Senator Bam Aquino has hailed the signing into law of a measure designed to improve access to education in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA), saying it will help remove long-standing barriers that prevent children in remote communities from attending school safely.

Aquino, who chairs the Senate Committee on Basic Education, was the principal sponsor and co-author of Republic Act No. 12321, or the Last Mile and GIDA Schools Act, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently signed into law.

The measure is Aquino's first enacted law since returning to the Senate in 2025.

“Ang pagsasabatas nito ay isang mahalagang hakbang para matiyak na walang magiging hadlang sa bawat batang Pilipino na makapag-aral, kahit saan man siyang dako ng Pilipinas (The enactment of this law is a significant step toward ensuring that no Filipino child faces barriers to education, no matter where they live in the country),” Aquino said.

“Sa tulong nito, umaasa tayong matutuldukan na ang mga sitwasyon na kailangang lumusong sa ilog, maglakad ng ilang kilometro sa gitna ng init, at tumawid sa mga sira-sirang tulay ang ating mga estudyante bago makarating sa paaralan (With this law, we hope to put an end to situations where our students have to wade through rivers, walk several kilometers under the scorching sun, and cross dilapidated bridges just to get to school),” he added.

The new law sets accessibility standards requiring schools to be within a three-kilometer walking distance of students or to have safe public transportation available.

It also requires the government to improve school facilities by constructing adequate classrooms and ensuring access to essential services such as roads, electricity, water, and internet connectivity through stronger interagency coordination.

In addition, the measure provides incentives for teachers assigned to far-flung communities, including additional pay and allowances, transportation and housing assistance, and opportunities for continued professional development to improve teacher retention.

The law also prioritizes the recruitment of qualified teachers and school personnel who either come from, are willing to live in, or have cultural ties to GIDA communities, with the aim of strengthening engagement between educators and students.