MANILA, Philippines—The Senate on Monday approved on third and final reading Senate Bill (SB) 1937 which seeks to ensure that quality education reaches every Filipino child, even those in remote areas. The Senate passed SB 1937 which will institutionalize support for public basic education schools in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA). The senators approved the proposed GIDA School Act, two days before Congress adjourns for a two month break. The bill supports learners attending schools which lack electricity, have makeshift or multigrade classrooms, or require more than an hour of travel to reach. Sen. Loren Legarda, SB 1937 principal author, said the measure ensures that children in remote communities will have schools "within reach" or would not have to walk over three kilometers to attend school. "Education is a fundamental right and a powerful equalizer. No child should be denied learning opportunities simply because of geography," Legarda said in explaining her "yes" vote. “Through this measure, we ensure that learners in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas are given the same opportunities to learn and thrive as any other student,” she said. She said the measure addresses these persistent barriers by strengthening support for public basic education schools in GIDAs and "ensuring that learners in remote and marginalized communities are provided with accessible, safe, and adequate school facilities." The Second Educational Commission found that learners in GIDA or “last mile schools," suffer from acute proficiency gaps. For instance, in the Grade 10 and Grade 12 National Achievement Tests these students are heavily concentrated in the low and not-proficient bands, with almost none achieving proficiency, and a staggering 81.59 percent below the minimum proficiency threshold.