Legarda files ‘Last Mile Schools’ act

Senator Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, has filed a measure seeking to bring quality education to children in the country’s most geographically isolated, disadvantaged, and conflict-affected areas (GIDCA).

The proposed measure, Senate Bill No. 1412, or the Last Mile Schools bill, institutionalizes “Last Mile Schools” under the Department of Education (DepEd) to serve learners in remote and underserved areas, including Indigenous Cultural Communities.

“Many of our schools in far-flung areas still operate without electricity, proper classrooms, or clean water,” Legarda said. “We can’t expect children to learn or teachers to stay if we don’t 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.”

The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) findings show that of approximately 9,000 remote schools nationwide, about 1,500 remain unelectrified, with many lacking adequate sanitation and safe learning spaces. These issues are often exacerbated by difficult terrain and a shortage of teachers.

The Last Mile Schools bill adopts a whole-of-government approach to close these gaps. It directs DepEd to coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways for access roads, the Department of Energy and the National Electrification Administration for power supply, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology for internet connectivity.

DepEd is also tasked with designing learning programs tailored to the realities of these communities, covering teacher training, learner support services, and school maintenance standards.

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, guiding continuous improvement and the transparent use of public funds.

“Education should not depend on distance or circumstance,” Legarda said. “When every child can learn within their own community, the promise of education becomes real.”