The House of Representatives has ratified the bicameral conference committee report on a bill that reintroduces the subjects Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) in the schools' elementary and secondary curricula.
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, one of the authors of the measure, cited the need to strengthen the common core values and inculcate universally acceptable moral standards among the youth.
Cayetano said that amid the rise of the digital age and increased exposure to the Internet and social media, it is important to introduce and teach etiquette and moral uprightness to students during their formative years to preserve the values and identity of Filipinos.
“The institutionalization of GMRC and values education in the education curriculum will greatly contribute to the development of a national moral uprightness program of the country, which is a key factor in nation-building," Cayetano said
He said "this measure is vital to prevent perennial problems of the society like corruption, crime and illegal drugs. We express our gratitude to our colleagues in the House of Representatives, as well as my fellow lawmakers in the Senate who supported the bill and shared our advocacy of preserving the Filipino values, upholding of moral character and uprightness."
Under the approved bill, the GMRC and Values Education shall replace the existing Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao curriculum of the Department of Education. The GMRC shall be integrated in the daily learning activities of kindergarten students, while it shall be taught as a separate subject for students, with the same time allotment as the other core subjects, from Grades 1 to 6.
On the other hand, Values Education shall be taught as a separate subject for students from Grades 7 to 10. The subject shall also be delivered using clear, distinct, specific and concrete character building activities. The GMRC shall remain integrated in the teaching of Values Education.
If enacted into law, the new curriculum shall focus on the basic tenets of GMRC, such as caring for oneself, giving concern for others, according proper respect to people, upholding discipline and order, cultivating sincerity, honesty, obedience, and above all, love for country.
President Rodrigo Duterte may either sign the enrolled bill into law or let it lapse into effectivity, unless he wants to veto it.
Values Education shall be an integral and essential part of the DepEd’s K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum and shall encompass universal human, ethical, and moral values, among others. It shall foster among students the basic tenets of the observance of respect for oneself, others, and our elders; intercultural diversity; gender equity; ecology and integration of creation; peace and justice; obedience to the law; nationalism and global citizenship; as well as the values of patience, perseverance, industry, honesty and integrity, and good faith in dealing with other human beings, among others.
Under the measure, the DepEd shall be mandated to carry out the appropriate training for teachers and educators on GMRC and Values Education and provide them with adequate and relevant instructional materials in order to develop and enhance their capacity to teach the subject.
"The passage of the bill will allow the youth to recognize and acknowledge their intrinsic human value, guide them in their development as young adults, and shape them to be loyal stewards of the country," Cayetano added.
