Senator Alan Peter Cayetano has refiled a bill to make values formation and etiquette training a permanent part of schools and government offices, saying core Filipino values must be preserved to protect the country’s identity.
Filed on July 3, 2025, Senate Bill No. 101 or the proposed Filipino Identity in Values Act leads Cayetano’s priority measures for the 20th Congress. He had previously filed a similar bill in the 19th Congress.
In his explanatory note, Cayetano urged all sectors of society to be united in preserving the core values that “tells the world who we are” as a nation.
Among these values, he said, are faith in God, bayanihan, respect for the elderly, hospitality, and compassion.
“Every person’s unique identity is shaped by the values we learned from our families, schools, churches, and communities,” he emphasized.
“As the nation pursues economic prosperity and modernization, our development must be anchored in our cherished core values,” he added.
National program on values formation
The bill proposes the creation of a Commission on Filipino Values, which will be tasked with developing a Program on National Values, Etiquette, and Moral Uprightness.
It will be updated regularly through nationwide consultations, research, and inclusive deliberations.
The program will be integrated into the curriculum at all levels of education, including elementary, high school, college, and technical-vocational schools.
Core topics will include patriotism, civic responsibility, critical thinking, human rights, moral decision-making, and both social and online etiquette.
The Commission will be chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Education and composed of 11 members representatives from the Commission on Higher Education, Congress, and major religious groups.
Going beyond the GMRC law
While values education is already part of the K to 12 curriculum through the GMRC and Values Education Act (RA 11476), Cayetano’s bill seeks to enhance this.
Under the measure, the DepEd will use the national program developed by the Commission to inform and update the “content, pedagogy, and materials” used in Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) and Values Education.
Ethics in government offices
The measure also requires all government offices and GOCCs to include values and etiquette modules in their employee orientations and training programs.
Each government office, as well as each college and university, must designate at least one Values Officer to implement and monitor these efforts, and orient new hires.
Faith-based advisory council
The bill also proposes the creation of an Inter-Faith Council, composed of leaders from different faith groups.
The Council will advise the President and the Commission on moral, ethical, and spiritual matters related to the program.
“[This bill] serves as a response to the need for meaningful dialogue among different faiths and religions to enhance mutual understanding, harmony, and cooperation among Filipinos,” Cayetano said.
In his over three decades of public service, Cayetano has been known for incorporating faith-based principles into his work, such as integrity, wisdom, and compassion.
He advocates for national transformation, which he believes can only happen if the country’s culture is grounded in strong moral values.
“We can talk about principles regardless of our religion. We can debate on opinions, but we cannot debate on principles,” he said.
