MANILA, Philippines – Lawmakers want to make it mandatory for students from Kindergarten to Grade 3 in all public and private schools to take a Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) subject.

On Tuesday, February 4, the House of Representatives approved on 3rd and final reading House Bill (HB) No. 5829 or the “Good Manners and Right Conduct Act” with a vote of 225-0-0.

The Senate version of the GMRC Act was already passed in the committee level and has to be passed on 2nd and 3rd reading before the measure can be transmitted to Malacañang for President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature.

What are the main provisions? If passed into law, HB 5829 would institutionalize GMRC as part of the Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao curriculum of the Department of Education’s Kindergarten to 12 program. 

The GMRC subject would be taught every year from Kinder until Grade 3. (READ: [OPINION] Are the K-12 kids alright? Like really?)

The bill would require GMRC instructors to teach students about “human dignity, respect for oneself and giving oneself to others in the spirit of community, for the effective and holistic development of the decision-making skills of the child.” (READ: The value of education in the age of social media)

The measure also says the teaching method would be situational than conceptual, allowing students to “directly relate to the lessons, readily put them in practice, and make such behavior commonplace.”

Who are the authors? No less than Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano is among the primary authors of HB 5829.

The complete list of the bill’s authors are as follows:

• Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, Taguig City-Pateros 1st District
• Tyrone Agabas, Pangasinan 6th District
• Joel Almario, Davao Oriental 2nd District
• Jorge Antonio Bustos, Patrol
• Precious Hipolito Castelo, Quezon City 2nd District
• Edgar Chatto, Bohol 1st District
• Raul del Mar, Cebu 1st District
• Emmarie Ouano Dizon, Cebu 6th District
• Adriano Ebcas, Ako Padayon Pilipino
• Pablo John Garcia, Cebu 3rd District
• Cesar Jimenez Jr, Zamboanga City 1st District
• Joseph Lara, Cagayan 3rd District
• Kristine Singson Meehan, Ilocos Sur 2nd District
• John Marvin Nieto, Manila 3rd District
• Florencio Noel, An Waray
• Olivarez, Parañaque City 1st District
• Romulo Peña Jr, Makati 1st District
• Geraldine Roman, Bataan 1st District
• Roman Romulo, Pasig City
• Lucy Torres Gomez, Leyte 1st District
• Marisol Panotes, Camarines Norte 2nd District
• Domingo Rivera, CIBAC
• Ron Salo, Kabayan
• Deogracias Victor Savellano, Ilocos Sur 1st District
• Lorna Silverio, Bulacan 3rd District
• Estrellita Suansing, Nueva Ecija 1st District
• Jose Sy-Alvarado, Bulacan 1st District
• Joy Mrya Tambunting, Parañaque City 2nd District
• Abraham Tolentino, Cavite 8th District
• Rosanna Vergara, Nueva Ecija 3rd District
• Luis Raymund Villafuerte, Camarins Sur 2nd District
• Eduardo Villanueva, CIBAC
• Noel Villanueva, Tarlac 3rd District
• Micaela Violago, Nueva Ecija 2nd Dsitrct

– Rappler.com