Rules on Teaching Religion in Public Schools

The State declares a policy, in conformity with the Constitution’s mandate, to encourage and promote the teaching of religion to children in public elementary and high schools within the regular class hours.
The State recognizes the vital role of teaching religion in citizen formation, including molding of youth.
The State recognizes the necessity of religious instruction not only in private schools but also in public schools.
The State provides mechanics to enable teaching of religion in public schools while recognizing that the Constitution prohibits the free exercise thereof.
The implementation of the Order must not entail additional cost to the government.

DECS Order No. 13 applies to all public elementary and high schools in the Philippines.
“Religion” means an institutionalized systems of beliefs, attitudes and practices.
“Values education” means the integration into the school curriculum of universally accepted as well as Filipino human, social, moral, political, economic and cultural values.
“Optional religious instruction” refers to religion classes conducted in public elementary and high schools for students/pupils whose parents opted to request religious instruction for their children or ward, and it is optional for parents/guardians (not for the principal/school head).
“Optional religious instruction” is not option for the Principal or school heads to accept or reject a formal parental request for religious instruction during regular hours.
“Regular class hours” refers to the regular or normal scheduled period of instruction or laboratory work for students.
“Class Period” refers to the average length of time scheduled for one session or instructional period in a course.

Religious teachers/instructors who teach religion classes in public elementary and high schools must be designated by their respective religious authorities.
Religious teachers/instructors must submit proper authorization papers to the principal or school head.
Religious teachers/instructors must request time allocation for optional religious instruction.
Ordinary teachers teaching in a public school may teach religion in the same school during periods when they are free from ordinary teaching loads.
Ordinary teachers may teach religion only if they are authorized by the competent religious authority of their denomination.

Pupils/students may attend religion instruction classes only if their parents or guardians have opted to request that their children/wards be taught the religion in school.
The parental/guardian request must be expressed in writing.
The parent/guardian must accomplish in full the necessary application form.
No student/pupil may attend religious instruction classes without the written application and the duly accomplished request of the parent/guardian.

The application for optional religious instruction must clearly indicate the faith or religious instruction the student/pupil should receive.
The application must also include the preferred schedule for religious instruction.

Optional religious instruction must be taught during regular hours only.
Optional religious instruction must not be taught before or after class time, or during recess time.
Religion classes must not number more than forty (40) students of the same level and of the same religion.
If students of the same level and religion exceed forty (40), the principal or school head must divide them into two or more classes after consulting the religious authorities for that faith or a person delegated by them.
The principal or school head must fix the schedule of religion class hours by taking into account the number of religion teachers/instructors that can be fielded by different denominations at one time.
Optional religious instruction must be accommodated in the weekly schedule consistent with available religious instructors.

Optional religious instruction must be allotted at least eighty minutes (80) a week.
The weekly allotment must be spread over at least two (2) but not more than three (3) meetings in one week.
The class periods must never be allotted less than ninety minutes (90) per week.

Optional religious instruction and the Department’s values education are two separate, different and distinct subjects.
Optional religious instruction and values education must be allotted separate class hours.
Optional religious instruction and values education must not be taken together in the same class period.
If the principal or school head cannot find any available time slots for optional religious instruction in the weekly class schedule—in agreement with the religious teachers or instructors—optional religious instruction must be allotted using at least two (2) of the present five (5) time-slots assigned every week to values education.

Any principal, school head, or teacher who violates any provision of DECS Order No. 13 must be subjected to appropriate disciplinary sanctions.
Discipline must be imposed only after due process.