A group of four congressmen are pursuing the institutionalization of a system of specialized high schools across the country focused on honing the youth's artistic skills and talents.
Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo Duterte, Benguet lone district Rep. Eric Yap, and ACT-CIS Party-list Reps. Edvic Yap and Jeffrey Soriano jointly authored and filed proposed the establishment of the Philippine High School for Creative Arts (PHSCA) System.
The solons, who filed for the purpose House Bill (HB) No.5075, are highlighting their measure during National Arts Month this February.
The House Committee on Basic Education and Culture has already approved the substitute bill consolidating HB No. 5075 with other similar measures.
Duterte said it is only fitting that the House act fast in passing the measure to help ensure the development of the talents of artistically gifted children who, in the future, will lead in promoting and preserving Philippine arts and culture.
“We thank the committee for approving the measure last November and hope that Congress will pass it soon. The special programs for the arts in schools usually suffer from neglect and shrinking budgets. It’s about time that we recognize the importance of developing and sustaining a pool of artistically talented young Filipinos who will keep our culture and creative industries alive,” Duterte said.
“Given that culture and the arts are essential to the holistic development of society, it is imperative to work towards more inclusive opportunities for children to engage in the creative arts, for such measures will provide the foundation for their success in the future,” the authors said.
Duterte said the committee-approved measure will not establish new high schools but will instead set up a creative arts system by finetuning the curriculum of the arts and design special programs in existing schools supervised by the Department of Education (DepEd).
The substitute bill incorporates HB No.5075’s provision on offering scholarships to deserving students with considerable potential in the fields of the performing arts, creative writing, visual arts, and applied arts.
Under the substitute bill, the DepEd will craft the curriculum that will deal with functional literacy. The curriculum on arts and design will be drawn up by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA), in coordination with other cultural agencies.