Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH (16™) CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1596

House Bill No. _

Introduced by Representative LINO S. CAYETAN

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The 1987 Constitution (ARTICLE XIV) provides:
“Section 1. 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.

Section 2. The State shall:

Xxx
(3) Establish and maintain a system of scholarship grants,
student loan programs, subsidies, and other incentives
which shall be available to deserving students in both
public and private schools, especially to the under
privileged;

XXX”

The State gives primary importance to the role of education in the future of our youth and
their contribution to nation-building. As such, the Constitution has enshrined various
mechanisms to make quality education available to all, regardless of economic and social stature.

This bill aims to operationalize the above-quoted Constitutional provision, specifically as
it mandates the State to “(c)stablish and maintain a system of scholarship grants, student loan
programs, subsidies, and other incentives which shall be available to deserving students in both
public and private schools, especially to the under-privileged.”

Under this bill, all public high school students who graduate at the top of their class,
specifically those who belong to the top 10 bracket, shall be entitled to scholarship grants,


financial assistance, and admission to state colleges and universities, subject to certain conditions
imposed by the bill.

Being part of the top 10 highest ranking students of a class is no mean feat, and the
public high school graduate who achieves this accomplishment deserves the full support and
assistance from the State as he/she continues his/her endeavors to become a productive member
of society.

In view of these considerations, the immediate approval of this bill is highly and

earnestly recommended and requested.
nd Scnane

Representative
Second District, City of Taguig


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH (16™) CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1596

House Bill No,

Introduced by Representative LINO S. CAYETANO

AN ACT
MANDATING ALL STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
TO CONFER AUTOMATIC ADMISSION AND PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS
TO ALL TOP TEN (10) PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
OF THEIR GRADUATING CLASS, ANNUALY, AND ALLOCATE FUNDS
THEREFOR

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 "Iskolar Ng Bayan Act of
2013.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is hereby declared to be the policy of the State
to provide various incentives, grants, and assistance to all deserving public high school students
who wish to avail of the programs of state colleges and universities, As such, public high school
graduates who are among the top 10 students of their graduating class shall be entitled to
scholarship grants, financial assistance, and free admission to state colleges and universities,
subject to such reasonable rules and regulations as state universities and colleges may impose for
the purpose of maintaining their standards, policies, and requirements

SECTION 3. Form of Scholarship Grants, - Scholarship grants and financial assistance
are hereby granted to all students who are among the top 10 graduates of their class in the form
of

a. free tuition and other school fees, as may be imposed by state colleges and
universities, provided they are in accordance with the regulations of the Commission
on Higher Education (CHED);

b. exemption from the payment of entrance examination fee of any state college or
university, provided that this exemption shall only cover the first three entrance
examinations taken by the top 10 student;

©, textbook allowance in the amount of Philippine pesos: THREE THOUSAND (Php
3,000) per academic year; and


d. monthly living allowance of Philippine pesos: THREE THOUSAND (Php 3,000),
provided that the student has been qualified to avail of a full scholarship grant, as
determined by the policies and requirements of the state college or university where
such student is enrolled.

SECTION 4. Admission in State Colleges and Universities. - Any public high school
student who belong to the top ten (10) bracket of his/her graduating class shall be entitled for
[automatic] admission to any state college or university, provided that he/she has complied with
the following conditions:

a, the student graduated from a public high school within two (2) years prior to the
academic year for which the student is applying in a state college or university;

b. the student has timely complied with the application requirements of the state college or
university;

©. the student’s rank is reported by his/her public high school principal or administrator in a
certificate bearing the school’s name, location, number of students, rank of student in
his/her graduating class, and other relevant information;

d. after taking the entrance examination of the state college or university of his/her choice,
the student obtained rating which has been designated by the state college or university as
the minimum rating for a student to be able to avail of scholarship grants.

SECTION 5. Limitations in the Acceptance of Top 10 Students by State Colleges
and Universities. - A state college or university may limit the number of students admitted
under this Act if the number of applicants eligible and applying for admission to the college or
university exceeds by more than five percent (5%) of the average number of first-time freshmen
admitted by the state college or university during the two (2) academic years preceding the entry
of the applicant, Clear guidelines shall be established by the college or university for the
selection of students,

SECTION 6. Determination of class rank, - Class rank shall be determined according
to the cumulative results at the final grading period.

SECTION 7. Annual Reporting. Each state college or university shall annually report
to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Education (DEPED) the
composition of the first batch of first-time freshmen students admitted under this Act. This report
shall be submitted to the CHED and DEPED within a period determined by the two latter
agencies,

SECTION 7, Allocation of Funds, - The funds for the scholarship grants covering fees
and allowances mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (d) of Section 3 of this Act, shall be appropriated
from the national budget and shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act as part
of the budget of the CHED.

SECTION 8. Incentives to Local Government Units. The National Government shall
grant additional incentives to local government units which implement programs serving as
counterparts to the initiatives provided by this Act.

SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations, - The CHED and the DEPED shall
issue the necessary implementing rules and regulations for the speedy, effective, and full
implementation of this Act


SECTION 10. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall be held
unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions thereof which are not affected thereby shall continue
to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
tules and regulations or parts thereof which are not consistent with this Act are hereby repealed,
amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation,

Approved,