Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

7248

HOUSE BILL NO.
Introduced by: “KUYA" JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in national building and shall promote
and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. It shall inculcate
patriotism and nationalism to the youth, and encourage their involvement in public and civic
affairs. Likewise, itis also our duty to teach the rights and duties of citizenship to the youth

We must propagate the importance of public service to the youth for the promotion of fair
play, justice, and love for our country. We must encourage the youth to be part of public service
not only to compensate what the State had given them but to bolster their sense of patriotism. By
this method, we can balance the lack of interest of the young generation in the active
participation in public and civic affairs.

‘The purpose of this bill is to eliminate the predicament of finding employment abroad
after graduation by imposing to all students who benefited from the scholarship grants from the
Government of the Philippines to render at least one (1) year of service. This will create a
symbiotic relationship between the student and the government as the scholarship privilege and
financial grants will shoulder all the educational expenses of the student while the State will have
an assurance that the student who graduated from such scholarship program will be a part of the
work force of the State for the development of the Republic of the Philippines.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is sought

“KUYA" JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO
Representative

First District of Bulacan

we


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 7248
Introduced by: “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO-

ANACT
MANDATING ALL STUDENTS IN STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES
(SUCs) RECEIVING SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS, OR SUBSIDY FROM THE
GOVERNMENT TO RENDER AT LEAST ONE YEAR OF RETURN SERVICE IN THE
PHILIPPINES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SEC. 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Mandatory Retum Service Law of
2017"

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — The 1987 Constitution provides that “The State
recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their
physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth
patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.”

Consistent with this Constitutional Principle, it is the declared policy of the State, to
‘ensure that its citizens whom it has provided free college and/or post-graduate education, be
required to render return service in the Philippines for at least one (1) year and contribute to the
development of the country.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act, the following terms are defined as
follows:

a. Government ~ pertains to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) or any other
instrumentality of the Philippine government authorized by law to grant scholarships,
grants, or subsidy for tertiary or professional courses/degrees,

b. Retum Service ~ refers to the rendering of at least one year of service wherein the
student/beneficiary has received a full scholarship, grant, or subsidy.

¢. Scholar — includes all students enrolled in a State University or College (SUC) who
are granted full scholarship, grant or subsidy for a particular school year.

SEC. 4. Coverage. — All students receiving full scholarship grant, subsidy, or any other
benefit whether directly or indirectly from the government of the Philippines wherein the full
tuition fee for the school year is completely paid shall be required to render at least one (1) year
of return service.


SEC. 5. Scholarship. ~ There shall be established a scholarship program for qualified

students seeking to obtain a college and/or post-graduate degree, which shall be implemented by
CHED with the concurrence of the various SUCs.

SEC. 6. Qualifications of Student Beneficiaries. ~ To qualify for the scholarship grant,
the beneficiaries must meet the following requirements, to wit:

a. He/she must be a Filipino Citizen.

b. He/she must have completed his/her secondary education in a duly accredited public
schoolV/institution in the Philippines.

c. He/she must have maintained an exemplary academic and deportment mark during
his/her secondary education.

d. He/she must be a resident of the Philippines.

¢. He/she must maintain an above average grade to be determined by the SUC

f£ He/she must not commit any gross violation of rules and regulations prescribed by the
government and the SUC

SEC. 7. Requirements. — The following conditions shall be imposed on the scholar, to
wit:

a. Upon completion of the college or post graduate course, the scholar must render at
least one year of service in a private institution or government agency.

b. The scholarship grant shall include free tuition and other school fees, allowance for
prescribed text books, supplies, and equipment, uniform housing and transportation
accommodation, and other related, miscellaneous living allowances.

There shall be at least five (5) students in every city and at least ten (10) students for
every province and highly urbanized city who shall be entitled to the scholarship
grant.

SEC. 8, Implementing Rules and Regulations and Standard Forms. ~ Within sixty (60)
days from the promulgation of this Act, the necessary rules and regulations for the proper
implementation of its provisions shall be formulated by the CHED in collaboration with the
Department of Education and all the SUCs.

SEC. 9. Appropriations. ~ SUCs, CHED, and the Department of Education shall include
in their annual budgets the necessary funds needed to implement the provisions of this act.

SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. — All laws, ordinances, executive orders, administrative
orders, rules, regulations, decrees, and other issuances or parts hereof, which are inconsistent
with the provisions of this Act are hereby revoked, repealed, or modified accordingly

SEC. 11, Separability Clause. ~ If any provision of this Act is held unconstitutional or
invalid, the other provisions not affected thereby shall continue in operation and remain in full
force and effect.

SEC. 12. Effectivity Cl
publication in a newspaper of

= This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
circulation or the Official Gazette.