Amending R.A. No. 7836 (Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act)

TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session 2 10L -9 74:07 SENATE n... S. No. 308 Introduced by: Senator Loren Legarda 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, or the Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994, was enacted to ensure and promote quality education through the proper supervision and regulation of the licensure examination and the professionalization of the teaching profession. It established the Board for Professional Teachers (BPT), under the supervision of the Professional Regulation Commission, to advance its objectives of promoting, developing, and professionalizing teachers while regulating the licensure examination process. This proposed measure seeks to amend R.A. No. 7836 to further strengthen the professionalization of teachers. It introduces the inclusion of a practical component, such as demonstration teaching or other evaluative modes, as a supplement to written examinations. The bill also provides for additional pathways for registration and licensure aside from the usual Board Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (BLEPT), opening opportunities for individuals with prior teaching experience and graduates of accredited teacher education institutions to transition into teaching in basic education through non-examination methods, provided they meet the required competency standards. To enhance the proficiency of the Board, the bill also introduces a higher requirement for its members, mandating at least a master's degree in education or its equivalent.

By introducing these amendments, this proposed measure reaffirms the government's commitment to elevating the teaching profession, recognizing that the quality of our education system depends on the excellence of our educators. Strengthening teacher professionalization is an investment in ensuring that our teachers are equipped to meet the evolving needs of learners, thereby cultivating teachers who will chalienge, inspire, and nurture the leaders of tomorrow. In doing so, we are laying the foundation for an education system that is dynamic, inclusive, and fully prepared to meet the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing world. In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is earnestly sought. LOREN LEGARDA

TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 2403 First Regular Session SENATE S. No. _ Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 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:

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, and who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines. [The recommendees shall be chosen from the list of nominees selected by the accredited association of teachers, who duly possess all the qualifications prescribed in Section 8 of this Act.] The chairman and the vice-chairman 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:

"Section 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 Aet 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) years.] MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHO ARE EMPLOYEES OR OFFICIALS OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES SHALL BE SECONDED TO THE PROFESSIONAL REGULATION COMMISSION FOR THE DURATION OF THEIR TERM. Vacancies shall be served for the unexpired term only. No person who has served AS MEMBER OF THE BOARD for two (2) consecutive terms shall be eligible for reappointment. Appointment to fill an unexpired term shall be considered an appointment to a complete term."

Sec. 3. Section 8 of Republic Act No. 7836 is hereby amended as follows:

"Section 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 personal as well as professional conduct and has not been convicted of any offense involving moral turpitude; [(c) Be a holder of the degree of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Education and preferably a holder of a master's of doctorate degree in education, or their equivalents, from a university, school, college, academy or institute duty constituted, recognized and/or accredited by the Philippine

government; 1 (C) BE A HOLDER OF AT LEAST A MASTER'S DEGREE, PREFERABLY HOLDING A DOCTORATE DEGREE, IN EDUCATION, OR THEIR EQUIVALENT, FROM A UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL, COLLEGE, ACADEMY OR INSTITUTE DULY CONSTITUTED, RECOGNIZED AND/OR ACCREDITED BY THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT; (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 active practice of the teaching profession for at least ten (10) years [in the elementary and secondary level]; and (f) Not TO be, 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 [for at least three (3) years prior to his appointment and 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, THAT THE PRC SHALL ISSUE THE APPROPRIATE RULES TO GOVERN THE PRACTICE OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD TO ENSURE THAT NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST SHALL ARISE IN THEIR FUNCTIONS RELATED TO THE CONDUCT OF THE LICENSURE EXAMINATION AND RELEASE OF THE RESULTS. Provided, [however,] 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, THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD SHALL ALSO HAVE THE NECESSARY EXPERTISE IN IMPLEMENTING TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT ARE OFFERED BY TEACHER EDUCATION COUNCIL (TEC) AND REGULATED BY THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION (CHED), TEST DEVELOPMENT AND ANALYSIS, AND LOGISTICS IN IMPLEMENTING WIDE-SCALE ASSESSMENTS AND SYSTEM ACCREDITATIONS."

Sec. 4. Section 12 of Republic Act No. 7836 is hereby further amended as

follows: "Section 12. Removal of a Board Member. - The chairman or any member of the Board may be removed by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation of the Commission for neglect of duty, incompetence, TERMINAL ILLNESS, unprofessional, unethical, immoral or dishonorable conduct, commission or tolerance of irregularities in the examination, after having been given the opportunity to defend himself in a proper administrative investigation. In the course of the investigation, the President may preventively suspend the Respondent."

Sec. 5. Section 13 of Republic Act No. 7836 is hereby further amended as

follows: "Section 13. Examination, Registration, and License Required. - [Except as otherwise specifically allowed under the provisions of this Act, all applicants for registration as professional teachers shall be required to undergo a written examination which shall be given at least ence a year in such places and dates as the Beard 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, except as otherwise allowed under this Act.]

PLICANTS FOR REGISTRATION AS PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS SHALL BE REQUIRED TO UNDERGO EITHER ONE OF THE FOLLOWING PATHWAYS: (1) A WRITTEN 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 WRITTEN EXAMINATION WILL BE REQUIRED FOR: (a) GRADUATES OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS, STATED IN SECTION 8 OF THIS ACT; NON-EDUCATION (b) GRADUATES OF PROGRAMS WHO HAVE COMPLETED 18 UNITS OF CERTIFICATION IN PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION (CPE). (2) ACCREDITATION OF TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS BY THE TEACHER EDUCATION COUNCIL, WHEREIN GRADUATES OF THESE ACCREDITED PROGRAMS NEED TO SUBMIT A PORTFOLIO OF ATTAINMENT OF THE TEACHING PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS IN LIEU OF TAKING THE WRITTEN EXAMINATION. (3) SUBMISSION OF A TEACHING EXPERIENCE PORTFOLIO FOR PURPOSES OF THOROUGH EVALUATION AND RECOGNITION OF KNOWLEDGE OR COMPARABLE TO EXPERTISE ACQUIRED, PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TEACHING IN HIGH-LEVEL BASIC EDUCATION AND TERTIARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS. FOR THIS PURPOSE, THE PRC, TEC, AND CHED SHALL PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE GUIDELINES FOR THE ASSESSMENT, EVALUATION, AND EQUIVALENCY OF PRIOR TEACHING EXPERIENCE TOWARDS THE

AWARDING OF A PROFESSIONAL LICENSE TO TEACH, INCLUDING THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE.

Sec. 6. Section 14 of Republic Act No. 7836 is hereby further amended as

follows: "Section 14. Scope of Examination. - [The examinations for the elementary and secondary school teachers shall be separate. The examination for teachers in the elementary level shall consist of two (2) parts, namely: professional education and general education. The examination for teachers in the secondary level shall consist of three (3) parts, namely: professional education, general education, and field of specialization.] THE EXAMINATIONS FOR TEACHERS SHALL BE GIVEN SEPARATELY BY PROGRAM, ALIGNED WITH THE RELEVANT PROGRAMS, STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES ISSUED. THE EXAMINATIONS SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS: (1) TEACHER PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS; (2) TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS OFFERED BY TEC AND REGULATED BY CHED; AND (3) EXISTING CURRICULUM OF BASIC AND CHILD CARE EDUCATION. THE EXAMINATIONS MAY INCLUDE A PRACTICAL COMPONENT AS A SUPPLEMENT TO WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS. GRADUATES FROM NON-EDUCATION PROGRAMS SHALL BE ABLE TO CHOOSE THEIR EXAM PROGRAM REGARDLESS OF BACHELOR'S DEGREE. IN CASE OF FAILURE IN THE EXAM BY THE AFOREMENTIONED TAKERS, CONTENT COURSES IN THEIR CHOSEN SUBJECT SHALL BE REQUIRED BEFORE THEY CAN RETAKE THE EXAM.

Sec. 7. Section 15 of Republic Act No. 7836, as amended by Section 1 of

Republic Act No. 9293, is hereby further amended as follows: "Section 15. Qualification Requirements of Applicant. - No applicant shall be admitted to take the examination unless, on the date of the filing of the application, he or she has 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; (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 [of] FROM a [school, college or university] TEACHER EDUCATION INSTITUTE DULY recognized by the COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION [government] and possesses the minimum educational qualifications PURSUANT TO TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS OFFERED BY TEC AND REGULATED BY CHED, OR EQUIVALENT PROGRAMS, OR OTHER PROGRAMS, AS MAY BE DETERMINED BY CHED, WITH AT LEAST EIGHTEEN (18) UNITS IN PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION, (f) THE RESULTS OF THE EXAM SHALL BE GIVEN BY COMPONENT. IF AN APPLICANT HAS PREVIOUSLY FAILED TO PASS COMPONENT/S OF THE EXAMINATION IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, HE OR SHE SHALL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE A REFRESHER COURSE FOR THE FAILED COMPONENT IN A CHED- RECOGNIZED TEACHER EDUCATION INSTITUTE BEFORE BEING ALLOWED TO RETAKE THE EXAMINATION.

Sec. 8. Section 16 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Section 16. RELEASE OF THE QUESTIONS AND Report of the Results of the Examination. - "The Board shall, NOT LATER THAN FORTY-EIGHT (48) HOURS AFTER EXAM ADMINISTRATION, RELEASE THE QUESTIONS AND INFORMATION ON THE MAKERS OF THE EXAM TO THE PUBLIC. THE BOARD SHALL FORM A TESTING BOARD EVERY YEAR, TO CONSIST OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM VARIOUS ACCREDITED TEACHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS. THE EXAM SHALL BE VALIDATED THROUGH A THIRD-PARTY ASSESSMENT BEFORE AND AFTER ADMINISTRATION. ITEM ANALYSIS IS RECOMMENDED TO BE DONE AFTER EXAM ADMINISTRATION. ADDITIONALLY, the Board shall, within one hundred twenty (120) days after the examination, report the ratings obtained by each candidate BY EXAM COMPONENT to the Professional Regulation Commission for approval and appropriate action. THE BOARD SHALL ALSO MAKE PUBLIC THE LICENSURE EXAM PERFORMANCE OF TEACHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, WITH A 10-YEAR TRACK RECORD ANALYSIS, AS PROVIDED BY CHED, THROUGH APPROPRIATE ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUANCES FOR DISSEMINATION TO THE PUBLIC INCLUDING POSTING OF THE SAME ON THE OFFICIAL PRC AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES' WEBSITES, AND PUBLICATIONS IN NEWSPAPERS OF NATIONAL CIRCULATION IN SUCH PERIOD AND FREQUENCY AS THE BOARD SHALL DETERMINE. TEACHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS SHALL UPON RELEASE OF SCHOOL PERFORMANCE IN THE EXAMINATION, ALSO MAKE PUBLIC THEIR LICENSURE EXAM PERFORMANCE, WITH A 10-YEAR TRACK RECORD ANALYSIS, THROUGH POSTING IN THREE (3) CONSPICUOUS PLACES ACCESSIBLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, INCLUDING THE SCHOOL WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS IF AVAILABLE.

NO UNDUE PROMOTION OR ADVERTISEMENTS SHALL BE ALLOWED FOR REVIEW CENTERS AND SIMILAR ENTITIES FOR PURPOSES OF OWNING CREDIT FOR PASSING OF THOSE WHO TOOK THE LICENSURE EXAMINATIONS FOR TEACHERS, AND SUCH CREDIT SHALL BE ATTRIBUTED SOLELY TO THE TEACHER.

Sec. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Professional Regulation

Commission, shall within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, promulgate the rules and regulations to effectively implement the provisions of this Act.

Sec. 10. Transitory Provision. - The Professional Regulation Commission and

the Board of Professional Teachers shall update its existing policies and issuances relevant to this Act and ensure its alignment with the same within a period of six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act and report the same to Congress within the first year of its implementation.

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

unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect.

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

order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent with the provisions of this 20 Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following

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