AN ACT CREATING A SECOND CONGRESSIONAL COMMISSION ON EDUCATION TO REVIEW, ASSESS, AND EVALUATE THE STATE OF PHILIPPINE EDUCATION AND RECOMMEND INNOVATIVE AND TARGETED POLICY REFORMS IN EDUCATION, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Eighteenth Congress
Third Regular Session

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-sixth day of July, two thousand twenty one.

[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11899, July 23, 2022 ]

AN ACT CREATING A SECOND CONGRESSIONAL COMMISSION ON EDUCATION TO REVIEW, ASSESS, AND EVALUATE THE STATE OF PHILIPPINE EDUCATION AND RECOMMEND INNOVATIVE AND TARGETED POLICY REFORMS IN EDUCATION, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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 "Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) Act."

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the declared policy of the State to protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality, accessible, adequate and relevant education at all levels. The State shall make education as a critical component of human capital development, socio-economic equality, inclusive growth, sustainable development, and fulfillment of human rights.

The State likewise adheres to the constitutional mandate of giving importance to the crucial roles of education, science and technology, arts, culture, and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote total human liberation and development.

Towards this end, the State shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all, recognize the complementary roles of public and private education, and establish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and integrated system of education relevant to the needs of the people and society.

Section 3. Objectives of EDCOM II. — In order to place education at the center of the development policies of the State, guided by a national vision on education, EDCOM II shall:

Section 4. Creation of EDCOM II. — There is hereby created an EDCOM II, hereinafter referred to as the Commission, to undertake a comprehensive national assessment and evaluation of the performance of the Philippine education sector for the purpose of recommending transformative, concrete and targeted reforms in the sector with the end in view of making the Philippines globally competitive in both education and labor markets.

Section 5. Composition of EDCOM II. — The Commission shall be composed of ten (10) members, with five (5) members from the Senate and five (5) members from the House of Representatives.

The Chairpersons of the Senate Committees on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, and on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, and the Chairpersons of the House Committees on Basic Education and Culture, and on Higher and Technical Education shall serve as Co-Chairpersons of the Commission.

The other three (3) members each from the Senate and the House of Representatives shall be designated by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively.

The members of the Commission shall receive no compensation, but travelling, communications, and other necessary expenses shall be allowed, subject to existing laws, and rules and regulations.

Section 6. Duration of EDCOM II. — The Commission shall accomplish its mandate within three (3) years from its organization. It shall organize itself and commence its mandate upon the effectivity of this Act.

Section 7. Powers and Functions of EDCOM II. — The Commission shall have the following powers and functions:

Section 8. National Assessment and Evaluation; Scope. — Pursuant to Section 4 of this Act, the national assessment and evaluation shall include the following:

Section 9. Standing Committees. — The members of the Commission shall establish from among its members standing committees, to be chaired by such members or experts from multisectoral groups, and engage resource persons from the public and private sectors as may be needed.

The standing committees shall include the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Philippine Sports Commission in their respective consultations to ensure that arts and sports education are integrated into the education system.

Section 10. Technical Secretariat. — A Technical Secretariat, to be headed by an Executive Director (ED), shall be organized to provide technical and administrative support to the Commission in the exercise of its powers and performance of its functions under Section 7 of this Act.

The Technical Secretariat shall co-exist with the Commission.

Section 11. Executive Director. — The ED to be appointed by the Commission must be a recognized expert with experience both in the fields of education and management. The ED shall work full-time and shall have the rank, privileges, and emoluments of an Executive Director IV (Salary Grade 29).

Section 12. Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) as Research Arm. — The PIDS shall serve as the research arm of the Commission. During the course of the Commission's existence, it shall produce data-based research and provide analysis to contribute to the formulation of education policy recommendations.

Section 13. Education, Legislation and Policy Advisory Council. — An Education, Legislation and Policy Advisory Council (Advisory Council) is hereby created to provide the Commission with expert assistance and advice. The members of the Advisory Council shall always be present in all meetings of the Commission. The Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall choose recognized experts from the following sectors to form part of the Advisory Council: two (2) members from the academe, two (2) members from the business sector, two (2) members from the government education agencies, two (2) members who are heads of LGUs, and two (2) members from civil society organizations and development partners engaged in education.

Section 14. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the initial implementation of this Act shall be charged against the available appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Thereafter, the amount necessary for its continuous implementation, including any deficiency in the current year, shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act subject to existing budgeting, accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

Section 15. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part of this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts not affected shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 16. Repealing Clause. — All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, administrative orders, rules and regulations, issuances, or parts thereof inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

Section 17. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2485 and House Bill No. 10308 was passed by the Senate of the Philippines and the House of Representatives on May 23, 2022.

Approved: Lapsed into law on JUL 23 2022 without the signature of the President, in accordance with Article VI Section 27 (1) of the Constitution.

RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
President of the Philippines