Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. __ 1054

Introduced by Representative Neptali M. Gonzales II

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Legislative Branch is the policy-making body of the country. It
requires competent, efficient and honest public servants to complement the
earnest aspiration of lawmakers to serve the people with utmost
responsibility, integrity and efficiency.

The Congressional secretariat officers and employees have the primary
responsibility of providing the lawmakers with professional, technical and
other necessary services for legislation. Such expectations shall only be
achieved by the recruitment of highly qualified personnel and the provision
of a system of training and continuing education program for the legislative
officers and employees.

With these in mind, and to maintain the highest level of morale among
the personnel assisting in the lawmaking process and to ensure the highest
degree of professionalism in the service, it is proposed that the Philippine
Legislative Academy be established. Through this measure, the guidelines
needed to maintain a high level of technical and professional personnel in
the Legislative Branch shall be maintained.

NEPTALI M. ZALES It


10

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1054

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative Neptali M. Gonzales II

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE LEGISLATIVE ACADEMY,
DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFORE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Policy. - It is hereby declared the 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 officers and employees of Congress,
composed of the Senate, House of Representatives, the Commission on
Appointments and the Senate and House of Representatives Electoral
‘Tribunals.

SEC. 2. Objectives. - It is the purpose of this Act to professionalize,

upgrade and strengthen the workforce of Congress in order to:


10

11

12

2B

14

45

16

v

18

19

20

24

22

23

24

25

(a) Enable its officers and employees to efficiently and effectively
provide the necessary legislative and administrative support services to
Congress and its Members;

(b) Create a pool of competent and development-oriented career
legislative service officers and employees; and

(c) 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 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 Chair 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

2


10

cu

12

13

4

15

16

vw

18

19

20

a

22

23

24

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
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 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 as 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


10

ut

2

23

4

15

16

7

18

19

20

21

2

23

24

25

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.

The Executive Secretary shall have the same requisite qualifications
and the same compensation at least as a Service Director II. He or she shall
serve on a full -time basis and shall be the Recorder-Secretary of the Board
of Trustees.

If no persons meet the abovementioned requirements for any position,
the Board of Trustees shall designate such official with the closest
qualifications.

The Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor shall serve without
compensation, but shall be entitled to reasonable hororaria/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
policies 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 nominations are approved
by the Board of Trustees shall be included in the list of lecturers, 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
publications of a legislative service journal and such other documents shall
be determined by the Executive Board and subject to the approval of the

Board of Trustees.


10

a

2

2B

14

15

16

wv

18

19

20

a1

22

23

24

25

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 completed 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
capability 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,

5


10

un

2

13

14

45

16

vv

18

19

20

21

2

23

machinery and other materials, including scientific and educational
computer and software equipment, shall be exempt from customs 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 Fund. This fund shall
be administered and disbursed by the Board of Trustees 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 2014 and every year thereafter under the programs of
the Congress of the Philippines.

SEC. 18. 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 national circulation.

Approved.