Senate bill seeks to teach GMRC anew

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo Lacson has filed a measure institutionalizing good manners and right conduct (GMRC) as a separate subject for pupils from kindergarten to Grade 3 to counter the negative effects of the internet on the attitude of young Filipinos.

In filing Senate Bill No. 1185, Lacson said no less than Education Secretary Leonor Briones had pointed out that “technology without good manners is a disaster” and that “online or technology-driven pedagogy” could not inculcate social values and skills among young students.

Strong values

By having a separate GMRC subject, he said the students would be able to understand “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.”

“[I]t is the aim of this act… to better mold our youth to have strong values and moral foundation which will contribute in shaping a respectable society,” read a portion of Lacson’s bill, a copy of which was furnished the media on Sunday.

“The teaching method shall be actual or situational, rather than conceptual, thereby allowing the [students] to directly relate to the lessons, readily incorporate them in practice and make such behavior commonplace,” he added.