Home » Teaching & Education » Senate Bill Seeks to Institutionalize Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) in the School Curriculum

Senate Bill Seeks to Institutionalize Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) in the School Curriculum

The Constitution mandates that all educational institutions shall inculcate patriotism and nationalism, foster love of humanity, respect for human rights, appreciation of the role of national heroes in the historical development of the country, teach the rights and duties of citizenship, strengthen ethical and spiritual values, develop moral character and personal discipline, encourage critical and creative thinking, broaden scientific and technological knowledge, and promote vocational efficiency.

GOOD MANNERS AND RIGHT CONDUCT (GMRC) ACT

Values education aims to develop a Filipino citizen who will strive for the foundation of a culture rich individual and for the development of a democratic nation and society.

As early as 1991, the Department of Education issued department orders implementing guidelines of Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) at the elementary and secondary level. Values Education / GMRC as a subject revolves around four major themes, namely, valuing self, valuing others, valuing one’s country and valuing God. It also focuses on acceptable norms of behavior as defined by Philippine society, including rational thinking and value judgment developed through an experiential approach.

By 2002, there has been a restructuring of the Values Education Program in the advent of the Revised Basic Education Curriculum. The latter intends to provide knowledge and develop skills, attitudes and values essential to personal development and necessary for living in and contributing to a developing and changing society. Moreover, it aims to provide learning experiences which increase the child’s awareness of and responsiveness to the changes in society; and promote and intensify knowledge, identification with and love for the nation and the people to which he or she belongs. The desired outcome of the whole education reform is the development of the patriotic human being who is environmentally sensitive and God-fearing, “Makabayan, Makatao, Makakalikasan at Maka-Diyos”.

At present, the K to 12 includes in its curriculum “Edukasyong Pagpapakatao”. At the elementary level, Character Education is replaced by Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao which focuses on honing an individual’s capacity to make moral and ethical decisions and actions. On the other hand, at the secondary level, the program is based on ethics and career guidance. It covers concepts of self and humanity, moral values, career choices, and responsibility. It’s emphasis is on value inculcation or character-based education in the different subjects. Although the program was packaged differently, it did not deviate from the four major themes of the GMRC subject – self-worth, harmony with other people, love of country and global solidarity and love of God and preference for good.

To ensure that values will be integrated in every learning areas with the end goal that a student’s character as an individual, a member of a society and a citizen be cultivated, Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) should be entrenched at the elementary and secondary levels.

SENATE BILL NO. 1855

AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING GOOD MANNERS AND RIGHT CONDUCT AND CHARACTER EDUCATION IN THE CURRICULUM OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY LEVEL

INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “GMRC Act”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy – In consonance with the K-12 Program on Edukasyong Pagpapakatao, it is the policy of the State to promote character formation and wholesome personality development by requiring schools at the elementary and secondary level to inculcate patriotism and nationalism, foster love of humanity, respect for human rights, appreciation of the role of national heroes in the historical development of the country, teach the rights and duties of citizenship, strengthen ethical and spiritual values, and develop moral character and personal discipline. Thus, character education and good manners and right conduct (GMRC) will now be an integral part of the basic education system of the country.

GMRC is vital to the academic development of a Filipino child as a self-reliant and patriotic citizen. It is also the policy of the State that good manners and right conduct are indispensable for a member of a nation or society.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – The terms in this Act are defined as follows:

(a) DepEd shall refer to the Department of Education;

(b) K to 12 Program shall be understood to cover Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six years of primary or elementary education, four years of Junior High School and two years of Senior High School or secondary level education)

(c) Mother tongue refers to the first language learned by the child.

SECTION 4. Institutionalization of Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) in the school curriculum. – Good Manners and Right Conduct is hereby institutionalized as part of the curriculum in the present K to 12 program.

SECTION 5. Medium of Instruction. – The State shall hereby adopt the mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) method. The mother tongue of the learner shall be the primary medium of instruction for teaching and learning as provided for in the K to 12 Program.

The DepEd, in coordination with the Commission on Filipino Language and in close collaboration with academic and research institutions concerned with education, shall formulate a mother tongue-based multilingual framework for teaching and learning.

SECTION 6. Implementing Agency. – The authority to regulate the implementation of the good manners and right conduct in the curriculum of every educational institutions at the elementary and secondary levels shall be vested upon the DepEd.

SECTION 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days after the effectivity of this Act, the DepEd, shall promulgate the rules and regulations needed for the implementation of this Act.

SECTION 8. Separability clause. -If any provision of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions hereof.

SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. – Pertinent provisions of all other laws, decrees, executive orders and rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

READ: House Bill Seeks to Revive Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) as a Separate Subject in the Basic Education Curriculum

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Mark Anthony Llego

Mark Anthony Llego, from the Philippines, has significantly influenced the teaching profession by enabling thousands of teachers nationwide to access essential information and exchange ideas. His contributions have enhanced their instructional and supervisory abilities. Moreover, his articles on teaching have reached international audiences and have been featured on highly regarded educational websites in the United States.

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