Press Release
June 18, 2008

Gordon aims for world class public education through HEAP
Rises to the challenge of ending incremental approach to closing public education gaps

Rising to the challenge of filling up the shortage in classrooms, teachers, computer and science labs, and textbooks, Senator Richard Gordon filed Senate Bill 2402 otherwise known as An Act Creating the Health and Education Acceleration Program Corporation, Providing Funds Therefor and for other purposes.

"Hindi uubra ang tingi-tingi at patse-patseng solusyon sa problema ng pampublikong edukasyon. It's time we take a big leap forward and make our public education system catch up to present demands, then in the succeeding year or years we can refocus on other priorities in public education. That means building all the classrooms as well as hiring all the teachers, buying better textbooks, and building computer and science labs needed in a year's time and that is what we HEAP will do," said Gordon.

Senate Bill 2402 seeks to create the Health and Education Acceleration Program (HEAP) Corporation, which will be a government corporation that will spearhead the rehabilitation and acceleration of education and health infrastructure in the country. Under the HEAP, every commercial mobile service provider shall be required to remit to the HEAP fund half or 50% of its net revenue earnings arising from local text messages. Initial estimates place the amount to be generated at around P98.7 Billion a year, which will be a fund separate from the budget alloted by government for public education.

These funds shall be earmarked for the construction of classrooms, computer and science labroratories, clean cafeterias and school facilities. Funds will also be alloted for the acquisition of books, desks, chairs and instruction materials; the hiring of teachers, regular conduct of teacher training programs, the augmentation of teachers' and the provision of scholarship grants.

Beyond basic educational needs, the fund will establish school clinics with dental equipment and a regular staff nurse as well as support school feeding and vaccination programs.

"In its first year, HEAP can build all the classrooms and hire all the teachers we currently lack. That will be the end of our perpetual shortage in classrooms and teachers. Children will not only have free text books, we will be able to buy them the best textbooks in the market as well as give them computer and science labs. Our public school children will also be better fed, given vaccinations against diseases, and be given access to regular, free dental services. By having enough teachers, we can expect our educators to focus their energies on teaching better and have more time to avail of free training to improve their skills," said Gordon.

"With this law, Deped will be completely focused on academic concerns and not be distracted by infrastructure and logistics," said Gordon.

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