- 3/20/2024
Panayam kay Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo, Chairman ng House Committee on Basic Education and Culture
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NewsTranscript
00:00 The No Permit No Exam Prohibition Act was passed,
00:03 we will discuss it with Pasig City Representative Roman Romulo,
00:09 the Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture.
00:13 Congressman Romulo, good afternoon and welcome back to the new Philippines.
00:19 Yes, good afternoon, Ma'am Ninia and of course, Usec Edul,
00:24 all the viewers listening to the program, good afternoon and good afternoon to all of us.
00:30 Congressman, first of all, what is your reaction to the passing of President Marcos Jr.
00:36 of the Republic Act 11984 or the No Permit No Exam Prohibition Act?
00:43 You know, Ma'am Ninia, to be honest, since the 14th Congress,
00:49 I remember that this bill is already being filed.
00:52 So, it passed on the 14th, 15th, 16th, probably 17th, 18th, now it's the 19th Congress.
01:00 To be honest, Ma'am Ninia, this was just passed recently.
01:03 This bill has been passed for a long time because we know that we really need a lot of our countrymen
01:10 because we really have a lot of countrymen whose parents are OFWs,
01:15 we also have a lot of entrepreneurs,
01:18 we also have a lot of, because I heard earlier that there were storms being discussed, natural calamities,
01:24 there are families that are passing through here and their financial status was affected.
01:31 That's why it's very important that this was passed and now the law,
01:35 this No Permit No Exam, prohibition of the No Permit No Exam Policy.
01:41 That's why it's really funny because it's been a long time since this Congress passed this.
01:47 Yes, good afternoon, Chair.
01:49 For our countrymen, let's be clear,
01:53 is this new prohibition in this new law applicable to all educational institutions, public and private?
02:01 Is it correct and does it include all technical and vocational institutions of this law?
02:07 It includes private and public basic education,
02:13 public and private universities and colleges,
02:17 and in Tibet, it includes those who have at least one year of study, not the short courses.
02:24 If you are in TEC-VOCA, you should have at least one year of program.
02:29 We know that congressmen, especially in private schools,
02:34 are depending on tuition for these expenses.
02:38 How can we avoid that this new law is abused so that the welfare and running of a school is not in vain?
02:49 Even in public schools, right?
02:51 Madam Nina, Usec Edu, that's true.
02:55 In fact, when this was directed to the committee,
02:58 even to the plenary and the bicamp, the balancing was really discussed there.
03:04 Because we really need the help of our private schools.
03:09 To be honest, we know the truth,
03:11 it's not hidden, our classrooms are really lacking in our DepEd schools.
03:16 On one side, we really need the help of our private schools.
03:22 And we know the lifeblood of a private school
03:26 because they need to pay their teachers' salaries through tuition fees.
03:34 And we say that the salaries of all our teachers, including private ones, need to be upgraded
03:40 simply because that is the most important thing for me and for the quality of education.
03:45 So what we did here in this Panokalam Batas
03:49 is we balanced what we are saying that if a student's family cannot afford to pay their salaries,
03:59 because assume that his parents are OFWs,
04:02 what happened to his parents before, they had three or four jobs.
04:07 But we know that during the pandemic, many of them contracted to other countries.
04:12 So somehow, their income was reduced.
04:14 Even though this happened before, the parents were okay here,
04:17 but there was an emergency, a natural calamity that affected their businesses, their income.
04:25 What we want to make sure is that the education of those students continues.
04:31 But bearing in mind that private schools should survive,
04:36 that's why we are saying that we should also,
04:39 that's why we put in DSW here, USEC-EDU,
04:43 because we know that our national government has many programs
04:46 about educational scholarships, educational assistance,
04:50 including DSWD.
04:52 Even the local governments have them.
04:54 What we want is to help the families so that they can pay the tuition fee
05:02 that they haven't been able to pay in their schools.
05:05 We don't want private schools to close up.
05:10 What we want is that in instances where the student is disadvantaged,
05:15 the national government and local government should help pay the tuition fee of the student and the family.
05:26 Yes, Cong. Chairs, it's good to know that we are balancing our interests
05:31 and the interests of private institutions because we know that they are also recovering from the pandemic.
05:38 Many schools closed during the pandemic and they also need to survive.
05:43 I'm sure that during our hearing, we consulted with these sectors.
05:49 What system will we do here?
05:53 If the students are given an exemption, will we allow them to take exams even if they don't have tuition?
06:00 They haven't paid their tuition yet.
06:02 Is there a time frame for them to settle their tuition fee?
06:05 This is for the interest of educational institutions.
06:10 Yes, USEC-EDU, Ma'am Ninia, the most important thing here is to protect the rights of learners.
06:20 We know that when a student enters a school, especially when we're talking about basic education,
06:26 that is between the ages of 5 years old to 18 years old,
06:31 so the learner is still a minor, he enters because he wants to study, his family told him that he needs to study.
06:37 When he arrives in class, it's not his fault, he doesn't control the financial status of his family.
06:44 What the family wants is for him to study. They believe that in private schools,
06:50 the opportunity for their child will be higher.
06:54 But think about it, you're a learner, you're a student,
06:57 and suddenly you don't know if you'll be allowed to take an exam or not,
07:02 whether it's a periodic or final exam, you know, it's also a mental torture.
07:08 And to be honest, it affects the dignity of the person.
07:15 That's the main thing we want to avoid.
07:19 When he enrolls, the academic calendar is sure that if the problem is financial,
07:26 it should not be planned for him to continue.
07:29 We're saying that he needs to go to DSWT,
07:34 ask for a certification, for example, disadvantage learning,
07:39 because DSWT needs to do a case study.
07:42 He will do a case study, he will see the situation of the learner, of that student.
07:47 If he sees that there is a justifiable reason,
07:52 there is a case that happened in that area, so it affected the financial status,
07:56 he will give a certification so that he can continue, at least finish that academic calendar.
08:03 After that academic calendar, the National and Local Government will enter here,
08:08 the DSWT will have a case study, the learner's family will have a chance
08:13 to ask for an application to the Educational Scholarships Assistance of the National and Local Government.
08:20 Again, at the end of the day, we just want to help the student
08:26 and also help the school to collect the tuition fee through the help of the National Government.
08:35 What's important is that the student should finish the whole academic calendar
08:40 so that he won't be in trouble.
08:43 You know, it's also a mental torture.
08:45 To be honest, and the learner is not at fault, he's still a minor.
08:50 So it's right that the National and Local Government should help us.
08:55 But the results of the exam, for example, the exam was taken,
09:01 but will they be given the results or the official results if they haven't fulfilled the obligation of the parents in the school?
09:13 Under the law, what we are saying is that the financial status should not be affected in obtaining the examination,
09:23 but the receipt of the report card, of course, should be waited for once the obligation is settled.
09:33 What's important is that the student should continue to get the tuition fee after the academic calendar,
09:37 not because the tuition fee was not paid, but because he was suddenly asked to attend the final exam today or next quarter,
09:44 after he gets all of that, he should also be able to go to the tuition fee.
09:47 If the family cannot afford it, the DSWD should have a case study,
09:53 and through the National and Local Government, it should help him to settle the obligation.
09:58 So, Congressman, what will be the consequence or punishment to the educational institutions that will not follow this law?
10:09 You know, it's been a long debate and discussion.
10:15 But I said from the very beginning, and I'm sure we will all agree,
10:19 this is where we really need to help the public and the government and our private institutions.
10:27 We all know, you said, that there should be a balance of interest.
10:31 We all know that the survival of a private school is based on the tuition fee that it gets,
10:37 and the salaries of its teachers, and the maintenance cost of that school.
10:47 So, what we said is administrative penalties.
10:52 The Department of Education and the relevant agency concerned will decide that.
11:00 But what we said is administrative penalties.
11:03 It's not a suspension of their license or anything like that.
11:10 But we left it to the so-called administrative penalties.
11:14 Yes, Cong. Chair, that's right.
11:17 In the part of the DSWD, many students come to us and ask for help for the tuition fee, partner.
11:26 So, this is really common among students.
11:30 Of course, there are also those who are against this, partner.
11:33 Some are saying that there should be a requirement,
11:36 why do we need to require a certificate from the DSWD before we are allowed to take an exam?
11:43 You will be allowed, but there is still a permit.
11:48 So, those are the questions that are being raised by the critics of this law.
11:52 All right.
11:53 That's right.
11:54 First, Ma'am Nina Yusik-Edud, to be honest, this was also discussed.
12:00 First of all, this is also in our law that private educational institutions can waive.
12:08 Second, this is really a form of protection to the learners, to the families who really need help.
12:19 What we don't want to happen is that even if it's just a little,
12:25 that little might later destroy the system, the students who will be affected.
12:32 What we want is to be sure that the families and learners who need help can be protected and helped.
12:40 Cong. Chair, just a follow-up,
12:44 because this law, just as an example, we have already discussed the issue of the report card,
12:50 and this is also very common in graduation.
12:53 We don't allow those who still have debts to graduate.
12:56 But imagine, you won't go to the entablado, you will receive a diploma,
13:02 because you have a debt.
13:04 That will be traumatic for a child.
13:05 Are we considering, in the follow-up law, are we being pushed in that direction?
13:12 Well, Usec Edo, first of all, we saw that in the beginning,
13:16 we asked for a certification for disadvantaged students,
13:21 those who will study and need help from the DSWD.
13:25 This is, in fact, to issue that, we have envisioned here,
13:31 that our DSWD is already doing a case study.
13:34 Now, if it's really necessary to help,
13:37 the DSWD, Usec Edo, you are used to doing a lot of what are called case studies.
13:45 Maybe, if it's really needed help,
13:48 you don't have to wait for the break or after the graduation ceremonies.
13:55 If it's really needed help, and the DSWD or any department in the national government or local government
14:03 I am certain, will help immediately.
14:07 Because we want to really help.
14:10 It's a form of, we have a principle under our constitution, the parents patriae,
14:15 that the state will step in if it's really financially needed or a Filipino child needs help.
14:24 Congressman, we have a question here from our media partner, Red Mendoza of Manila Times.
14:31 The youth party list said that the No Permit No Exam Law is diluted,
14:37 especially in its provisions that establishes who should be called indigent
14:43 and in the penalties against the schools that violate the law.
14:47 How did the committee analyze the issues regarding penalizing schools
14:54 and establishing students who are indigent?
15:00 First of all, Madam Nina, it's good that Yusig Edu is here.
15:05 If the law itself will say who is indigent and who is qualified,
15:12 that is very unfair because the parameters are sometimes based on case-to-case basis.
15:18 Because sometimes, it's possible that both parents are working but they can't afford it.
15:24 They might get sick, or they might lose their job.
15:29 So we want enough flexibility for the learner to ask for help from the national and local government.
15:38 And now, DSWD and other agencies are really able to do case studies.
15:45 So we want enough flexibility so that we don't have to impose on other situations that only this person can be indigent.
15:54 We really need flexibility from our agencies, whether national or local,
16:00 to say that they are disadvantaged students so that they can get assistance from the national or local government.
16:08 Because the situation is really different.
16:11 Second, regarding the saying that we became a line in the penalties, is that right?
16:17 Is that right?
16:22 Okay. Yes, Congressman, I will just ask DSWD Yusig Edu about the indigent.
16:31 Yes.
16:32 Congressman said that it's based on case-to-case basis.
16:35 How did you determine that? What are those case-to-case basis?
16:39 Yes, what Cong Chair said is right.
16:42 Our social workers in DSWD are trained to conduct the case study.
16:47 So they determine the status of our fellowmen who come to us asking for a certificate for case study
16:57 and what appropriate interventions the government can give them.
17:01 And we also want to add, Cong Chair, that this can also be done at the local government level.
17:08 Because our local city social and municipal city social workers also issue case studies for our fellowmen who need help.
17:20 Yes, Yusig Edu, we know that there are many local governments that have educational assistance programs.
17:31 They have scholarships for honor students, for those in need.
17:37 And of course, we also want to tap them.
17:40 And of course, they won't have an issue if they don't have case studies.
17:44 Alright. Thank you very much for your time.
17:47 Pasig City Representative Roman Romulo, the Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture.
17:55 Thank you.
17:56 Thank you. Have a good day.
17:58 Have a good day.
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