FOLLOWING the President’s announcement on proposed amendments to the Local Government Code aimed at enhancing the fiscal capacity of local government units (LGUs), Senator Sherwin Gatchalian emphasized that such reforms should also reinforce the role of LGUs in improving the quality of education in the Philippines.

“Sa pag-amyenda natin sa Local Government Code, mahalagang paigtingin na rin natin ang papel ng mga lokal na pamahalaan sa paghahatid at pag-angat ng kalidad ng edukasyon,” said Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance.

In the 20th Congress, Gatchalian refiled the proposed 21st Century School Boards Act (Senate Bill No. 53), which seeks to expand the membership of Local School Boards, enhance their functions, and broaden the use of the Special Education Fund (SEF).

Under the measure, Local School Boards will be empowered to formulate policies aimed at improving the delivery and overall quality of education in their respective areas.

Education performance will be evaluated using key indicators such as student participation rates, dropout levels, the number of out-of-school youth, academic achievement scores, and the establishment of child development centers, among others.

The proposal also seeks to allow the SEF to be used for the salaries of both teaching and non-teaching personnel, as well as for honoraria and allowances for services rendered beyond regular school hours.