Two congressman-siblings are prodding the Senate to swiftly pass a measure that would fast-track a program to build “last mile” schools for children in all geographically isolated, disadvantaged and conflict-affected areas (GIDCAs), as well as those in indigenous cultural communities (ICCs). 

Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. Luigi Villafuerte and 5th district Rep. Migz Villafuerte noted that the House of Representatives has already approved the measure on third and final reading earlier this year, thus placing the ball on the Senate’s court, so to speak, for the remainder of the 20th Congress.

The Villafuertes say he best way for the Department of Education (DepEd) to improve the quality of, and access to, basic education of kids in remote areas nationwide is to expand and accelerate the construction of “last mile” schools in all GIDCAs and ICCs along with the necessary infrastructure such as access roads and power facilities leading to these communities. 

In keeping with the constitutional provision on the promotion of the rights of all Filipinos to quality education at all levels, the DepEd launched its “Last Mile Schools” Program in 2019 to address the lack of access to quality education in GDCAs.

Approved by the House last October was House Bill (HB) No. 4745, which mandated “a five-year implementation of the school building program through a coordinated multi-agency approach".

Rep. Luigi,a deputy majority leader, explained that HB No.4745 “directs the DepEd to build and improve public basic education schools in GIDCAs and ICCs, with the support from the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) for  constructing access roads; the DOE (Department of Energy) and NEA (National Electrification Administration) for installing electricity, and the DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology) for putting up connectivity facilities in these target places".

Rep. Migz, chairman of the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology, says the measure establishes a clear criteria on identifying ‘last mile’ schools. These refer to schools with less than four classrooms, makeshift rooms and multigrade classes, fewer than five teachers, a student population of less than 100, no regular electricity, no ICT access, and no infrastructure investment in recent years.

"Last mile schools also refer to areas that have not been allocated with funds for repairs or new construction projects in the last four years, and with a travel distance of more than one hour from the center of a city or municipality, or with difficulty of terrain or of access to existing educational institutions,” Rep. Migz added.

Under the bill, the DepEd’s “Last Mile Schools” program shall be completed within five years after the effectivity of the proposed law. 

Given that access to quality basic education remains a persistent challenge for children in far-flung and marginalized areas, the Villafuertes said that the congressional approval of this measure will commit the government to  a long-term policy of sustained delivery of quality basic education to them.

The siblings said that the bill was passed on third and final reading, too, by the House during the previous19th Congress. They said this was indicative of the overwhelming support of legislators for accelerating and expanding the “Last Mile Schools” project.

HB No.4745 was endorsed by the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture as a substitute bill for 15 similar measures, including HB No.2561 that the Villafuertes authored along with Camariens Sur 1st Rep. Tsuyoshi Anthony Horibata and Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon.