The House of Representatives unanimously approved on third and final reading House Bill 8654 or the proposed “Mandatory Provision of Left-Handed Armchairs in Educational Institutions Act.”
The bill got the support of all 207 House Members present during the voting. It seeks to require all public and private educational institutions to provide appropriate armchairs to left-handed students.
Rep. Cristina “Chiqui” Roa-Puno (1st District, Antipolo City), principal author of the bill, noted that about 10 percent of the world’s population are left-handed, and that these individuals struggle every day in a predominantly right-handed world.
The measure declares that the State shall recognize the vital role of the youth in nation-building, as well as promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. Thus, equal development of students must be promoted, including those who are left-handed.
HB 8654 intends to promote the well-being of all students, including those who are left-handed.
The bill seeks the equal development of students by requiring educational institutions all over the country to provide left-handed armchairs. Currently, left-handed students have no choice but to work with right-handed armchairs, said Roa-Puno.
According to studies, the legislator said a right-handed armchair does not offer left-handed students the same arm support that the former enjoys, which causes back, neck, and shoulder pain to the latter.
“A right-handed armchair does not offer left-handed students the same arm support that the former enjoys.”
“The inefficient and awkward writing position that some left-handers must adopt in this kind of armchair likewise causes slower handwriting, placing [them] at a real disadvantage on important timed examinations. Left-handed students are thus placed at a learning handicap,” the lawmaker noted.
“The inefficient and awkward writing position that some left-handers must adopt in this kind of armchair likewise causes slower handwriting.”
Therefore, Roa-Puno said that, “Indeed, it is high time that we address the plight of our left-handed students by providing them left-handed armchairs.”
The bill mandates all educational institutions to provide the appropriate armchairs to left-handed students, equivalent to at least 10 percent of the student population.
With this, the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority shall formulate the implementing rules and regulations of this Act 60 days from its enactment into law.
