This Policy Note evaluates the impact and implementation of Republic Act 8190, or the Localization Law, which prioritizes hiring local applicants for public school teaching positions to enhance recruitment, retention, and distribution. The Note finds that while the law promotes equitable and culturally relevant teacher deployment, its implementation has been inconsistent across regions, resulting in varying levels of success in achieving its intended outcomes. The analysis confirms that hiring teachers from within their communities improves retention, enhances well-being, and strengthens learner engagement. The Note concludes that for localization to be more effective, reforms should focus on establishing clear hiring guidelines, robust monitoring mechanisms, and merit-based recruitment systems to align local autonomy with national education goals and promote equitable distribution of teachers.
