Guidelines on PTA and PTCA Organization in Schools

The establishment of PTAs and PTCAs in all primary and secondary schools under DECS shall at all times be encouraged.
The primacy of the interest and welfare of school children governs PTA/PTCA establishment and operations.
Membership in PTAs and PTCAs is strictly voluntary and must never be proprietary.
Membership in PTAs and PTCAs cannot be held indefinitely.
PTA/PTCA as private organizations must be respected, and schools must promote the highest degree of relationship and cooperation between school and community without abdication of exclusive management by school officials.
PTAs and PTCAs may offer schools advocacy of school programs and projects, and schools may seek such assistance.

Membership in PTA is limited to parents (or legal guardians) of students enrolled in the school and teachers therein.
Membership in PTCA is open to parents, teachers, and interested people in the community, including local officials.
The membership tenure of community members and local officials in PTCA must not exceed four (4) years.
PTA/PTCA governance powers are exercised by a Board of Directors composed of fifteen (15) members elected at large by the General Assembly.
PTA/PTCA officers are: Chairman of the Board of Directors, (optional) President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Auditor, Business Manager, and Secretary.
Officers must be elected by the Board of Directors from among its members.

Members of the Board and officers serve a term of two (2) years to coincide with the school year.
No PTA/PTCA officer may serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.
Incumbent Board members and officers at the time of promulgation continue to hold office until the election of their successors.
Board elections are held annually on Saturday or Sunday of the fourth week after the opening of classes.
Immediately after elections, the Board must formally organize by electing its officers from among themselves.
Any Board vacancy other than removal by the General Assembly or expiration of term may be filled by a vote of at least a majority of the remaining directors, if they still constitute a quorum.
If the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, the vacancy must be filled by PTA/PTCA members at a regular or special General Assembly called for that purpose; the elected director serves only the unexpired term of the predecessor.
The General Assembly, composed of parents (or legal guardians) of students enrolled in the school and teachers therein, decides by majority vote of members present constituting a quorum whether to organize a PTA or a PTCA, and adopts a constitution or articles of association and by-laws consistent with the guidelines.

PTA/PTCA constitutions or articles of association and by-laws that are inconsistent with the guidelines must be amended up to the end of the School Year 1998–1999 to conform.
The school principal shall recognize only PTA/PTCA organized consistent with the guidelines.
The school principal recognizes only one (1) parents teachers association in the school—either a PTA or a PTCA.
Only the PTA/PTCA recognized by the school principal is authorized to collect membership and annual dues and other authorized voluntary contributions from students and/or their parents.

Public school teachers are prohibited from membership in PTA/PTCA not recognized by the school principal.
Public school teachers and officials who are members of the PTA/PTCA are prohibited from holding key positions in the association(s).
The prohibition on key positions applies except that a teacher/official may hold a key position if the person is (1) a member of the Board or (2) the secretary, and may hold any position only when he/she is a parent of a student enrolled in the school.

Membership and annual dues must be reduced to an affordable level and must be approved by the General Membership Assembly during its annual meeting.
Teachers are exempted from dues unless classified as parents.
PTA/PTCA projects must be funded out of voluntary contributions from members.
Projects must be undertaken only upon prior consultation with the school principal and duly approved by the Board.
Collection of dues and contributions is voluntary and must not be required for admission or transfer of pupils/students.
All collections of dues and voluntary contributions must be treated as trust funds and deposited in a reputable banking institution.
Collections must be handled by the association’s Treasurer or authorized representative, who must issue the association’s official receipts.
Disbursements must follow generally accepted accounting and auditing rules and regulations.
An annual financial statement report must be prepared and signed jointly by the President, Treasurer, and Auditor.
The signed annual financial statement must be submitted to the General Assembly of members, and a copy must be furnished to the school principal.
Without the annual financial statement report, the school principal must not authorize the collection for the incoming School Year.

PTA/PTCA are prohibited from:
- selling insurance, pre-need plans, or similar schemes or programs to students and/or their parents;
- operating a canteen/school supplies store or being a concessionaire thereof either inside or outside school premises;
- engaging in partisan political activities; and
- interfering in the management and operation of the school.
A PTA/PTCA that engages in any prohibited activity and continues to engage in it one (1) week from notification by the school principal of the violation must have its recognition cancelled.
Recognition cancellation requires approval of the Schools Division Superintendent based on the recommendation of the school principal.
The sanction is lifted only upon resignation of the members of the Board and officers and the election of their successors.

All previous memoranda, orders, circulars, and/or guidelines inconsistent with DECS Order No. 98, s. 1998 are amended and superseded by the Order.
The guidelines remain effective immediately upon adoption as November 23, 1998 is the date of adoption for the Order.