Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ove’
Batasan Hills, Quezon City _
4, wt
\G

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS a

First Regular Session

1584

House Bill No.

Introduced by
HON. YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ
and
HON. FERDINAND MARTIN G. ROMUALDEZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks the conversion of the University of the Philippines Visayas
Tacloban College (UPVTC) into an autonomous constituent university within
the UP system, to be known as UP Tacloban.

The University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College is presently
a regional unit of the University of the Philippines Visayas, which is one of the
constituent universities of the University of the Philippines System. It was
established on May 23, 1973 during the 823" meeting of the UP Board of
Regents then headed by UP President Salvador P. Lopez, upon the request of
the Provincial Government of Leyte led by Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez.

At present, UP Tacloban has seven undergraduate programs and one
graduate program offered by four divisions: Division of Humanities, Division of
Management, Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and the Division
of Social Sciences.

UP Tacloban was established as an answer to the urgent need for quality
education in Eastern Visayas, with particular emphasis on science, humanities
and agriculture. Through the years, the UP community in Tacloban has
contributed significantly in the social and economic development of the region,
with many of its graduates occupying key leadership positions in the academe,
business organizations, government and civil society.

The institutional growth of UP Tacloban, however, has been limited
owing to a relationship of dependency with its current mother unit, UP Visayas,
It operates at a distance from the mother unit, and with a limited budget. It
continues to face significant challenges in terms of the infrastructure and other

1

* uoex SS

0
JUL 98 2018

S
S



resources needed to deliver its mandate. Nevertheless, these limitations, UP
Tacloban is able to perform well and clearly has the potential to perform even
better. For UP Tacloban to better serves the needs not only of its faculty and
students, but that of the wider region, a grant of autonomy is urgently required.

The grant of autonomy, and the conversion of UP Tacloban into a
constituent university within the UP system will strengthen UP Tacloban’s
capability to create and apply new knowledge through teaching, research,
extension and to develop minds that will not only invent new products and
technologies but innovate and improve existing ones as well as shape leaders
with the moral character to ensure a just and sustainable future.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

Rep. YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ
Representative, Jjngog Sinirangan



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No,__ +584

Introduced by
HON. YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ
and
HON. FERDINAND MARTIN G. ROMUALDEZ

AN ACT SEEKING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE
PHILIPPINES VISAYAS TACLOBAN COLLEGE AS AN AUTONOMOUS
CONSTITUENT UNIVERSITY WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY OF THE
PHILIPPINES SYSTEM TO BE KNOWN AS THE UNIVERSITY OF THE
PHILIPPINES TACLOBAN, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of the Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. - This Act shall be known as the “University of the Philippines
Tacloban Act of 2019".

Section 2. Consistent with the provisions of Republic Act No. 9500,
otherwise known the “University of the Philippines Charter of 2008", the
University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College is hereby elevated into
an autonomous constituent university within the University of the Philippines
‘System, to be known as the University of the Philippines Tacloban, hereafter
referred to as UP Tacloban.


Car nneone

10

12
13
4
15
16
7
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32

Section 3. The Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines
shall have the full authority to determine the instruction, research, extension
programs, schedule of preparatory work and initial operations, qualifications
and number of academic and other personnel, enrollment and other matters
related to the administration and operation of UP Tacloban.

Section 4. The University of the Philippines Tacloban shall offer
graduate and undergraduate courses with the areas of specialization and
according to its capabilities, as the Board of Regents of the University of the
Philippines may deem necessary to carry out its objectives, particularly in order
to realize its mandate and meet the needs of the region. UP Tacloban is also
mandated to undertake research and extension services and provide
progressive leadership in these areas.

Section 5. The University of the Philippines Tacloban shall network and
coordinate with other state universities and colleges (SUCs) in such areas that
shall contribute to the development of Eastern Visayas.

Section 6. The Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines
shall submit a report to the President of the Philippines, Congress, and the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on the actions that the University
has taken pursuant hereto within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act.

Section 7. The amount of three hundred million pesos (P
'300,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated from the current year’s unappropriated
balance to finance the initial implementation of this Act. Thereafter, a
supplemental appropriation of one hundred million pesos (P 100,000,000.00)
shall be set aside annually and included in the General Appropriations Act for
four (4) years or until the provisions of this Act are fully implemented.

Furthermore, this supplemental budget appropriated by this Act is
separate from and in addition to the appropriations and internal operating


earanuneone

10
i
12
13
14
15
16
7
18
19

budget that will be earmarked for UP Tacloban as a constituent unit of the
University of the Philippines System, as provided in the Annual Appropriations
Act.

Section 8. The provisions of Republic Act No. 9500, otherwise known
as the “University of the Philippines Charter of 2009" shall form an integral part
of this Act.

Section 9. If any part or provision of this Act is held unconstitutional or
invalid, other parts for provisions hereof which are not affected shall continue
to remain in full force and effect.

Section 10. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations or
parts thereof inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are
deemed amended, repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 11. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following
completion of its publication in the Official Gazette and in at least two (2)
newspapers of general circulation.