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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHEIFPINES ) 
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Second Regular Session 
1 
S. NO. 
Introduced by Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes N 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article XIV Section 1 provides that the State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to 
quality education at all levels, and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible 
to all. However, recent data prove contrary to this policy. 
Out of the six million students who were able to enter high school, only 2.4 million or 60 percent 
entered college in 2002-2004. While graduation rate among high school students was pegged at 
90.62 percent in that year, cohort survival rate from lSt year to 4’ year college was only 63.88 
percent. Completion rate was even lower - only 58.62 percent.’ Moreover, in June 2004, the 
Wallace report pegged college dropout rate at a staggering all-time high of 73 percent. The 
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) National 
Commission of the Philippines, on the other hand, reported a measly 22 percent overall student 
survival from 1st to 4th year college.* 
The continuing increase in the cost of tertiary education, inadequate government expenditure on 
education, continuous surge in oil and food prices compounded by the looming economic 
recession will only seek to exacerbate this alarming statistics unless firm political will is 
exercised and appropriate state intervention is put in @ace. In this light, this measure seeks to 
provide scholastically deserving graduates of public and state-supported highschools the 
opportunity to enjoy their right to higher education and subsequently, a better quality of life. It is 
hoped that the passage of ths measure shall see more poor but deserving high school graduates, 
WhO VkW hi@ SChd 5tS ip &ipd e&, hWiZlg WCeSS tQ h&&F edUCip&. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought. 
Senator 
I Information retrieved from: ~://www.bulatlat.com/news/5-9/5-9-~raduation 
orinter.htm1. Retrieved on 5 
February 2009. 
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collese-dreams. Retrieved on 5 February 2009. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
GRANTWG COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP TO STUDENTS WaO GRADUATED AS 
SUPPORTED HIGHSCHOOLS IN THE PHILIPPINES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
VALEDICTORIANS AND SALUTATORIANS FROM PUBLIC AND STATE- 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Phrlppines m Congress 
assembled: 
SEC. 1. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to establish 
and maintain a system of scholarship grants, student loan programs, subsidies, and other 
incentives which shall be available to deserving students in public schools, especially to the 
underprivileged. Toward this end, the State shall provide financial support or assistance to 
qualified honor graduates *om public and state-supported secondary schools in the country. 
SEC. 2. Coverage. - All state colleges and universities under the governance of the 
Commission on Higher Education (hereinafter referred to as CHIZD) are hereby mandated to 
grant four or five-year college scholarship, depending on the degree program, to the top two 
graduates or the graduates who garnered the top two highest overall grade average from the 
public and private secondary day and night schools in the country. These graduates could be 
honored as the valedictorian, salutatorian, or first, second as the case may be. 
The qualified scholar shall be entitled to avail of a two (2) or three (3) year 
TechnicalNocational course or any four or five-year degree course in any educational institution 
of hisiher choice. 


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SEC. 3. QuuliJicatiuns. - To qualify for the aforementioned scholarship program, 
hereinafter referred to as the Program, the graduate must: 
a. be citizens of the Philippines, whose parents (natural or adoptive)/ or legal guardians 
are residents and registered voters of the country; and 
b. have graduated from any public or state-supported secondary school of the country. 
SEC. 4. Benefits. - The national government shall grant the qualified applicant the 
following benefits: 
a. 
Tuition and other fees. - The graduates who earned the highest and second 
highest grade average (Valedictorian, Salutatorian) of each of night and day classes are 
entitled to receive a scholarship equivalent to a full tuition and other fees; 
b. 
(PhF500.00) per month for 10 months in a year for food; 
c. 
Transportation allowance. - The qualified applicants shall receive an allowance 
of Five Hundred Pesos (PW500.00) per month for 10 months in a year for transportation. 
d. 
Book Allowance - The qualified applicants shall receive Five Hundred Pesos 
CphP500.00) per semester or One Thousand Pesos (P1,OOO.OO) per year of books; 
e. 
(PhP500,00)/year for uniform allowance. 
Food Allowance - The qualified applicants shall receive Five Hundred Pesos 
Clothing allowance - The qualified applicant shall receive Five Hundred Pesos 
SEC. 5. Rights ef Seiw€em, - Subject to the limitatks prescxibed by laws and 
regulations, the scholar shall enjoy the following rights: 
a. 
The ~ i &  
to f ~ e l y  
c h s e  thei~ field Q€ study subject to existing cPricula and t~ 
continue their course therein up to graduation, except in cases of academic deficiency, or 
violation of disciplinary regulations; 
b. 
will pay only the remaining years of hidher scholarship. 
The right to shift to alternative field to study, provided, however, the government, 
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c. 
The right to make decisions and selecting alternative scholarship programs other 
than that of the government, Provided, however, That the scholar should not enjoy two 
scholarships at one time. 
d. 
That if the beneficiary has availed of any government scholarship program other 
than the Program, dhe is only entitled to receive Food Allowance, Transportation 
Allowance, Book Allowance, and Clothing Allowance. 
SEC. 6. Render of Service - Whenever the State deems it necessary to employ the 
pr*fe&&i-&l sayis 
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available for the public service to perfom a duty and discharge a hction subject, however, to 
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e. 
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SMe shall be justifiably compensated in accordance with the law; 
The service to be rendered is related to hidher qualifications and skill; and 
In no way sihe can be required to render service for more than two (2) years 
without herhis consent and approval. 
SEC. 7. Fuitding. - The amount necessary for the effective implementation of this Act 
shall be charged to the appropriations for the CHED under the current General Appropriations 
Act (GAA). Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this 
Act shall be included in the annual GAA. 
SEC. 8. Implementing Rules. - The Commissioner of CHEn shall issue the pertinent 
rules with regard to this Act, including but not limited to the application for, termination of, 
snspension xnd lifting of s~!spension of the Pr0p-m. 
SEC. 3. &yg&i!@ 
C!gs:e. If zny prwisbn or gart hered is held i~vzlid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
va5d ax! rdxisirig,. 


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SEC. 10. Rqraling Clmse, Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, 
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent with, the 
provisions of this Act, is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordmgly. 
SEC. 11. Effeivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
publication in the Oficial Gazetk or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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