Republic of the Philippines
HOUSH OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO.
8637
Introduced by Rep. Jaime R. Fresnedi
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This bill seeks to defer all student loan collections for a reasonable amount of time
during and after the onset of disasters and other national emergencies.
Our country, aside from being inside the Pacific Ring of Fire, and in the typhoon belt
in the Pacific, is also vulnerable to other threats with similar disastrous effects.  Year in and
year out, we experience and are witnesses to an assortment of local or national emergencies ,
be it a super typhoon, an earthquake, a volcanic threat or even, the just recent COVID-19
pandemic. These emergencies have, more often than not, disrupted the economy in more ways
than one. Our fellow Filipinos have had their livelihoods put in the back bumer for months,
or even years, to fully recover.
In the first quarter of the year 2022, our country experienced a total of 587 incidents
of disasters,  that  of which,  36  were  naturally  caused.  This  recorded  a  P4.45  billion  in
economic losses. 1 One of the most affected sectors of natural disasters is the education sector.
Schools  get  closed,  damaged,  or  used    as  evacuation  centers  which  disrupt  the  flow  of
education and leaming. The financial situation of our countrymen, especially the members of
the  marginalized  sector  is  also  affected  as  they  try  to  cope  with  the  effects  of these
emergencies.
Thus, mechanisms must be put into place in order to cushion the effects of natural and
local emergencies to enable our disadvantaged countrymen to cope with the challenges that
they bring. The intent of this bill to put a temporary moratorium on the payment of school
loans to remove the burden of financial liabilities to students as well as their families affected
by calamities or disasters.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is eamestly
REP. JAI
ght.
SNEDI
Lone District, Muntinlupa City
1 Citizens'  Disaster Response Center. "Philippine  Disaster Report 2022." I  CDRC. September 25, 2022.
https://www.cdrc-phil.com/philippine-disaster-report-2022/.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETHENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
HousEB|LLNo.8637
Introduced by Rep. Jaime R. Fresnedi
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A MORATORIUM 0N THE PAYMENT 0F STUDENT LOANS
DURING DISASTERS AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
Be  it  enacted by  the  Senate  and the  House  Of Representatives  of the  Philippines  in
Congress assembled:
SECTION  1. Sfeo7~/ rz.//e.  - This Act shall be known as the  "S/wc7e#/ I,ocr77 Pc7}/rme77/I
Moratorium During Disasters and Emergencies Act " .
SEC. 2. Dec/czr¢/z.o# a/Po/z.c};. -It is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect
and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and to ensure that such
education is accessible to all.  In line with this declared policy, and in cognizance of the need
to  provide  adequate  relief and  protection  to  Filipinos  in  crisis  situations,  the  State  shall
authorize the deferral of student loan collection for a reasonable period during and after the
onset of disasters and other emergencies.
SEC. 3. De/#z./z.o# o/rerrm5'.  -  For the purposes of this Act, the following terms shall
refer to :
(a)   Disaster - a  serious  disruption of the  functioning  of a community  or  a  society
involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which
exceeds the  ability  of the  affected  community  or society to  cope using  its  own resources.
Disasters are often described as a result of the combination of: the exposure to a hazard; the
conditions of vulnerability that are present; and insufficient capacity or measures to reduce or
cope with the potential  negative  consequences,  Disaster impacts  may  include  loss  of life,
injury, disease and other negative effects on human, physical, mental and social well-being,
together with damage to property, destruction of assets, loss of services, social and economic
disruption and environmental degradation;
(b)   Emergency - an unforeseen of sudden or sudden occurrence,  especially danger,
demanding immediate action;
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(c)   Higher  Education - the  stage  of formal  education,  or  its  equivalent,  requiring
completion of secondary education and covering programs of study leading to bachelor and
advanced degrees, including associate degrees;
(d)   Higher  Education  Institution  (HEI)  -  an  education  institution  authorized  and
recognized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to offer bachelor's degrees or
graduate courses;
(e)   Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) - duly accredited public HEls established
by local government units (LGUs) through an enabling ordinance, financially supported by
the LGU concerned, and compliant with the policies, standards and guidelines of CHED;
(I)   Private Higher Education Institutions - HEls duly recognized by CHED which are
owned or operated by private individuals and entities;
(g)   State of Calalnity -a condition involving mass casualty and/or major damages to
property, disruption of means of livelihood, roads and normal way of life of people in the
affected areas as a result of the occurrence of natural or human-induced hazards;
(h)   State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) - public HEls established by law and are
managed by their respective independent and separate governing boards;
(i)    Student Loan - a sum of money  or other forms  of accommodation exclusively
intended for the payment of all fees, charges, and costs to SUCs, LUCs, private HEls, and
public and private technical-vocational institutions (Tvls) extended to students in exchange
for the repayment in the future as evidenced by a loan agreement in writing and duly executed
for the purpose;
0)    Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) -post-secondary education
or  training  process  involving  general  education,  the  study  of technologies  and  related
sciences, acquisition of practical skills relating to occupations in various sectors of economic
and social life, and comprising formal and non-formal  approaches; and
(k)   Technical-Vocational  Institutions  (Tvls)  -  leaning  institutions  offering  TVET
programs.
SEC.  4.  Cove7`czge.  - This Act  shall  cover students eurolled in  SUCs,  LUCs, private
HEls, and public and private Tvls, whose residences are located in barangays, municipalities,
cities,  provinces,  or regions  under  a  State  of Calamity  or  State  of Emergency  as  may  be
declared by the President of the Philippines or the local sanggunian concerned, in accordance
with republic Act No.10121, otherwise known as the "Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management Act of 2010"; Republic Act No. 11332, otherwise known as the "Mandatory
Reporting ofNotifiable Diseases and Health Events of public Health Concern Act"; and other
relevant laws, rules and regulations.
SEC.  5. A4lorcz/orz.win o# PcJ};me#/ a/Sfwc7e#/ £ocz#s'.  -There shall be a moratorium on
the payment of all fees, charges, and costs relating to the student loans incured for higher
education and TVET programs, whether administered by the HEls or Tvls themselves or by
the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Board,
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the CHED or any other govemlnent agency or instrumentality, for the duration of the State of
Calamity or Emergency as provided in Section 4 of this Act and for ninety (90) days after the
lifting  of  such  State  of  Calamity  or  Emergency:  Provz.c7ed,   That  the  availment  of  the
moratorium shall not adversely affect the status of the students concerned with regard to their
eligibility  for  re-eurollment  on  the  succeeding  semesters  or  terms,  or  their  eligibility  for
graduation, Prow.c7ecJ, /"rffeer, That no penalties or interests shall be collected on the deferred
payments made pursuant to this Act.  ProvJ.c7ec7, /wrffeer7#ore, That nothing in this Act shall be
construed to prevent public or private HEls or Tvls from implementing more favorable forms
of payment relief or assistance or subsidies from the government as provided by law, rules
and regulations.
SEC.  6.   Implementing Rules  and Regulations.  -V\Jithin sixty  (60)  days frorn the
effectivity of this Act, CHED and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
shall, in consultation with the Philippine association of State Universities an d Colleges, the
Association of Local  Colleges  and Universities,  and the  Coordinating  Council  of   Private
Educational  Associations  of  the  Philippines,  or  their  equivalent  institutions,  and  other
nongoverrmental stakeholders, promulgate the rules and regulations to effectively implement
the provision of this Act.
SEC.  7.  SepcJrcrbz./z.fy  C/cz#se.  -  If an  y  provision  or  part  hereof is  held  invalid  or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision or part not otherwise affected shall
remain valid and subsisting.
SEC. 8. Rapec7/I.77g C/¢wse. -Alllaws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations, or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
SEC. 9. EJLTec/J.vz.fy.  -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Ojj73cz.cz/ Gczzef/e or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,
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