Samantha Abejo

Kler Joy Dela Cruz

Beverly Cadayday

Dinalyn Torillo

Maikee Pacheco Etang

Florinda Butac

Cristene Ellevera

Mary Jane Pasayon

THE 1987 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION, ART XIV, SEC. 1&2

Section 1. The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality
education at all levels, and shall take appropriate steps to make such education
accessible to all.

Section 2. The State shall:

(1) Establish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and integrated system of
education relevant to the needs of the people and society;

(2) Establish and maintain a system of free public education in the elementary and high
school levels. Without limiting the natural right of parents to rear their children,
elementary education is compulsory for all children of school age;

(3) Establish and maintain a system of scholarship grants, student loan programs,
subsidies, and other incentives which shall be available to deserving students in both
public and private schools, especially to the underprivileged;

(4) Encourage non-formal, informal, and indigenous learning systems, as well as self-
learning, independent, and out-of-school study programs particularly those that respond
to community needs; and

(5) Provide adult citizens, the disabled, and out-of-school youth with training in civics,
vocational efficiency, and other skills.
RA 10533 ENHANCED BASIC EDUCATION ACT- INCLUDING ALS AND
LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Republic Act No. 10533, also known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013,
significantly reformed the Philippine education system, aiming to provide a more
comprehensive and globally competitive learning experience for all students.

 Alternative Learning System (ALS) - The act explicitly includes ALS as a vital
component of the basic education system. ALS is designed to provide
educational opportunities for out-of-school youth and adults who have not
completed formal schooling.

 Learners with special needs – The act emphasizes the need for an inclusive
education system that caters to the diverse learning needs of all students,
including those with disabilities. It mandates that the Department of Education
(DepEd) implement programs and support services to ensure that learners with
special needs have access to quality education.

RA 8371 INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S RIGHT ACT

RA 8371, also known as the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA), is a

landmark legislation in the Philippines that aims to protect and promote
the rights of Indigenous Peoples (IPs).

An act to recognize, protect and promote the rights of indigenous cultural

communities/indigenous peoples, creating a national commission on
indigenous peoples, establishing implementing mechanisms,
appropriating funds therefor, and for other purposes.

The law recognizes the right of IPs to establish and control their own educational
learning systems, which includes the right to:

Indigenous culture, customs, and traditions: This means that IPs have the right
to incorporate their own cultural values, beliefs, and practices into their education
system.

Recognition of cultural diversity: The IPRA emphasizes the importance of

respecting and valuing the diverse cultures of different IP groups.

Name, identity, and history: IPs have the right to learn about their own history,
language, and cultural heritage.

Community intellectual rights: The IPRA recognizes the right of IPs to control and
protect their traditional knowledge and intellectual property.
Protection of indigenous sacred places: This provision ensures that sacred sites
and places of cultural significance are respected and protected.

Right to protection of indigenous knowledge: IPs have the right to control and
manage their traditional knowledge systems.

Right to science and technology: The IPRA acknowledges the right of IPs to
develop and utilize their own scientific and technological knowledge.

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 603 “CHILD AND YOUTH WELFARE CODE”

All children shall be entitled to the rights herein set forth without distinction as to
legitimacy or illegitimacy, sex, social status, religion, political antecedents, and other
factors.

12 Rights of a Child:

1. Every child is endowed with the dignity and worth of a human being from the
moment of his conception, as generally accepted in medical parlance, and has,
therefore, the right to be born well

2. Every child has the right to a wholesome family life that will provide him/her with
love, care understanding, guidance and counseling, and moral and material
security.

3. Every child has the right to a well-rounded development of his personality to the
end that he may become a happy, useful and active member of society.

4. Every child has the right to a balanced diet, adequate clothing, sufficient shelter,
proper medical attention, and all the basic physical requirements of a healthy and
vigorous life.

5. Every child has the right to be brought up in an atmosphere of morality and

rectitude for the enrichment and the strengthening of his character.

6. Every child has the right to an education commensurate with his abilities and to
the development of his skills for the improvement of his capacity for service to
himself and to his fellowmen.

7. Every child has the right to full opportunities for safe and wholesome recreation
and activities, individual as well as social, for the wholesome use of his leisure
hours.

8. Every child has the right to protection against exploitation, improper influences,
hazards, and other conditions circumstances or prejudicial to his physical,
mental, emotional, social and moral development.
 9. Every child has the right to live in a community and a society that can offer him
an environment free from pernicious influences and conducive to the promotion
of his health and the cultivation of his desirable traits and attributes.

10. Every child has the right to the care, assistance, and protection of the State,
particularly when his parents or guardians fail or are unable to provide him with
his fundamental needs for growth, development, and improvement.

11. Every child has the right to an efficient and honest government that will deepen
his faith in democracy and inspire him with the morality of the constituted
authorities both in their public and private lives.

12. Every child has the right to grow up as a free individual, in an atmosphere of
peace, understanding, tolerance, and universal brotherhood, and with the
determination to contribute his share in the building of a better world.

RA 7610 SPEACIAL PROTECTION AGAINST CHILD ABUSE, EXPLOITATION AND

DISCRIMINATION ACT

Republic Act No. 7610, also known as the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse,
Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, is a comprehensive law in the Philippines that aims
to protect children from various forms of abuse, exploitation, and discrimination.
Enacted in 1992, it serves as a cornerstone of child protection legislation in the country,
outlining a robust framework for safeguarding the rights and well-being of children.

The law’s primary objectives are to:

Provide special protection to children: This includes protecting them from all forms of
abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, and discrimination.

Strengthen deterrence: RA 7610 aims to deter the commission of child abuse,

exploitation, and discrimination by imposing stringent penalties on perpetrators.

Carry out a program for prevention and deterrence: The law emphasizes the
importance of preventive measures and programs to address the root causes of child
abuse and exploitation.

Provide crisis intervention: The law mandates the provision of services and support
to children who have been victims of abuse, exploitation, or discrimination.

Defining Child Abuse and Exploitation:

RA 7610 defines child abuse as the maltreatment of a child, whether habitual or not,
and includes:
Psychological and physical abuse: This includes acts that cause emotional or
physical harm to a child.

Neglect: Failure to provide for a child’s basic needs, such as food, shelter, and medical
care.

Cruelty: Acts that inflict pain or suffering on a child.

Sexual abuse: Any sexual act committed against a child, including sexual exploitation
and child prostitution.

Emotional maltreatment: Acts that cause emotional distress or damage to a child’s

self-esteem.

Specific Acts of Abuse and Exploitation:

RA 7610 specifically addresses several forms of child abuse and exploitation, including:

Child prostitution and other sexual abuse: The law defines child prostitution as any
sexual act by a child for money, profit, or other consideration, often under coercion or
influence. It imposes severe penalties on those who engage in, promote, facilitate, or
induce child prostitution.

Child trafficking: The law prohibits the buying, selling, or trading of children for any
purpose. It also includes provisions against the recruitment of women or couples to bear
children for the purpose of trafficking.

Obscene publications and indecent shows: The law prohibits the use of children in
obscene exhibitions, indecent shows, or pornographic materials.