Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 6931

Introduced by Rep. Dale “Along” R. Malapitan

Explanatory Note

The advent of the 1987 Philippine Constitution set the stage for our
country to fully embrace what is so-called a “culture of educagion”. For the first
time since the establishment of our Republic, our fundamental law today
guarantees in no uncertain terms the right of all citizens to quality education at
all level which the State shall not only protect and promote but also make
education accessible to all.

Thus, Section 1, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution provides that: “The
State shall protect and promote the right of every citizens to quality education at
all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to
all.”

To realize the attainment of the very intent of this mandated constitutional
guarantee, Section 5, item (5) of the same Article requires the State to assign the
highest budgetary priority to education.

It has been thirty years since the ratification of the 1987 Constitution, yet
a lot has remained to be desired in terms of making education truly accessible to
all. While it is true that the government has religiously toed the line by allocating
the biggest budget for education in our annual national expenditure program, yet
there are still certain issues and imperatives that need to be addressed and
instituted in order that public educational institutions are within easy reach by
students, most especially those coming from areas with large catchment
populations and where incidence of poverty is high.

It bears mentioning that in Metro Manila North, is also known as the
CAMANAVA area, there exist not a single state university or college nor a campus
thereof which students of this area may access for their tertiary, professional
and technical education. These so-called SUCs in the National Capital Region are
only found in the cities of Manila, Quezon, Marikina, Pasay, Mandaluyong, San
Juan, Taguig and Pasig with campuses in various parts or regions of the country,
but not in Metro Manila North.

‘The absence of state sponsored tertiary educational institutions in Metro
Manila North or CAMANAVA area perforce requires their college students to seek
admission in SUCs outside their city residence where they may qualify. This
situation however, and coupled with the worsening traffic which is a common


place in Metro Manila, puts the family to incur an extra expense, rob students of
their productive time and/or promote disenchantment or disinterest amongst the
youth to pursue or complete their college or technical education.

The 2016 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey or APIS, conducted by the
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), showed the country has 3.8 milli
school children and youth (OSCY) or about 10% of the 39 million Fil
age range from 6 to 24 years old.

The report aiso irfdicated that of the total out-of-schooi children and youth,
87.3% were 16 to 24 years old which is equivalent to 3.4 million out-of-school
youth. These are the very group of young people who are supposedly taking up
college or technical vocational education.

The proportion of OSCY was also higher among females than males
according to the APIS. And the top four reasons found to have kept our youth out
of schools are lack of income, marriage among females, high cost of education,
and lack of interest.

In the National Capital Region alone, there are around 470,000 out-of-
school children and youth, with around 410,310 aged 16 to 24 years old. That,
while it is not clear in the report as to which part of Metro Manila that these out-
of-school youth belong, it may be safe to assume that a large number thereof may
come from Metro Manila North considering its size and population of more than
two million eight hundred nineteen thousand (2,819,000) based on the 2015
Census of Popuiation, the prevailing high incidence éf poverty, and the tangible
absence of any public tertiary educational institution therein. Necessary,
because of this obtaining condition and the staggering numbers of OSCY, this
problem has to be addressed post haste.

‘The youth of @ nation are the trustees of posterity, it was once eaid. Fo
achieve a strong nation, we have to empower and build them for the future. And
what better way to realize this objective than by having a well-educated, highly
skilled group of young people who will someday take the responsibility of
furthering, assuring and protecting our nation’s future.

It is therefore imperative that this constitutional onus, which requires the
State to make quality education accessible to all, should be genuinely
implemented. And one avenue through which this guarantee may be achieved is
by making tertiary educational institutions closer to our people.

This bill which seeks to establish a Polytechnic University of the
Philippines branch campus in Caloocan City-North is a step towards that
direction. It aims not only to address the increasing number of out-of-school
children and youth in the region but also operates to fulfill a high constitutional
demand. Thus, the immediate consideration and approval of this proposed bill is

earnestly sought and requested.
HON. DALE “ALONG” R. ITAN


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 6931

Introduced by Rep. Dale “Along” R. Malapitan

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A BRANCH OF THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE
PHILIPPINES IN CALOOCAN CITY-NORTH, TO BE KNOWN AS THE
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES (PUP)-CALOOCAN
CITY-NORTH BRANCH, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the “PUP-Caloocan City-North
Branch Act’.

SEC. 2. There is hereby established a branch of the Polytechnic
University of the Philippines (PUP) in Caloocan City-North to be known as the
PUP-Caloocan City-North Branch.

SEC. 3. The PUP-Caloocan City-North Branch shall offer graduate,
undergraduate and short-term technical-vocational courses within its areas
of specialization and according to its capabilities, as the Board of Regents may
deem necessary to carry out its objectives, particularly to meet the needs of
the city and the National Capital Region.

The PUP-Caloocan City-North Branch is also mandated to undertake
research and extension services, and to provide progressive leadership in
these areas, including the offering of graduate degrees under the PUP Open
University System.

SEC. 4. The PUP-Caloocan City-North Branch shall be headed by
Branch Administrator who shall render full-time service and who shall be
appointed/designated by the Board of Regents (BOR) upon the
recommendation of the search committee and the President, subject to the
guidelines, qualifications and standards set by the BOR.

SEC. 5. The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of the Act
shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations of the PUP.
Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued operation and
maintenance of the PUP-Caloocan City-North Branch shall be included in the
annual General Appropriations Act.


SEC. 6. If, for any reason, any part or provision of this Act is declared
invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected
thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 7. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 8. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,