SENATOR Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero has filed a measure seeking to convert Tongdol Elementary School in Barangay Tongdol, Sorsogon into an integrated school, aiming to improve access to secondary education in the community.
Filed as Senate Bill 1973, the proposal is the counterpart of House Bill 6272 authored by Sorsogon 1st District Rep. Bernadette Escudero.
The measure seeks to transform Tongdol Elementary School into Tongdol Integrated School, allowing it to offer both elementary and secondary education under one campus.
Escudero noted that while the school has seen steady growth in enrollment, many of its graduates struggle to continue their studies due to financial constraints and logistical barriers.
“The limited and uncertain financial capacity of agricultural households, coupled with the distance and cost of sending students to the nearest secondary school, contributes significantly to the low cohort survival rate in secondary education in the community,” Escudero said in his explanatory note.
He added that nearly 80 percent of residents in the area are unable to complete secondary education.
The proposed measure aims to address these challenges by upgrading the existing elementary school into an integrated institution. With strong support from the local community, the local government, and a pool of qualified teachers, Escudero said the initiative would enable the school to fully implement the K-12 curriculum, reduce dropout rates, and expand access to quality basic education.