WITH an overwhelming 297 affirmative votes, the House of Representatives on Wednesday night approved on third and final reading a measure aimed at strengthening the Department of Education (DepEd) by empowering its regional and local offices and improving the delivery of basic education services nationwide.
The chamber passed House Bill (HB) No. 9358, principally authored by Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III, House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos, and Committee on Basic Education and Culture Chair Roman Romulo.
The measure amends Republic Act No. 9155, or the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001, to strengthen the institutional capacity of DepEd at the regional, division, and district levels.
The bill grants DepEd regional offices greater authority to develop regional basic education plans, monitor and assess learning outcomes, contextualize national policies to local conditions, and provide stronger technical support to Schools Division Offices.
It also authorizes the Department to reorganize and rationalize school divisions and districts based on demographic, geographic, and educational considerations, allowing local education governance structures to better respond to conditions on the ground.
In addition, the measure updates provisions covering the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to align the law with the region’s current governance framework while allowing DepEd to continue providing technical assistance and training support.
Marcos said the measure recognizes that improving education outcomes requires stronger institutions not only at the national level but also in communities where policies are ultimately implemented.
“Quality education does not depend solely on policies crafted in Manila. It also depends on the capacity of our regional, division, and district offices to effectively translate those policies into meaningful outcomes for learners,” Marcos said.
“This measure strengthens the entire governance chain of basic education so that support reaches our schools faster, decisions become more responsive to local realities, and every Filipino child receives the quality education he or she deserves,” he added.
Marcos said empowering local education offices would help improve accountability, accelerate service delivery, and ensure that education reforms are implemented more effectively nationwide.
“Education reforms succeed when governance structures are empowered, responsive, and accountable. By strengthening DepEd’s presence and capacity on the ground, we are investing in better learning outcomes and a stronger future for our children,” he said.
The bill is also authored by Reps. Jude Acidre, Ziaur-Rahman “Zia” Alonto Adiong, Steve Chiongbian Solon, Anna Victoria Veloso-Tuazon, Antonino Roman III, Kenneth Gatchalian, Agatha Paula Aguilar Cruz, Laarni Lavin Roque, Lorenz Defensor, Bernadette Escudero, Ma. Victoria Co-Pilar, Dibu Tuan, Dale Corvera, Eulogio “Leo” Rodriguez, Carmelo Lazatin Jr., Salvador Pleyto, Ustadz Yusop Alano, Ma. Nina Francesca Lacson, Sergio Dagooc, and Julius Cesar “Jay” Vergara.
