Gloria Arroyo proposes legislation while in hospital detention

Facing plunder charges and in the midst of a long convalescence while in hospital detention, ailing former president and current congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has found time for legislation.

She and her son, Camarines Sur Representative Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo, have filed a bill proposing the creation of teacher-training academies all over the country.

House Bill 3042, also known as the Teaching Profession Act of 2013, mandates the establishment of national teacher academies by qualified recipients which have been awarded grants by the Department of Education on the basis of a competitive bidding process. Each grant authorizes a five-year operation of the national teacher academy, renewable after the period.

Higher education institutions, a private non-profit educational organization or a combination of these two would be eligible to apply for the grants.

According to the bill, the academies would hone teachers’ skills in subject areas such as basic skills and literacy instruction, civics and government, writing, mathematics, foreign languages, history, geography, sociology, economics, life sciences, physical sciences, art, music and the performing arts.

“The government must not only toil to address the existing and impending teacher shortage in the country, but bring talented professionals into the teaching profession to greatly enhance the quality of our education,” the bill's authors said.

HB 3042 also mandates the use of funds under the DepEd grant for national teacher academies for the creation of in-service training programs for teachers and administrators, and for holding at least one three-week-long training at a summer institute each year.

The elder Arroyo is currently detained and facing plunder charges in connection with the alleged misuse of P366 million in Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) intelligence funds when she was President. — Xianne Arcangel/BM/HS, GMA News