MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law Republic Act 12321, institutionalizing government support for public basic education schools in remote areas to improve access to quality education nationwide.
The Last Mile and GIDA Schools Act addresses "gaps" in school infrastructure, learning resources, teacher support, and other essential services in remote and economically disadvantaged communities.
GIDA (geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas) schools are defined as “public schools located in remote, hard-to-reach, underserved, or economically disadvantaged communities where access to safe, adequate, and quality basic education is significantly constrained by limitations in infrastructure, resources, personnel, and prevailing social and environmental conditions.”
Schools may be identified as Last Mile and GIDA Schools based on indicators such as having more than 75 percent indigenous peoples learners, serving communities affected by conflict, insecurity, or disaster vulnerability, and meeting other criteria that may be established by DepEd.
RA 12321 directed DepEd to adopt a national school accessibility standard to guide school planning and infrastructure development, with the goal of ensuring that learners have access to a basic education school within a walkable distance of three kilometers from their homes.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is also ordered to construct and maintain access roads, while local government units will help provide transportation services or alternative learning delivery modes in areas where terrain, geography, or safety conditions make travel difficult.
Within one year from the law’s effectivity, DepEd is also mandated to develop and publish a National Last Mile and GIDA Schools Map to serve as the basis for planning, resource allocation, and program implementation.
