Sen. Panfilo Lacson has joined other lawmakers in pushing for a bill that seeks to restore the teaching of good manners and right conduct in all schools nationwide.
Lacson said teaching GMRC as a separate subject is a must especially since many young Filipinos are already exposed to the negative influences of technology.
The senator pointed out that high-tech gadgets and devices may teach new things to many Filipino children and youths, but GMRC may not be among them.
That is why, Lacson said, he filed a measure, Senate Bill No. 1185, which seeks to teach GMRC to young Filipinos especially during their formative years from Kindergarten to Grade 3.
“In order to create a balance, it is necessary for our educational system to aid the Filipino family in imparting good manners and right conduct to our young students by its inclusion in the curriculum at the beginning of their school years,” Lacson said in the explanatory note of the bill.
The senator also noted how modern technology threatens to impact the social skills and manners of Filipino youth.
He said even Education Secretary Leonor Briones has warned that “technology without good manners is a disaster” as empathy, compassion, and humanity cannot be learned in an “online or technology-driven pedagogy.”
He said the measure aims to balance the effects of gadgets and devices by honing the youths’ attitude, values, and perception with GMRC during their formative years.
According to Lacson, teaching GMRC shall inculcate among the students the concepts of “human dignity, respect for oneself, and giving oneself to others in the spirit of community, for the effective and holistic development of the decision-making skills of the child.” (Hannah Torregoza)
