Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

nousE BILL No, 1993

Introduced by Representative Jaime R. Fresnedi

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Republic Act No. 10575 (RA 10575), otherwise known as the “Bureau of Corrections
Act of 2013” was enacted ten (10) years ago. However, its Implementing Rules and
Regulations (IRR) was only promulgated in 2016, three (3) years after the passage of the law.

Among the important provisions of RA 10575 is Section 11 which provides for the
professionalization and upgrading of qualification standards in the appointment of the Bureau
of Corrections (BuCor) personnel. Said provision gave BuCor personne! five (5) years from
the date of the effectivity of the law to obtain the minimum educational qualification and
eligibility. Due to the delay in the promulgation of the IRR of RA 10575, the Qualification
Standards for Uniformed Personnel of BuCor was only approved by the Civil Service
Commission (CSC) on March 16, 2018. Using this as the reckoning date, the five-year period
given to BuCor personnel to comply with the minimum requirements for their positions as
prescribed by the CSC- approved Qualification Standards (QS) will lapse on March 16, 2023.

There are around three hundred eighty-two (382) uniformed personnel who failed to
obtain the CSC-prescribed QS, either in education, eligibility, or both. Unfortunately, the
COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for these concemed personnel to comply with the
requirements. Schools needed some time to adjust and be able to accommodate students
through online learning, Regulatory bodies for government civil servants’ eligibility were
likewise either suspended or limited in the conduct of examinations due to existing health
protocols. The budget allocated to assist BuCor personnel comply with educational and
eligibility requirements was also re-aligned for the government's COVID-19 response.

These are enough grounds to merit providing another five years for BuCor personnel to
comply with educational and eligibility requirements. This proposal will not only be humane
but also a step towards the realization of professionalizing civil servants who are mandated
with a very important task — the custody and reformation of persons deprived of liberty.

Due to the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

JAI NEDI
ppresentative
Lone District, Muntinlupa City


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
it lar Session

7053

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representative Jaime R. Fresnedi

AN ACT
PROVIDING ANOTHER FIVE (5) YEARS FOR CONCERNED BUREAU OF
CORRECTIONS PERSONNEL TO COMPLY WITH THE MINIMUM
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION AND APPROPRIATE CIVIL SERVICE
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE BUREAU OF
CORRECTIONS, AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE SECTION 11 OF REPUBLIC

ACT NO. 10575, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE BUREAU OF CORRECTIONS
ACT OF 2013"

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

SECTION 1. Section 11 of Republic Act No. 10575 is hereby amended to read as
follows:
“Section 11. Professionalization and Upgrading of Qualification Standards in
the Appointment of the BuCor Personnel. — (a) No person shall be appointed
as personnel of the BuCor unless one possesses the following minimum
qualifications:
(1) xxx;
(2) xxx;
(3) xxx;
(4) xxx;
(5) xxx;
(6) xxx;
(7) xxx; and
(8) Must be at least one meter and sixty-two centimeters (1.62 m.) in
height for male, and one meter and fifty-seven centimeters (1.57 m.)
for female: Provided, That a waiver for height and age requirement/s

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may be granted to applicants belonging to the cultural communities:

Provided, further, That a new applicant must not be less than twenty-
one (21) or more than forty (40) years of age. Except for this particular
provision, the above-enumerated qualifications shall be continuing in
character and an absence of any one of them at any given time shall be
ground for separation or retirement from the service: Provided,
furthermore, That those who are already in the service upon the
effectivity of |this Act] REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10575 shall be given
ANOTHER five (5) years [from the date of such effectivity] to obtain
the minimum educational qualification and CIVIL SERVICE

igibility with subsidiary assistance as provided for in [this Act]
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10575, TO BE RECKONED FROM THE
DATE OF THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT.

(b) After the lapse of the period for the satisfaction of a specific requirement,

incumbent personnel of the BuCor who fail to satisfy any of the requirements

enumerated under this section shall be separated from the service if they are

below fifty (50) years of age and have served in the government for less than

twenty (20) years, or retired if they are fifty (50) years and above and have

served in the government for at least twenty (20) years without prejudice in

either case to the payment of benefits they may be entitled to under existing

laws.”

SEC. 2. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Justice (DOJ), in
coordination with the BuCor, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Civil
Service Commission (CSC) shall, within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act,
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for its effective implementation.

SEC. 3. Separability Clause. — Should any provision herein be declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this Act.

SEC. 4. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, and other
issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended
or modified accordingly.

SEC. 5. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation,
whichever comes earlier.

Approved,