Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Nineteenth Congress
Second Regular Session
HoUsEB|LLNo9875
Introduced by Representative MA. VICTORIA CO-PILAR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Priority to education, science and technology, arts, culture, and sports to foster
patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote total human
liberation and development is an imperative state policy enshrined in our 1987
Constitution. For many Filipinos, a solid education is often their only way out of
poverty and despair. Education is often celebrated as a universal right, a means to
empower individuals and uplift nations.
The right of all citizens to quality education at all levels calls for the performance
of our duty to take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all. In
the  Philippines,  the  evident  reality  persists  that  access  to  quality  education
remains  more  of  a  privilege  than  a  right.    Inequality  of  access  plagues  our
educational system, erecting insurmountable barriers before numerous deserving
and aspiring Filipino youths.
This bill seeks to address the problem with inequality of access to education by
establishing  scholarship  hubs  to  be  known  as  Hfl7zdog  H¢  Oporft/7tz.d¢d  Parfl  s¢
£dwhasyo77 (HOPE) Centers in every city and municipality. These HOPE Centers
will ensure the prompt, timely, and efficient delivery of scholarship programs and
opportunities  by  establishing  a  repository  of  scholarship  offered  by  different
public and private institutions or persons and by creating an integrated system of
scholarship application.
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
Th-L4


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Nineteenth Congress
Second Regular Session
HoUSEBILLNct675
Introduced by Representative MA. VICTORIA CO-PILAR
AN ACT
MANDATING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS T0 ESTABLISH,
MAINTAIN AND OPERATE HANDOG NA 0PORTUNIDAD PARA SA
EDUKASYON (HOPE) CENTERS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the  Senate and House of Rapresentatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled..
1      Section 1.  Short  Ti.£Zc  -  This  Act  shall  be  known  and  cited  as  the  ``H¢7idog 7t¢
2      0portunidad para sa Eduhasyon (HOPE) Center Auc{'.
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4      Sec 2. Dccha7"fro7i a/PoZz.ey -It is hereby declared a policy of the state to protect and
5      promote the right of all citizens to quality and accessible education at all levels,
6      and to take appropriate steps to make scholarship programs and opportunities
7      available    and    reachable    to    all    deserving    students,    especially    to    the
8      underprivileged.
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1o      See 3. Establishment of Handog na oportundnd para sa Eduhasyon center or HOPE
11      Cb#fer -To carry out the declared policy in the preceding section, there shall be
12      established  in  all  cities  and  municipalities  a  H¢7zdog  rm  Oporfu7iz.d¢d  P#rfl  s¢
13      £cZLfhasyo7t center, hereinafter referred to as HOPE center, which shall be operated
14      and maintained by the local government units (LGUs); ProzH.did, That in Highly
15      Urbanized   Cities   (HUCs),   a   HOPE   Center   may   be   established   in   every
16      congressional district.


1                 The HOPE centers shall be linked to the regional offices of the commission
2      on Higher Education (CHED) for coordination and technical supervision, and to
3      the CHED central office to constitute the national scholarship program network.
4                 The HOPE center shall be under the office of the city or municipal mayor.
5      The  HOPE  Center  shall  be  initially  organized  by  and  composed  of  a  HOPE
6      manager and may be assisted by a HOPE officer (HO) as may be determined by
7      the LGU.
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9      Sec 4. OZ7/iecfl.z7cs o/the HOPE CkHfer -The HOPE center shall ensure the prompt,
1o      timely,  and  efficient delivery  of scholarship programs  and  opportunities,  and
11      provision of information of the same. Specifically, the HOPE center shall:
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a)  Provide  a  venue  where  people  could  simultaneously  explore  various
scholarship programs and opportunities;
b)  Serve as referral and information center for the various scholarship grants,
student  loan  programs,  subsidies,  and  other  incentives  awarded  by
different public and private institutions or persons;
c)   Provide  the  public  with adequate  information on available  scholarship
programs and opportunities; and
d)  Network   with   other   HOPE   Centers   for   additional   scholarships   or
scholarship exchange purposes.
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22      Sec 5. Fw7!cfro7cs a/the HOPE Cie#ter -The HOPE center shall have the following
2 3      functions:
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a)  Create  a  repository  of  all  available  scholarship  grants,  student  loan
programs, subsidies, and other incentives awarded by different public and
private institutions or persons;
b)  Set up an integrated system of scholarship applications and maintain a
registry  of  applicants,  making  sure  all  underprivileged  are  registered
therein;
c)   Assist the  scholarship  applicants  in the preparation  and  submission  of
necessary documents as may be required by the public and/or private
institutions   or   persons   awarding   scholarship   grants,   student   loan
programs, subsidies, and other incentives;
d)  Conduct   communication   and   information   caravan   for   scholarship
applications, and programs and opportunities; and


e)  Deliver other functions incidental to the foregoing and as may be necessary
for the effective and efficient implementation of this Act.
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4      Sec 6. Raze a/CHID -It shall be the responsibility of CIHD to:
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a)  Provide technical supervision, coordination and capacity-building to the
HOPE Centers;
b)  Establish and maintain an electronic registry of scholarship programs and
opportunities, and name of scholarship applicants as part of the overall
scholarship program network;
c)   Set standards for the establishment and operation of the HOPE Centers, and
qualification standards for the HOPE Center personnel;
d)  Extend other services of the HOPE Center to the LGU including the conduct
of scholarship caravans, seminars, and other activities; and
e)   Monitor, assess, and evaluate the performance of the HOPE Centers.
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16      Sec 7. Robe a/LGLJs -The LGUs, in coordination with CHED, shall establish the
17      HOPE centers. It shall be the responsibility of the concerned LGu to:
18           a)  Operate and maintain the HOPE center;
19            b)  Ensure compliance with the operational standards set by CHED;
2o            c)   Extend such assistance and services as may be necessary in the promotion
21                 of scholarship programs and opportunities within the area of jurisdiction;
2 2                   and
23            d)  Submit to CHED a periodic performance and accomplishment reports.
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25      See 8.  Ministerial Duty  to  Receive  Scholarship  Applications  - No person shall be
26      prohibited to apply for more than one scholarship program or opportunity, unless
27      it is proscribed by one of the scholarship providers. The HOPE center shall have
28      the ministerial  duty to receive all  of the  scholarship applications which have
29      substantially complied with the requirements, subject to the limitations prescribed
3o      by the applicable scholarship provider.
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32      See 9. Inf ormation canpalgn f or scholarship prograns ~ The cH:ED, in partnership
33      with the LGUs, shall intensify its communication and information campaign for
34      scholarship programs and provide the public with the latest available scholarship


1      grants,  student  loan  programs,  subsidies,  and  other  incentives  awarded  by
2      different public and private institutions or persons.
3                 The  CHED,  in  collaboration  with  the  Department  of  Information  and
4      Communications  Technology,  shall  make  full  use  of  the  latest  technology  to
5      disseminate information to reach every Filipino.  The awareness caravan must
6      increase  the  number  of scholarship  applicants  and  successful  beneficiaries  of
7      various scholarship programs and opportunities.
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9      Sec 10. Apprapn.¢tr.o7i  - The funding for the operation and maintenance  of the
1o     HOPE center shall be provided by the LGu from its internal revenue allotment
11      and other internally generated income of the LGU concerned.
12                  Funds for the provision of technical assistance, training and supervision of
13      the HOPE center shall be included in the budget of CHED in the annual General
14      Appropriations Act.
15                 The amount necessary to carry out the initial implementation of this Act,
16      shall be charged against the current Fiscal Year Appropriations of the concerned
17      offices. Thereafter, the amount necessary to implement the provisions of this Act
18      shall be included by the Department of Budget and Management in the annual
19      General Appropriations Act.
2o      See T1.  Implenenting  Rules  and  Regulations  - W±th±n rinety  (90)  days  aLfter  the
21      approval of this Act, the commission on Higher Education shall promulgate the
22      necessary implementing rules and regulations for the effective implementation of
23       this Act.
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25      Sect 12.  Scpflrflz„7i.ty a¢Hsc - If any  provision or part hereof,  is held invalid  or
26      unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise aifected
27      shall remain valid and subsisting.
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29      Sec  13.  Rape¢Zi.73g  Cha#se  -  Any  law,  presidential  decree  or  issuance,  executive
3o      order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or
31      inconsistent  with  the  provision  of  this  Act  is  hereby  repealed,  modified,  or
32      amended accordingly.
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1      Sec  14.  £#ech.z„.fy  a¢wsc  -  This  Act shall  take  effect fifteen  (15)  days  after  its
2      publication in the official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
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4                 Approve d,