THE COMMITTEES on Basic Education and on Higher and Technical Education have started deliberations of the measure that will regulate the conduct of off-campus educational activities by public and private schools.

Under House Bill 3128, the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education will have to accredit the venues and destinations for the off-campus non-curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.

However, Kabayan Party-list Representative Ron Salo said that this may not be administratively viable.

He proposed to set the guidelines for such activities instead.

Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo echoed the sentiment and said that schools and colleges should have the discretion to choose the venues because they are the ones liable for the safety of the students.

The panels decided to defer discussions on the bill pending the submission of the position papers by the Technical Vocational School Associations of the Philippines and the Department of Justice, especially on the measure’s constitutionality.