Republic of the Philippines RECEIVED
TAT 3.0 JUN 2016

DATE:
Tt:
SEVENTEENTH (17'" ) CONGRESS 8:

First Regular Session

181] ®

Quezon City

HOUSE BILL NO,

Introduced by Hon. Vincent “Bingbong” P. Crisologo

AN ACT
INSTITUTING FREE COLLEGE EDUCATION FOR
INDIGENT STUDENTS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Free public basic education has already been instituted in the country.
It is imperative to go further by instituting free tertiary or college education.
Up to now, those who have less in life have always been hoping for the day
that they could send their children to college free of tuition f Now is the
opportune time to give them what they have been wishing for.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change
the world.”' Indeed, education plays an important role in diminishing, if not
eradicating, poverty; it fosters employment; it can also be a catalyst in
propelling the economy.

It cannot be denied that a significant number of our constituency
failed to obtain college education because their parents could hardly make
both ends meet, so to speak, not to mention the high cost of tuition fees.

State colleges and universities receive subsidies from the national
government. Private education institutions, on the other hand, enjoy tax
exemptions from the government. For this reasons, it is not too much to
require them to accommodate or admit indigent students, free of tuition fees,
not exceeding ten percent (10%) of the paying freshman students. It is but
proper that they give back to the society and contribute to the instruction of
our young generation who cannot afford to pay high cost of tuition fees.

Support on this bill is earnestly,

Representative
First District, Quezon City

Nelson Mandela


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH (17™" ) CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. _ 184

Introduced by Hon. Vincent “Bingbong” P. Crisologo

AN ACT
INSTITUTING FREE COLLEGE EDUCATION FOR
INDIGENT STUDENTS

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

SECTION 1. Short Title-— This Act shall be known as the “Free
College Education for Indigents Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the
policy of the State that indigent students should be given ample opportunity
to pursue tertiary or college education. State colleges and universities, and
private educational institutions should contribute to the instruction of
indigent students. Towards this end, schools covered by this Act are obliged
to admit, free of tuition fees, indigent students/beneficiaries the number of
which shall be at least ten percent (10%) of the total paying freshman
enrollees for each semester for each tertiary school and for each course. The
10% shall be based on the actual number of paying freshman students in the
immediately preceding semester.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the
terms:

(a) College or Tertiary Education — refers to the stage
of education following the secondary education,

(b) Course — refers to any of thebachelor’s degree or
baccalaureate program offered by a school.

(c) Paying Enrollee ~ a student enrolled in a school
who pays tuition and miscellaneous fees as a requirement for
admission and or enrollment.

(d) Indigent Family —a family whose income does not
exceed fifteen thousand pesos (Php 15,000.00) per month.

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Family income refers to the combined gross income of the
student’s parents. It does not include the income of the other
members of the family. A family is not considered indigent if it
owns a real property or a vehicle. For purposes of this Act, the
real property does not include the parcels of land given by the
state or any of its instrumentality to informal settlers. The real
property referred to under this act refers to a property acquired
through sale.

(ec) Indigent Student — a student who comes from an
indigent family.

(f) Tuition Fees — refer to the fee required by schools
to be paid by students as requirement for admission, taking the
examination, and/or continued stay or study in the school.

(g) Beneficiary— refers to an indigent student who was
indorsed by the Regional Scholarship Board and admitted by a
school to avail the free education under this Act.

(h) School — refers to either a state university or
college (SUC), or a private learning institution, that offers
college or tertiary education.

SECTION 4. Institution of Free College Educationin Schools covered
by this Act. — Free college education in Schools covered by this Act is
hereby instituted in favor of indigent students the number of which shall be
at least 10% of the number of paying freshman enrollees for each tertiary
school and for each course.

SECTION S$. Obligation of Schools. It shall be the obligationof the
Schools covered by this Act to admit or enroll qualified beneficiaries
indorsed by the Regional Scholarship Boards and extend these beneficiaries
free tuition fees. Prior to the start of every school semester, the Schools
shall submit to the Regional Scholarship Boards their respective reports
indicating the actual number of freshman enrollees for each course they
offer. The number of actual enrollees in each course shall be the basis in
determining the number of beneficiaries (which is 10% of the paying
enrollees) who will be admitted by the Schools in a particular course. The
obligations of the school under this Act shall continue or subsist until the
indigent student/beneficiary completes his course or degree. For purposes of
determining the number of beneficiaries for a particular semester, the 10%
shall be based on the actual number of paying freshman students in the
immediately preceding semester.

SECTION 6. Qualifications of a Beneficiary. — To become a
beneficiary and eligible for the free college education under this Act, the
student must:

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(a) Be a graduate of senior high school immediately
preceding the next school semester of the School he/she wishes
to enroll;

(b) Come from an indigent family;

(c) Pass the usual qualifying examination for admission
of the School;

(d) Must not have any derogatory record, or must not be
accused in, or adjudged by, a competent court as having
committed an offense or crime under Philippine laws.

SECTION 7. Limitations. — The number of free indigent
students/beneficiaries that Schools are obliged to admit per school semester
under this Act shall be at least10% of the total paying freshman enrollees for
the same semester in all courses, The 10% shall be on a per course basis
such that the total number of free indigent students/beneficiaries for each
course shall be at least 10% of the paying enrollees for the particular course.
The 10% shall be based on the actual number of paying freshman students in
the immediately preceding semester.

The number of free indigent students/beneficiaries per school/per
course shall be determined by the number of paying freshman students
which shall be at least 10% of said number of paying students. A fraction of
more than fifty percent (50%) shall be equivalent to one free indigent
student/beneficiary.

‘The indigent student/beneficiary shall take the load or number of units
of a regular student. The privilege of an indigent student/beneficiary under
this Act shall be terminated if he/she fails for three (3) subjects where he/she
is enrolled during the entire course of study, or when he/she shall skip a
semester.

The beneficiary shall enroll in a school of his/her choice.

The admission to a School shall be on a first-come first-serve ba If
there is no more slot in the School preferred by the beneficiary, he/she may
still enroll in another school that still has remaining slots for beneficiaries.

SECTION 8. Prohibition on Discrimination. — It shall be unlawful
for a school to discriminate against a beneficiary. Discrimination may be in
any of the following forms:

(a) Imposing a rule or regulation for beneficiaries
different from the paying students;

(b) Failing a beneficiary in a subject while passing a
paying student who obtained a lower grade than the beneficiary;

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(c) Segregating beneficiaries from the paying students;

(d) Restricting beneficiaries from the use of a school
facility that is not so restricted for paying students.

SECTION 9. Creation and Composition of Regional Scholarship
Boards. — Regional Scholarship Boards for the following regions are hereby
created:

(a) Negros Island Region (NIR);

(b) National Capital Region (NCR);

(c) Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR);
(d) Region I (Ilocos Region);

(ec) Region Il (Cagayan Valley);

(f) Region III (Central Luzon);

(g) Region IV-A (CALABARZON);

(h) Region IV-B (MIMAROPA);

(i) Region V (Bicol Region);

(j) Region VI (Western Visayas);

(k) Region VII (Central Visaya:

(1) Region VIII (Eastern Visayas);
(m) Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula);
(n) Region X (Northern Mindanao);
(0) Region XI (Davao Region);

(p) Region XII (Socesksargen);

(q) Region XIII (Caraga);

(t) ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao)

Each Regional Scholarship Board shall be composed of three (3)
members constituted by the following: Regional Director of the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) who shall act as Chairman, the
Regional Director of the Department of Education (DepEd), and the
Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The Boards shall hold office at the Regional Offices of DepEd.

SECTION 10. Powers and Functions of the Regional Scholarship
Boards. — The Regional Scholarship Boards shall have the following
functions:

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(a) To implement or enforce the Implementing Rules
and Regulations promulgated under this Act;

(b) To accept applications for free education under
this Act;

(c) To determine whether an applicant is qualified to
avail of the free education under this Act;

(d) To indorse and recommend to a School a qualified
indigent student to avail of the free education under this Act;

(e) To require all the Schools in their respective
regions to provide the number of paying freshman enrollees in
each course for each ensuing semesters to determine the 10%
limitation;

(f) To gather from schools data relating to the number
of paying freshman enrollees per semester in each course they
offer;

(g) To determine the number of free indigent
students/beneficiaries to be admitted by the schools covered by
this Act.

SECTION 11. Penal Clause. — (a) The Presidents, Administrators
and Heads of schools who refuse to accept qualified indigent students
approved and endorsed by the Scholarship Board when there are slots still
available, or discriminate against the beneficiaries shall suffer the penalty of
imprisonment of not less than six (6) months and one (1) day but not more
than two (2) years, or a fine of two hundred thousand pesos (Php 200,000),
or both;

(b) Any member of the Scholarship Board who indorses or who
agrees to indorse to a School a student who does not possess the
qualifications to avail of the free college or tertiary education under this Act
shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of not less than6é months and 1 day
but not more than 2 years, or a fine of Php 200,000, or both.

(c) Any member of the Scholarship Board who refuses to indorse to a
School a student who possesses the qualifications to avail the free college
education under this Act shall also suffer the penalty of imprisonment of not
less than 6 months and 1 day but not more than 2 years, or a fine of
Php 200,000, or both.

(a) Any other violation of the provisions contained in this Act by any

person shall be punished by imprisonment of not less than 6 months and 1
day but not more than 2 years, or a fine of Php 200,000, or both.

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SECTION 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. —Within sixty
(60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Chairman of CHED, the
Secretary of DepEd and the Secretary of DSWDshall promulgate
Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the effective implementation
of this Act. The IRR shall be approved by the House of Representatives.

SECTION 13. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part of this
Act is declared unconstitutional, the remaining provisions shall continue to
be in force and in effect.

SECTION 14. Repealing Clause. — Laws, decrees, executive orders
and rules and regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
deemed repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 15. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect in fifteen (15)
days after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general
circulation.

Approved,

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