TACLOBAN CITY — The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading two landmark education reform measures authored by Tingog party-list Representatives Andrew Julian Romualdez and Jude Acidre, both aimed at making quality education more inclusive and accessible for all Filipino learners.
The approved measures — House Bill (HB) No. 4744, or the Private Basic Education Vouchers Assistance Act, and HB No. 4745, or the Last Mile Schools Act — reflect TINGOG’s continuing commitment to strengthen the country’s education system and bridge learning gaps between urban and rural communities.
The Private Basic Education Vouchers Assistance Act, a priority bill under the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) Common Legislative Agenda, institutionalizes a national voucher program to help families afford private schooling. It also creates a Bureau of Private Education under the Department of Education (DepEd) to oversee assistance programs for students, teachers, and private institutions.
The measure further updates the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (E-GASTPE) Act, or Republic Act No. 8545, reinforcing the role of private schools as partners in easing classroom congestion and expanding access to quality education.
Meanwhile, the Last Mile Schools Act addresses the persistent lack of educational infrastructure in geographically isolated, disadvantaged, and conflict-affected areas (GIDCA). The bill institutionalizes a five-year nationwide program to ensure that schools in remote communities have adequate classrooms, electricity, internet connectivity, and access roads.
The measure mandates the DepEd to coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Energy (DOE), National Electrification Administration (NEA), and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to implement infrastructure and connectivity projects for last-mile schools.
“Education should never be a matter of privilege or proximity. Through the Private Basic Education Vouchers Assistance Act and the Last Mile Schools Act, we are making sure that learning opportunities reach every Filipino learner—whether in private school classrooms or in the most remote barangays,” TINGOG said in a statement.
“These reforms affirm our belief that education is both a right and a shared responsibility, and that no child should ever be left behind simply because of circumstance,” it added.
Tingog emphasized that the passage of the two bills demonstrates the shared resolve of Congress and the national government to advance education as a cornerstone of national development.
The party-list reaffirmed its commitment to champion policies that expand learning opportunities, strengthen education governance, and ensure that no Filipino learner is left behind.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
