MANILA, Philippines – The 18th Congress on Wednesday, March 4, approved a bill that would require good manners and right conduct (GMRC) and values education in the K to 12 curriculum.

At around 3:30 pm on Wednesday, the Senate first ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the GMRC bill. The House of Representative approved the same report at around 8 pm.

The bill will now be transmitted to Malacañang for the President’s signature.

Under the bicam report, GMRC will replace the existing “Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao” class which teaches ethics to students.

Values education, according to the bill, will teach the students the following:

• Basic tenets of the observance of respect for oneself, others, and elders
• Intercultural diversity, gender equity
• Ecology and integrity of creation
• Peace and justice
• Obedience to the law
• Nationalism and global citizenship
• Values of patience, perseverance, industry, honesty, and integrity
• Good faith in dealing with other human beings, along with all other universal values

If signed by the President, GMRC would be taught as a separate class from Grades 1 to 6, while values education would be a separate subject for Grades 7 to 10.

For Grades 11 and 12, values education would be “integrated in the teaching of subjects.” (READ: The value of education in the age of social media)

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, the sponsor of the measure at the Senate, said that children will be taught GMRC and values education with the same amount of time they are taught in Math, Science, English, among others.

Gatchalian said that young people today are exposed to many vulnerabilities, especially with easy access to social media.

“Kung araw-araw nating natuturuan ang mga bata sa eskwelahan, hindi lang sila matututo ng magagandang asal, kundi pati na rin kung paano maging mabuting tao,” Gatchalian said.

(If children are taught every day in school, they will not only know how to conduct themselves properly, but they will also know how they can be a good person.) – Rappler.com