Student Government in the Philippines

The Learner Government Program (LGP) is the Philippines' program for learner governments in elementary schools and learner governments in secondary schools of the Department of Education, under the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Operations. It is the foremost co-curricular student organization authorized to implement pertinent programs, projects, and activities in Philippine schools as mandated by the Department of Education.

Learner Government Program
Supreme Elementary Learners Government (elementary)
Supreme Secondary Learners Government (secondary)
Programa para sa Pamahalaan ng mga Mag-aaral Kataas-taasang Pamahalaan ng mga Mag-aaral

Abbreviation	SELG/SSLGa
Formation	2003 (Supreme Student Government institutionalized) 2014 (Supreme Pupil and Supreme Student Governments unified and institutionalized) 2023 (Supreme Elementary and Supreme Secondary Learners Governments unified and institutionalized)
Type	Student Government (Supreme Pupil Government in elementary schools and Supreme Student Governments in secondary schools of the Philippines)
Headquarters	DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig
Location	Philippines
Region served	All regions
Membership	all enrolled elementary and secondary students in regions stated aboveb
Official language	English and Filipino
Key people	Joey G. Pelaez, former DepEd-Center for Students and Co-curricular Affairs Executive Director Rizalino D. Rivera, former DepEd Undersecretary for Regional Operations
Parent organization	Department of Education - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Operations - Bureau of Learner Support Services - Youth Formation Division

The Philippines has a complex student union with different names such as student government, the term used in all public secondary schools and some of the universities and/or colleges and student council for most of the colleges/universities.

History

The Center for Students and Co-Curricular Affairs (CSCA) was established in 1996 in order to further facilitate co-curricular work of student councils in the country and mold them to be better leaders. In 2003, the Supreme Student Governments were institutionalized starting with the establishment of the National Federation of Supreme Student Governments (NFSSG) with David Maulas of Bohol as its first National Federation President elected during the 1st National Leadership Training for Student Government Officers (NLTSGO). An institutionalized Constitution and By Laws of the Supreme Student Governments were enforced through a Department Order No. 43, s. 2005, then revised in 2009 as per Department Order No. 79, s. 2009.

The revived National Federation officers were elected in SY 2020–2021, with Ken Bien Mar Caballes^[1] from the CARAGA Region. Since then, the NFSSLG elections, in which all Regional Federation Presidents (RFSSLG Presidents) participate, have been held annually, with the two most recent elections conducted during the 2023 and 2024 Learners Convergence Philippines (LearnConPH). The presidency was subsequently held by Bienesto Fidel Junio (Region I - Ilocos Region, SY 2021–2022),^[2] Rjhay Mulimbayan-Reyes (Region IV-A CALABARZON, SY 2022–2023),^[3] and Ma. Cassandra Austria (NCR, SY 2023–2024).^[4] The current president for SY 2024-2025 is Prince Rosher Iriño from Region VII - Central Visayas.

In 2014, through DepEd Order No. 47, s. 2014,^[5] the Constitution and By-Laws of the Supreme Pupil Governments in elementary schools and the Supreme Student Governments in secondary schools across the country were unified. This marked the year when the Supreme Pupil Governments were institutionalized. However, in 2023, the Department of Education, through the Office of the Undersecretary for Operations, released the Interim Guidelines of the Learner Government Program, changing the SPG/SSG name to SELG/SSLG.^[6]

Currently, the program is now under the Office of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Operations (OASOPS), through the Bureau of Learner Support Services - Youth Formation Division (BLSS-YFD).

Notes

^a SGP - Student Government Program; SELG - Supreme Secondary Learners Government; SSLG - Supreme Secondary Learners Government
^b All bona fide students enrolled are considered as members of the SPG/SSG [SELG/SSLG] as stated in Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution and By-Laws of the Supreme Pupil Government and Supreme Student Government in Elementary and Secondary Schools.