Government Assistance to Private Basic Education Act

Office of the B1 TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) FEB 12 First Regular Session ) RECEIVED BY: SENATE 1848 Senate Bill No. - Introduced by Senator JOEL VILLANUEVA AN ACT PROVIDING FOR GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE TO PRIVATE BASIC EDUCATION, FURTHER AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6728, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE TO STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN PRIVATE EDUCATION ACT", AS AMENDED, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR EXPLANATORY NOTE The State has consistently recognized education as a vital investment in national development. Thus, it must fully utilize its resources and strengthen its partnerships with stakeholders to effectively fulfill its mandate of delivering quality education for all learners. In line with the Constitution's mandate on public-private complementarity in education, the Government piloted the Education Service Contracting (ESC) program in 1986 in 158 private schools. The initiative was conceived as an alternative to expanding public school infrastructure and as a mechanism to support the viability of the private education sector. The pilot proved successful in promoting equitable access to education, decongesting overcrowded public schools, and maximizing the excess capacity of private institutions. Its effectiveness led to the enactment of Republic Act No. 6728 in 1989, institutionalizing the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE), which was later strengthened through Republic Act No. 8545 in 1998. 1 EDCOM 2. Strengthening and Expanding Government Assistance for Private Education. Published in July 2025. Available at https://edcom2.gov.ph/media/2025/08/24 PAQUEO-et-al-Strengthening-and-Expanding Government-Assistance-for-Private-Education.pdf (Accessed on 11 February 2026).

Under RA No. 6728, the then Department of Education, Culture and Sports (now the Department of Education (DepEd)) subsidized the tuition and other fees of excess public school students who enrolled in participating private schools. The program also addressed the absence of public secondary schools in certain communities by supporting students' enrollment in private high schools. Through GASTPE, the Philippines joined other nations that have adopted school choice as a key component of their education reform initiatives. However, more than three decades after its institutionalization, GASTPE faces implementation challenges that must be addressed. In 2018, the Commission on Audit observed that the program (including the Senior High School Voucher component) had reportedly benefited "non-poor" students due to weaknesses in targeting and oversight.* In 2020, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism reported that Senior High School voucher subsidies were insufficient to enable students to enroll in private schools amid the economic strain brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing structural limitations in the government's primary financial assistance mechanism for senior high school learners.* Thus, this bill seeks to strengthen and modernize the GASTPE program. It expands the coverage of government assistance across the basic education cycle, consistent with Republic Act No. 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, and standardizes the subsidy mechanism through a more uniform voucher-based system. The tuition fee subsidy of the program also prioritizes learners belonging to low- income households and makes Alternative Learning System (ALS) completers under Republic Act No. 11510, otherwise known as the "Alternative Learning System Act," automatic recipients of the subsidy. In this way, the measure broadens the scope of assistance granted to eligible learners to ensure that government support remains responsive, able to confront barriers in education, equitable, and adapting to learner's changing needs. The measure also establishes an In-service Training Fund for the purpose of improving the quality of teaching in private basic education schools, which shall be available to qualified licensed teachers in participating private basic education schools. It also creates a Teachers' Salary Subsidy Fund under the DepEd to grant government subsidy to teachers in private basic education schools participating in the voucher system. In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. JOEL Philstar. DepEd's SHS vouchers fall short of decongesting public schools, helping poor leamers, Published on 25 March 2024. Available at https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/03/25/2343208/depeds-shs-vouchers- fall-short-decongesting-public-schools-helping-poor-learners (Accessed on 11 February 2026). Ibid.

Office of thr e TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 26 FEB 12 First Regular Session RECEIVED BY SENATE 1848 Senate Bill No. Introduced by Senator JOEL VILLANUEVA AN ACT PROVIDING FOR GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE TO PRIVATE BASIC EDUCATION, FURTHER AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6728, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE TO STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN PRIVATE EDUCATION ACT", AS AMENDED, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Government

2 Assistance to Private Basic Education Act."

SEC. 2. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 6728, entitled the "Government

4 Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act", as amended by Republic Act No. 10533, or the "Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 and 6 Republic Act No. 8545, or the "Expanded Government Assistance to Students 7 and Teachers in Private Education Act" is hereby further amended to read as follows: "Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is a declared policy of the State in conformity with the mandate of the Constitution, to promote and make quality education accessible to all Filipino citizens. The State also hereby recognizes the complementary roles of public and private educational institutions in the

educational system and the invaluable contribution that the private schools have made and will make to education. For these purposes, the State shall provide the mechanisms to improve quality in private education by maximizing the use of existing resources of private education, recognizing in the process the government's responsibility to provide basic [elementary and secondary education, post-secondary vocational and technical education, and higher] education as having priority over its other functions. THE ENHANCED BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM ENCOMPASSES AT LEAST ONE (1) YEAR OF KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION, SIX (6) YEARS OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION, AND SIX (6) YEARS OF SECONDARY EDUCATION, PURSUANT TO REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10533, OR THE "ENHANCED BASIC EDUCATION ACT OF 2013". [*Elementary education is the first six (6) years of basic education, excluding preschool and grade seven, the completion of which is attested by a certificate issued by of with permission of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports. Secondary education is the next four (4) years of basic education, the completion of which is attested by a high schoot diploma issued by or with permission of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports.] ["Post-secondary education may be education and training in non degree vocational and technical courses offered in post- secondary vocational and technical institutions or education in degree courses offered by higher educational institutions, the completion of which are attested by a certificate of diploma issued by or with permission of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) or the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), respectively.]"

SEC 3. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 6728, as amended, is hereby further

amended to read as follows: "Sec. 3. Criteria for Assistance. - The programs for assistance shall be based on a set of criteria which shall include, [among others] BUT NOT LIMITED TO, CLASSROOM CONGESTION, OVERALL PERFORMANCE, AND tuition AND OTHER fees charged by [the] PRIVATE BASIC EDUCATION schools[;]; [the socioeconomic needs of each region giving priority to the Social Reform Agenda (SRA) provinces, overall performance of schools, the academic qualifications, and] financial needs of the [students] LEARNERS; and PERFORMANCE OF PRIVATE BASIC EDUCATION [the] teachers [, and the financial needs of the schools, as well as the geographic spread and size of student population]. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS ACT, PRIVATE BASIC EDUCATION SHOOLS SHALL INCLUDE PRIVATE EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS OFFERING BASIC EDUCATION. PRIVATE BASIC EDUCATION TEACHERS SHALL INCLUDE TEACHERS IN PRIVATE EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS OFFERING BASIC EDUCATION. ['In addition to the foregoing criteria, within such reasonable time as the respective State Assistance Council may determine, student grantees under the Private Education Student Financial Assistance Program shall be enrolled in schools which have accredited programs or are applying for accreditation as may be recognized by the respective state Assistance Council.] [Preference shall be given to students whose family income is not more than Seventy-two thousand pesos (P72,000.00) or such amounts as may be determined by the respective councils, as defined hereinafter.]

[*For purposes of this Act, programs of assistance to students and teachers of private post-secondary vocational and technical institutions and higher educational institutions shall likewise be extended to students and teachers of community colleges in degree and non degree programs. Implementation of the program shall encourage students to undergo post- secondary vocational and technical and higher education courses in the same region where their families reside.] "The programs of assistance under this Act shall be extended only to [students] LEARNERS who are citizens of the Philippines. "The [State Assistance Council, jointly with the] Department of Education (DEPED) L, Culture and Sports (DECS), the CHED and the TESDA] shall formulate measurement standards for the [evaluation of the quality of courses as well as the standing and status] ACCREDITATION AND QUALITY ASSURANCE of [the] recipient institutions. ["Within five (5) years from the approval of this Act, the assistance shall be given to schools: Provided, That the present allocation of the tuition fee and other income of the schools shall be used at the same proportion and allocation as provided by law.]"

SEC. 4. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 6728, as amended, is hereby further

amended to read as follows: "Sec. 4. Forms of Assistance. - [Assistance to private education shall consist of assistance to students and assistance to teachers.] The following are THE forms of assistance to [students] LEARNERS in private BASIC education SCHOOLS: "(1) Tuition fee [supplements] SUBSIDY [for students in private high schools, including students in vocational and technical courses]; AND

"(2) [High School] BASIC EDUCATION [Textbook) LEARNING MATERIALS Assistance Fund. [: Provided, That the textbook assistance per student in private high schools shall be determined by the council and shall not exceed what students in public high schools are provided on a per student basis under a comprehensive textbook program of the Secondary Education Development Program (SED): Provided, further, That the textbook assistance shall be granted only to beneficiaries of tuition fee supplements and educational service contracting scheme provided in this Aet; "(3) Expansion of the existing Educational Service Contracting (ESG) Scheme; "(4) The voucher system of the Private Education Student Financial Assistance Program (PESFA); "(5) Scholarship grants to students graduating as valedictorians and salutatorians from secondary schools; "(6) Tuition fee supplements to students in private colleges and universities; and "(7) Education Loan Fund.] "The following are THE forms of assistance to teachers [and faculty] in private BASIC education SCHOOLS: "(1) In-service training fund [for teachers in private high schools]; and "(2) [College Faculty Development Fund] TEACHERS' SALARY SUBSIDY FUND."

SEC. 5. Section 5 of Republic Act No. 6728, as amended, is hereby further

amended to read as follows: "Sec. 5. Tuition Fee [Supplements for Students in Private High Schools] SUBSIDY. - [(1) Financial Assistance for tuition for students] TO COMPLY WITH THE STANDARD CLASSROOM-LEARNER RATIO BY DECONGESTING OVERCROWDED CLASSROOMS IN PUBLIC BASIC

EDUCATION SCHOOLS, TUITION FEE SUBSIDY FOR LEARNERS in [private high] SUCH schools shall be provided by the government through a voucher system: [in the following manner: "(a) For students enrolled in schools charging an amount as may be determined by the State Assistance Council, the government shall provide them with a voucher in such an amount as may be determined by the Council]: PROVIDED, THAT LEARNERS BELONGING TO LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS SHALL BE PRIORITIZED: PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM (ALS) COMPLETERS UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11510, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM ACT", SHALL BE AUTOMATIC RECIPIENTS OF THE SUBSIDY. THE AMOUNT OF THE VOUCHER SHALL BE DETERMINED BY THE DEPED AND SHALL BE REVIEWED EVERY THREE (3) YEARS: Provided, That the government shall reimburse the [vouchers from the] schools concerned within [one hundred twenty (120)] SIXTY (60) days from the close of the registration period. THE DEPED SHALL FURTHER ENSURE QUALITY STANDARDS FOR SUCH SCHOOLS TO QUALIFY AS RECIPIENT INSTITUTIONS. [*(2) Assistance under paragraph (1), subparagraph (a) shall be guaranteed to all private high schools participating in the program for a number of slots as of the effectivity of this Aet as the total number of students who availed of tuition fee supplements for school year 1997-1998: Provided, That the State Assistance Council may in subsequent years determine additional slots and/or additional participating high schools as may be deemed necessary.]"

SEC. 6. Section 6 of Republic Act No. 6728, as amended, is hereby further

amended to read as follows: "Sec. 6. [High School] BASIC EDUCATION [Textbook] LEARNING MATERIALS Assistance Fund. - There shall be established in the [Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS)] DEPED, a [High School] BASIC EDUCATION [Textbook] LEARNING MATERIALS Assistance Fund, so that assistance on a per [student] LEARNER basis shall be given to [students] LEARNERS enrolled in private schools exclusively for the purchase of [high school] BASIC EDUCATION [textbooks] LEARNING MATERIALS L, in support of the implementation of the Secondary Education Development Program]: Provided, That the [textbook] LEARNING MATERIALS assistance per [student] LEARNER in private [high] BASIC EDUCATION schools shall be determined by the [council] DEPED and shall not exceed what [students] LEARNERS in public [high] BASIC EDUCATION schools are provided on a per [student] LEARNER basis: Provided, further, That the [textbook] LEARNING MATERIALS assistance shall be granted only to [beneficiaries] RECIPIENTS of THE tuition fee [supplements and educational service contracting scheme] SUBSIDY AS provided in this Act."

SEC. 7. Sections 7 (Expansion of the Existing Educational Service

Contracting (ESC) Scheme), 8 (Assistance to College Freshmen), 9 (Further Assistance to Students in Private Colleges and Universities), 10 (Education Loan Fund), and 11 of Republic Act No. 6728, as amended, are hereby deleted.

SEC. 8. Section 12 of Republic Act No. 6728, as amended, is hereby

further amended to read as follows: "Sec. 12. In-service Training Fund (Inset Fund). - For the purpose of improving the quality of teaching in private [secondary] BASIC education SCHOOLS, there is hereby

established in the [Department of Education, Culture and Sports] DEPED an Inset Fund to provide for the upgrading of knowledge and teaching competencies in critical subject areas and for the modernization of teaching techniques and strategies, including training in the use of [computers and of other multi-media] educational technologies to assist instruction: Provided, That the Inset Fund shall be available only to qualified licensed teachers in participating private [high] BASIC EDUCATION schools as determined by the [State Assistance Council] DEPED: Provided, further, That the amount of Inset Fund available to private [secondary] BASIC education SCHOOLS shall not exceed that available to public [secondary] BASIC education SCHOOLS on a per capita basis."

SEC. 9. Section 13 (College Faculty Development Fund) of Republic Act

No. 6728, as amended, is hereby deleted.

SEC. 10. Section 14 of Republic Act No. 6728, as amended, is hereby

further amended to read as follows: "Sec. 14. Teachers' Salary Subsidy Fund. - A Teachers' Salary Subsidy Fund is hereby established in the [DECS] DEPED to grant government subsidy to teachers in private [high] BASIC EDUCATION schools participating in the [programs of assistance] VOUCHER SYSTEM AS provided in this Act: Provided, THAT PRIORITY SHALL BE GIVEN TO HIGH PERFORMING TEACHERS USING STANDARDS-BASED ASSESSMENTS, PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS, OR OTHER APPROPRIATE MEASURES OF TEACHING COMPETENCE: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That the total monthly salary which includes the subsidy to be received by such private [high] BASIC EDUCATION [school] teachers shall not be more than eighty percent (80%) of the salary of [his] THEIR counterpartS in the public sector: Provided,

furtherMORE, That the amount of monthly subsidy shall not exceed the amount of any monthly salary increase that teachers in public high schools shall after the effectivity of this Act hereinafter receive: Provided, furtherMORE, That private [high] BASIC EDUCATION [school] teachers qualified to receive THE subsidy under this Act are duly licensed by the Professional Regulation Commission: Provided, [further] FINALLY, That the [government] DEPED shall provide them with a [voucher for the] salary subsidy which shall be [reimbursed] PAID OUT directly to the teachers within [Sixty (60)] THIRTY (30) days after the close of the school year upon submission of proof of qualification and actual teaching service in [a] participating private [high] BASIC EDUCATION schools [Provided, finally, That the present allocation out of increases from tuition and other income shall be maintained: Provided, finally, That in ease of insufficiency of funds, priority shall be given to married teachers supporting a family]."

SEC. 11. Section 15 of Republic Act No. 6728, as amended, is hereby

further amended to read as follows: "Sec. 15. Program AdministrationE/7; Rules and Regulations. - The [State Assistance Council] DEPED shall be responsible for policy guidance and direction, monitoring and evaluation of new and existing programs, [and the] promulgation of the rules and regulations, [while the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, shall be responsible for] day to day administration and program implementation for the programs of assistance to private [secondary] BASIC education SCHOOLS [post-secondary vocational and technical education and higher education; respectively]. Likewise, it may engage the SUPPORT services [and support] of any [qualified] RELEVANT government or QUALIFIED private

[entity for its] ENTITIES TO ASSIST IN THE implementation OF THE PROGRAMS UNDER THIS ACT: PROVIDED, THAT THE ENGAGEMENT OF PRIVATE ENTITIES UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE SUBJECT TO PROCUREMENT LAWS AND REGULATIONS, AND SUCH PRIVATE ENTITIES SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE POWER AND AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSION ON AUDIT WITH RESPECT TO THE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS RECEIVED PURSUANT TO THIS ACT. ["The State Assistance Council, hereinafter known as the Council, shall be headed by the Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports as chairperson, the chairperson of the CHED and the director general of the TESDA as co chairpersons, with representatives from the National Economic and Development Authority, the Department of Budget and Management, the Department of Science and Technology, and representatives from duly organized nationwide associations of teachers; students, parents, and school administrators concerned with secondary, post-secondary vocational and technical education and higher education as members. The last three (3) members shall be appointed by the Council upon the recommendation of their respective sectors for a term of one (1) school year subject to re-appointment for a maximum term of four (4) school years. A representative each from the Committees on Education of both Houses of Congress shall be designated resource persons to the Council.] ["The Council shall meet, from time to time, as the need arises, to assess the effectivity of the programs and to ensure that the secondary schools, post-vocational and technical institutions and higher educational institutions where student recipients are enrolled continue to provide quality education. to For this purpose, the Council shall establish criteria,

determine which secondary schools, post-secondary vocational and technical institutions and higher educational institutions may continue to enroll students and teachers/faculty as recipients of government assistance under this Act.]"

SEC. 12. Transitory Provision. - Upon the effectivity of this Act,

recipients of the Educational Service Contracting Scheme under Republic Act No. 6728, as amended, shall become voucher recipients under Sec. 5 herein: Provided, That they meet the criterion on financial need under Sec. 3. Further, all forms of assistance for post-secondary education programs under Republic Act No. 6728, as amended, shall be transferred to and managed by the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Board, as created by Republic Act No. 10687, otherwise known as the "Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary 15 Education (UniFAST) Act."

SEC. 13. Annual Report. - Three (3) years after the effectivity of this

17 Act, the DepEd shall commence the submission of annual reports on the status 18 of its implementation to the Committee on Basic Education of the Senate and 19 the Committee on Basic Education and Culture of the House of Representatives.

SEC. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). - The DepEd,

in consultation with the DBM, relevant government agencies, and other education stakeholders, shall formulate and issue the rules and regulations within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act. The IRR issued pursuant to this section shall take effect thirty (30) days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

SEC. 15. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act

is declared unconstitutional, the remainder hereof or any provisions not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect.

SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance,

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

SEC. 17. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after

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