SORSOGON Rep. Evelina Escudero filed a measure providing communication and data accessibility and allowance to all basic education teachers.

Under House Bill 10159, data and communication allowance will be given during a public health emergency and other crisis.

The amount of the allowance shall be determined by the DepEd and the Department of Information and Communications Technology.

Escudero said that the disruption of the education system brought about by the Covid19 has compelled the education sector to adopt distance learning to ensure that learners have continued access to quality education.

“It is thus imperative that the State aids the basic education teachers, both public and private, by equipping them with the technological hardware like computers and data allowance for access to the internet, so that they may effectively deliver lessons to their remote learners,” she said in her explanatory note.

The lawmaker cited the prohibitive costs of gadgets and internet data which are essential to distance learning.

The measure mandates the DepEd and DICT to provide the technologically appropriate and affordable computer or similar device to teachers.