To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Regional Secretary, DepED ARMM
Bureau Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Division/City Superintendents

1. In order to improve access to quality basic education by maximizing the utilization of instructional facilities in schools and ensure equity in the distribution of government resources for basic education, all DepED Regional Offices are advised to implement the following guidelines:
   1. Maximize the utilization of existing classrooms in the private secondary schools through the Education Voucher System;
   2. Rationalize the establishment of new schools by focusing on those communities not being served by any school. All Regional Offices are directed to implement a moratorium on the opening of additional public secondary schools except in the following areas:
      b.1 Municipalities without either a public or private high school:

      Region	Division	Municipality
      I	Ilocos Sur	San Vicente
      X	Lanao del Norte	Poona Piagapo
      		Tangcal
      ARMM	Lanao del Sur	Tagoloan II
      Total		4

      b.2 Fifteen (15) provinces being covered by SEDIP:

      Region	Province
      IV-B – MIMAROPA	Romblon
      V	Masbate
      VI	Antique, Guimaras
      VII	Negros Oriental
      VIII	Southern Leyte, Leyte, Biliran
      IX	Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay
      XII	North Cotabato
      XIII (CARAGA)	Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur
      CAR	Ifugao, Benguet

   3. In municipalities (totaling 536) without private high schools, enrolment increase in public secondary schools shall be addressed through the construction of additional classrooms or through the creation of extension classes in the public elementary schools.
2. Strict compliance with this Order is directed.

Reference: None
Allotment: 1—(D.O. 50-97)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
CLASSES
POLICY
SCHOOLS

DO_s2006_39