Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Congressional Secretariat is vital to the lawmaking process. They ensure that the legislative 
process proceeds with utmost speed and efficiency, by providing the necessary technical 
support that keeps the Congress running-from archival services, to committee support, to the 
scheduling of plenary affairs, to the indexing of legislative documents.  
Considering their significant role to an efficient legislative process, there is a need to strengthen 
and professionalize the legislative secretariat to ensure that lawmakers have competent and 
efficient individuals to assist them with their legislative needs. This measure proposes for the 
establishment of the Philippine Legislative Academy which shall provide continued education to 
these employees and strengthen and sharpen their skills through a specialized curriculum, plus 
seminars, workshops, and training programs that will all enhance their understanding of and 
expertise in the legislative process.  
Through the Academy, the Congress will have in its service a pool of professionals that will 
provide invaluable assistance in the lawmaking process. 
On behalf of the people of Parañaque City’s Second District, and for the common good of the 
Filipino people, the approval of the said measure is earnestly sought. 
REP. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING 
2nd District, Parañaque City 
May 14, 2021
5:10 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE LEGISLATIVE ACADEMY, DEFINING ITS POWERS 
AND FUNCTIONS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared a policy of the State  to ensure an 
efficient and credible Career Service of the Legislature (CSL). Toward this  end, it is imperative 
to provide members of the CSL with continuing appropriate education and training. 
The CSL shall include the offices and employees of Congress composed of the Senate and the 
House of Representatives, the Commission on Appointments and the Senate and House of 
Representatives Electoral Tribunals. It shall also include the career officers and employees of 
the Philippine Legislative Academy established under this Act. 
SEC. 2. Objectives. – It is the purpose of this Act to professionalize, upgrade and strengthen 
the work force of Congress in order: 
a) To enable its officers and employees to efficiently and effectively provide the necessary
legislative and administrative support services to Congress and its Members;
b) To create a pool of competent and development-oriented career legislative service
officers and employees; and
c) To provide a system of training and continuing education for personnel in order to
ensure that only competent and qualified persons are recruited into the career legislative
service.
SEC. 3. Philippine Legislative Academy. – To carry out the policy and objectives enunciated 
in Sections 1 and 2 hereof, there is hereby established a Philippine Legislative Academy, herein 
referred to as the Academy. The Academy shall be a unit of both Houses of Congress and shall 
operate under its administration, supervision and control. It shall be located at the House of 
Representatives, Batasan Complex, Quezon City.  
SEC. 4. Functions. – The Academy shall serve as a training school for legislative officers and 
employees for positions in the CSL. For this purpose, it shall provide and implement a 
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curriculum for legislative education as well as conduct seminars, workshops and other training 
programs to upgrade legislative support services, capabilities and efficiency, and shall perform 
such other functions as may be necessary in carrying out its mandate.  
 
SEC. 5. Governing Board. – The Academy shall have, as its governing body, a Board of 
Trustees composed of the Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission, the Secretary of the 
Senate and the Secretary General of the House of Representatives, as ex officio members; and 
an incumbent Deputy Secretary of the Senate chosen by the Senate President, and an 
incumbent Deputy Secretary General of the House of Representatives chosen by the Speaker, 
both of whom shall have served in such positions for at least five (5) years, as designated 
members.  
The ex officio members of the Board of Trustees shall serve as such for the duration of their 
incumbency in their respective offices.  
 
All members shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to a reasonable 
honoraria/allowance for the performance of their duties.  
 
SEC. 6. Executive Board. – The Executive Board of the Academy shall be designated by the 
Board of Trustees, and shall be composed of a Chancellor, two (2) Vice Chancellors and an 
Executive Secretary. The Executive Board shall serve for a term of three (3) years without 
prejudice to subsequent reappointments. 
 
In case of a vacancy in any Executive Board position, the Board of Trustees shall designate a 
replacement who shall serve in such position for the remainder of the unfinished term. 
 
The Chancellor shall have a requisite qualifications meritorious service as an incumbent Deputy 
Secretary of the Senate or an incumbent Deputy Secretary General of the House of 
Representatives, who shall have served as such for at least three (3) years and belongs to the 
ranks of the Career Executive Service.  
 
A Vice Chancellor shall be chosen from each House. A Vice Chancellor shall have as requisite 
qualifications meritorious service as an incumbent Executive Director or Deputy Executive 
Director of the Senate or the House of Representatives, who shall have served as such for at 
least three (3) years and belongs to the ranks of the Career Executive Service.  
 
If no such person meets the abovementioned requirements for any position, the Board of 
Trustees shall designate such official with the closest qualifications.  
 
The Chancellor and the Vice Chancellors shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled 
to reasonable honoraria/allowance for the performance of their designated duties as determined 
by the Board of Trustees or as provided by law.  
 
The members of the Executive Board shall not engage in the private practice of any profession.  
 
SEC. 7. Academy Staff. – The Academy shall be staffed by a corps of professional lecturers. A 
lecturer shall be nominated by any of the members of the Executive Board of the Academy; 
and, such nomination shall be submitted to the Board of Trustees for approval. Lecturers whose 
nominations are approved by the Board of Trustees shall be included in the list of lectures, and 


shall be entitled to reasonable honoraria/allowance as deemed fit by the Board of Trustees or 
as provided by law.  
 
SEC. 8. Academic Courses. – The academic courses and the publication of a legislative 
service journal and such other documents shall be determined by the Executive Board and shall 
be approved by the Board of Trustees.  
 
SEC. 9. Criteria for Selection and Admission to the Academy. – The criteria for the 
selection and admission to the Academy shall be determined by the Executive Board and 
subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees.  
 
SEC. 10. Appointment and Promotion. – Legislative officers and employees who have 
completed the programs prescribed by the Academy and have satisfactorily complied with all 
the requirements incident thereto shall be given priority for appointment, selection or promotion 
to any position or vacancy in the CSL.  
 
SEC. 11. Consortium Agreements. – The Academy may enter into consortium  
and similar or related agreements with educational and training institutions for the development 
and implementation of programs for capacity building, career development and legislative 
orientation.  
 
SEC. 12. Tax Exemptions. – The provision of any general or special law to the contrary 
notwithstanding: 
 
a) All revenues and assets of the Academy used actually, directly and exclusively for 
educational purposes shall be exempt from all taxes and duties; 
b) Gifts and donations of real and personal properties of all kinds to the Academy shall be 
exempt from the donor's tax and the same shall be considered as allowable deductions 
from the gross income of the donor, in accordance with the provisions of the National 
Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended; 
c) Importation of economic, technical, vocational, scientific, philosophical, historical and 
cultural books, supplies, equipment, machinery and other materials, including scientific 
and educational computer and software equipment, shall be exempt from custom duties 
and taxes; and 
d) Educational services rendered by the Academy shall be exempt from value- added tax. 
 
SEC. 13. Legislative Academy Fund. – All legacies, gifts and donations to the Academy 
established under this law shall constitute a special fund to be known as the Legislative 
Academy exclusively for the purpose of this Act.  
 
SEC. 14. Appropriations. – The amount necessary to carry out the initial implementation of 
this Act, including the operation, maintenance and improvement of the Academy shall be 
charged against the General Appropriations Act of 2018 and every year thereafter under the 
programs of the Congress of the Philippines.  
 
SEC. 15. Separability Clause. – Should any provision under this Act be deemed invalid, the 
remainder of this Act not otherwise affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.  
 


SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. – All laws and regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this 
Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.  
 
SEC. 17. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.  
 
SEC. 18. Separability Clause. – Should any part of this Act be declared unconstitutional or 
invalid, other parts or provisions hereof not affected thereby shall  
continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 19. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect alter fifteen (15) days after its publication in a 
newspaper or general circulation. 
 
Approved,