Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 5531

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE FERDINAND L. HERNANDEZ
EXPLANATORY NOTE

It is axiomatic that members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),
Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail
Management and Penology (BJMP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine
Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and Bureau of
Corrections (Bucor) risk their lives in the line of duty. As stewards of our country's
safety and security, they courageously and effectively perform their responsibilities in
order to protect and maintain peace and order.

In the event that these brave members of the aforementioned Institutions are
Killed or become permanently incapacitated while in the line of duty, this bill will ensure
that their dependents will automatically and without qualification receive assistance
through full scholarship from kindergarten to tertiary level. This will provide necessary
and substantial aid to their dependents as the scholarship privilege is not just limited
to tuition and miscellaneous fees but will also include other fees such as allowances
for books, food, and transportation.

In light of the foregoing, the immediate enactment of this proposed legislation
is sought. ()



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 5531

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE FERDINAND L. HERNANDEZ

AN ACT GRANTING EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS TO
THE DEPENDENTS OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE
PHILIPPINES (AFP), PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE (PNP), BUREAU OF FIRE
PROTECTION (BFP), BUREAU OF JAIL MANAGEMENT AND PENOLOGY
(BJMP), NATIONAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (NBI), PHILIPPINE DRUG
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY (PDEA), PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD (PCG) AND
BUREAU OF CORRECTIONS (BUCOR) WHO ARE KILLED OR PERMANENTLY
INCAPACITATED WHILE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTY OR BY
REASON OF THEIR OFFICE OR POSITION

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Uniformed and Law
Enforcement Personnel Educational Assistance and Benefits Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared policy of the State
to recognize the vital role of the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of
Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI),
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and
Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) in the maintenance of peace and public order in our
country and to ensure that the dependents of those who are killed in action or are
permanently incapacitated while in the performance of their duty or by reason of their
office or position are provided with educational assistance and benefits.


SECTION 3. Permanent incapacity; Definition. — Permanent Incapacity shall
refer to physical or mental ill-health or infirmity which is: (i) permanent, (ii) prevents a
member from pursuing his or her normal employment, and (ii) seriously impairs his or
her eaming capacity.

SECTION 4. Grant of Educational Assistance and Benefits. - All the
surviving children of the members of the AFP, PNP, BFP, BJMP, NBI, PDEA, PCG
and BuCor who are killed or permanently incapacitated while in the performance of
their duty or by reason of their office or position shall automatically and without
qualification be extended full scholarship from kindergarten to tertiary level whether
baccalaureate, formal or non-formal education or training program in a non-exclusive
school or institution; Provided, that the surviving spouse if he or she so desires may
also avail of the benefit; Provided further, that, if the deceased or disabled personnel
is single, his or her qualified dependent siblings may also avail of this benefit. The
scholarship privilege shall include, but shall not be limited to, payment of tuition and
miscellaneous fees, allowance for books and school supplies and allowance for food
and transportation

SECTION 5. Uniformed and Law Enforcement Personnel! Scholarship
Board. - The scholarship funds collected hereunder shall be managed and
administered in accordance with the policies formulated by an inter-agency
scholarship board to be known as the Uniformed and Law Enforcement Personnel
Scholarship Board, which shall be created and formally organized within thirty (30)
days from the effectivity of this Act. The Board shall be composed of the Secretary of
the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Secretary of Justice, the
Secretary of Transportation and Secretary of National Defense, or their alternatives,
as Co-chairmen and one (1) member each to represent the AFP, PNP, BFP, BUMP,
NBI, PDEA, PCG and BuCor.

The Board shall serve as the policy making body vested with the authority to
come-up with the mechanics, scope and limitations, and requirements for scholarship
program pursuant to the objectives of this Act. The Board, however, delegate the
responsibility to implement the screening, admission, qualification, disqualification and
other scholarship-related availment processes to the respective scholarship bodies of
the AFP, PNP, BFP, BJMP, NBI, PDEA, PCG and BuCor, in accordance with the
guidelines to be prescribed by the Board. If the agency concerned does not have an
existing scholarship board or body, the head of agency is authorized to create such
board or body or to delegate its function to an existing bureau, division or office which
could concurrently perform such functions.

SECTION 6. Authority to accept donations; Tax Exemption. — The
Uniformed and Law Enforcement Scholarship Board and the respective board or
bodies of the concerned agencies shall have the authority to accept donations,
contributions, grants in cash or in kind, from appropriate sources, domestic or foreign.


Said donations shall be used exclusively to complement the funding requirements of
the scholarship program subject to the existing government accounting and auditing
rules and regulations; Provided, That any donation, contribution or financial aid which
may be made to the Board and to respective board or bodies of the concerned
agencies shall be exempt from taxes of any kind and shall constitute allowable
deductions in full from the income of the donors, contributors or givers for income tax
purposes. Furthermore, the Board and to the respective board or bodies of the
concerned agencies are authorized to invest so much of the idle funds as may be
necessary for the purpose of generating additional revenue for the benefit of the
scholarship program subject to the guidelines as may be prescribed by the board.

SECTION 7. Funding of Educational Assistance and Benefits. — The
amounts necessary to fund the educational assistance and benefits for the surviving
children of the deceased or permanently incapacitated Uniformed and Law
Enforcement Personnel provided under this Act shall be separately sourced and
utilized, as follows;

A. For PNP, license fees collected from the PNP firearms, and explosive
office;

B. For AFP, prevailing funds exclusively allocated for scholarship
including applicable grants and donations and other service income;

C. For BFP, subsidy income from the National Government;

D. For PCG, collection from permits and licenses fees, fines, and
penalties, service income, and other general income; and

E. For NBI, income from government services, particularly new
clearance fees, including miscellaneous income.

For PDEA, BJMP and BuCor, the amounts necessary for the educational
assistance and benefits shall be included in their respective budgets under the annual
General Appropriation Act.

The concerned agencies may also determine or generate additional sources of
funds for the continuity of their scholarship assistance programs under this Act.

SECTION 8. Appropriations. — Any shortfall in the amount necessary to fund
the educational assistance and benefits specified above shall be included in the
Tespective annual budgets of the AFP, PNP, BFP, NBI, and PCG to be enacted as
part of the annual General Appropriations Act; Provided, That any deficiencies in the
financial requirements may likewise be taken from savings on the personal services
of the AFP, PNP, BFP, BJMP, NBI, PDEA, PCG and BuCor and the Miscellaneous
Personnel Benefits Funds (MPBF); Provided, further, That the Uniformed Personnel


Scholarship Board may, consistent with Sec. 5 of this Act, identify, develop and/or
generate additional sources of funds to further support this scholarship program.

SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The Uniformed and
Law Enforcement Personnel Scholarship Board herein created shall promulgate,
formulate and issue, within sixty (60) days from its creation, the necessary
implementing rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION 10. Separability Clause. — |f any provision or part this Act is held
illegal, invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provisions not
otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. — Presidential Decree No. 577, RA 6963,
and all other laws, presidential decrees or issuances, executive orders, letters of
instruction, administrative orders, rules and regulation or parts thereof which are
contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified
or amended accordingly.

SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect in fifteen (15)
days after its complete publication in at least two (1) newspapers of general circulation
in the country or in the Official Gazette, whichever comes first.

Approved