Following the recent signing of the Bicameral Conference Committee Report for the Geographical Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) Schools Act, Senator Bam Aquino ensures that no Filipino student will be left behind by the distance of their home or the depth of their poverty.
The GIDA Schools Act, a unified version of Aquino’s Senate Bill No. 1937 and House Bill No. 4745 marks a monumental victory for students in the country’s most remote areas.
The senator as a Co-Chairperson of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) is the primary sponsor of the bill and instrumental in pushing the measure through its second and third readings, framing it as a “last-mile” success for students in remote areas.
The measure mandates that schools be established within a three-kilometer walking distance of students and the government provide safe transportation.
Reflecting on the struggles of students in far-flung areas, he emphasized that physical distance should never be a barrier to a child’s future.
“Mahirap mag-aral, pero mas mahirap kung kailangang lakbayin ang bundok at ilog bago pa makahawak ng isang ballpen. Ang oras at lakas na dapat sana ay nakalaan sa pag-aaral ay nauubos nalang sa paglalakbay,” Aquino said.
The Act does more than build classrooms. It supports the heroes of the classroom. The bill includes provisions for increased allowances, housing, and professional support for teachers who choose to serve in challenging environments of remote communities, recognizing that quality education requires both infrastructure and inspired mentorship.
The GIDA Schools Act is the latest in a long line of legislative triumphs for Aquino, whose name has become synonymous with radical educational access and carries the momentum of his past landmark lawsincluding;
• The Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (RA 10931) that made tuition free in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) and state-run vocational schools;
• The Free Internet Access in Public Places Act (RA 10929) that ensures digital resources and connectivity are available in schools and libraries nationwide; and
• The Trabaho Center in Schools Bill, aproposal aimed at establishing career placement offices in senior high schools and universities to bridge the gap between graduation and employment.
He has remained the primary voice for the Classroom-Building Acceleration Program (CAP) Act, aiming to eliminate the perennial classroom shortage that plagues the public-school system. Aquino has also been a staunch advocate for the welfare of teachers, pushing for salary upgrades and the reduction of administrative burdens so they can focus on teaching.
“Kapag mas nilalapit po natin ang eskwelahan sa mga bata, mas nilalapit din natin ang mga batang yan sa pagsasakatuparan ng kanilang mga pangarap,” he said.
The senator thanks his colleagues, Senators Win Gatchalian, Loren Legarda,and Joel Villanueva along with House Representatives Romulo Roman, Jude Acidre, and others for their unity in putting the Filipino youth first as the GIDA Schools Act is moving now toward the President’s desk for signing.
