private partnerships. The implementing agencies shall issue guidelines to facilitate cost-sharing arrangements, donation acceptance, and project-based contributions, provided that such support does not compromise procurement integrity, beneficiary selection, or compliance with the provisions of this Act.

Sec. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days from

the effectivity of this Act, DepEd and CHED, in coordination with the DICT, DSWD, and DENR, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for its effective implementation.

Sec. 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared

unconstitutional, the remainder thereof not otherwise affected shall remain in full force 2 and effect.

Sec. 12. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance,

4 executive order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 13. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,