Senator Loren Legarda, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education, has filed Senate Bill No. 1412, or the Last Mile Schools bill, which seeks to bring quality education to children living in the country’s most geographically isolated, disadvantaged, and conflict-affected areas (GIDCA).
The measure institutionalizes last mile schools under the administration of the Department of Education (DepEd), serving learners in remote and underserved areas, including Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs), consistent with the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997.
‘Many of our schools in far-flung areas still operate without electricity, proper classrooms, or clean water,’ Legarda said.
‘We cannot expect children to learn or teachers to stay if we do not first provide the most basic conditions for education. This bill is about giving every community the means to sustain learning, not just access to it.’
Findings from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) reveal that of approximately 9,000 remote schools nationwide, about 1,500 remain without electricity, while many lack adequate sanitation and safe learning spaces.
These gaps are compounded by difficult terrain and a shortage of teachers, conditions that have kept thousands of children from completing basic education.
The Last Mile Schools bill adopts a whole-of-government strategy to close these gaps.
It directs DepEd to work with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for access roads, the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) for power supply, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) for internet connectivity.
DepEd is also tasked to design learning programs tailored to the realities of these communities, including teacher training, learner support services, and school maintenance standards.
‘The goal is to make schools a living part of every community,’ Legarda said.
‘Education should not depend on distance or circumstance. When every child can learn within their own community, the promise of education becomes real.’
To ensure accountability, the bill establishes a five-year school building program and requires DepEd to assess and report separately on learner outcomes in last mile schools.
These data will guide continuous improvement and the transparent use of public funds.