ORMOC CITY – Leyte 4th district Representative Richard Gomez has filed a bill seeking the abolition of the K to 12 program of the Department of Education, citing its failure to meet its promised goals and the financial burden it imposes on poor families.
Gomez made the announcement on Monday, June 30, during his oath-taking ceremony for a second term, held shortly after the inauguration of newly elected and re-elected Ormoc City officials led by his wife, Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez, at the city’s Superdome.
The bill is part of Gomez’s 10-priority legislative measures filed on the first day of the 20th Congress.
“It has been proven that the K to 12 is a failure, especially in its promise that students would be job-ready after graduation. That never happened,” Gomez said.
“It has only added burden to poor families. There is clearly a problem that must be reviewed, and for me, abolishing K to 12 is the best way to go,” he added.
Implemented in 2012, the K to 12 program added two years to the basic education curriculum with the goal of improving students’ readiness for employment or higher education. However, various groups and lawmakers have called for its review or abolition, citing implementation challenges and lack of tangible benefits.
Aside from the bill abolishing the K to 12 program, Gomez also filed the following measures: prohibition of confidential and intelligence funds for agencies without mandates on national security, peace and order, or intelligence gathering; ban on natural-born males from joining female sports competitions; establishment of the Eastern Visayas Railway System, linking Tacloban, Capoocan, Ormoc, Maasin, and Pintuyan, Southern Leyte; amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (RA 9165); creation of a dedicated Dangerous Drugs Court; access to medical cannabis and the creation of a Medical Cannabis Office; creation of National Defense Act; and the establishment of the Philippine National Games.
Gomez said these ten bills are just the start of his legislative agenda. He plans to file around 140 bills and resolutions in total for the 20th Congress as he begins his second term.
The mass oath-taking event was attended by barangay officials, national agency representatives, uniformed personnel, media, students, and supporters from across the city and the district.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
