EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

“Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez

House Bill No. 3737
EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article XIV, Sections 1 and 2 provide,

“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:
Establish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and integrated system of education

relevant to the needs of the people and society,”

This shows the importance of education and the big role that educational institutions,
particularly higher education institutions, play. And one of the factors in having 2 quality
higher education institution is having quality leadership

Philippine higher education is mandated to contribute to building @ quality nation capable of
transcending the social, political, economic, cultural and ethical issues that constrain the
country’s human development, productivity and global competitiveness’

There is an urgent need to institutionalize and strengthen Philippine Higher Education
System by investing on the recruitment and selection of competent leadership in state-Mtt
higher education institutions, continuous professional development, and career management
ofthese institutions’ executive personnel, especially in preparation for the unique demands
of leading State Universities and Colleges (SUC).

The establishment of a merit-based career system specifically designed for the public
higher education sector shall bring about greater institutional accountability, train Key
Competencies, strengthen public management, enhance academic leadership, provide
Capability development, promote career progress from recruitment and selection up {0
fetyement, and contribute to compliance with global standards and intemational best
practices. This will enable our public HEIs to be at par with other countries which saw fi
eetablish such career system and to better equip them in the era of intemationalization of
higher education.

In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this measure is earnestly requested

Tic

' CHED Memorandum Order No. 46, s. 2016


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

‘entative Rufus B. Rodriquez

3737

Introduced by Re}

House Bill No.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE HIGHER EDUCATION CAREER SYSTEM AND FOR

OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title — This Act shall be known as the “Philippine Higher Education
Career System or the Phil-HECS Act”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy — The State shall protect, foster and promote the right of all
Citizens to affordable quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to
ensure that education shall be accessible to all. The State further recognizes the role of
education in securing the future of the youth and in the development of our nation. Article
XIV, Section 2 (1) of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that the State shall establish,
maintain and support a complete, adequate, and integrated system of education relevant to
the needs of the people and society. Therefore, pursuant to the foregoing, there is an urgent
need to establish a coherent, merit-based career system for executives in state universities
and colleges, designed to provide a continuing pool of highly qualified, well-selected, and
developmentoriented career administrators, which subsequently allows for the
institutionalized and transparent implementation of the processes for selection and
appointment of the leadership in state universities and colleges (SUCs). Through this
system, the State ensures the efficiency, responsiveness and effectiveness of the
institutional governance of SUCs, thus strengthening and ensuring the global
‘competitiveness of Philippine higher education.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms — The terms used in this Act are defined as follows:

(a) Higher Education Career System refers to the system that shall facilitate the
transparent recruitment, selection, appointment, further professional advancement,
and career management of both potential and incumbent SUC leaders;

() Higher Education Career Officer (HECO) refers to any individual, whether active or
retired, who has at any point been conferred eligibility for appointment to the position
of SUC president by qualifying them through the Professional Advanced Program
(PAP) and assessment conducted by Phil HECS;

(©) Roster of Eligible Executives refers to the officially validated pool of qualified
HECOs from which potential SUC presidents shall be selected for appointment as
instituted and maintained by the PhilHECs Governing Board;


(a) Recruitment and selection refers to the element of the caret system wherein
applications for entry into Phil HECS Executive Development Program (EDP) are

screened and accepted;

(e) Professional Advancement Program (PAP) refers to the element of the career
system which enhances and updates the competencies of eligible candidates in
accordance with international best practices,

(f) Career management refers to the element of the career system which provides
career tracking and performance assessment and management for HECOs;

(@) Governing Board (GB) refers to the body that shall be convened for the pupans of
governance program and policy direction of Phi-HECS, and conferring eligibility to
those who qualified and met the prescribed requirements and standards;

(h) International Points of Reference (IPRs) refers to individuals representing certain
relevant sectors and institutions chosen by the GB to advise on international higher
education traditions and best practices;

(i) Secretariat refers to the body of technical, administrative and other support staff
that shall implement the directives of the GB;

() Technical Working Group refers to the transitional body created by the Commission
on Higher Education (CHED) to plan and operationalize Phil-HECS prior to the
convening and operation of the Governing Board, and this shall cease to exist after
the assumption to duty of the latter;

(k) Top SUC Management Executives refers to the positions of Vice Presidents,
Chancellors, Vice Chancellors, Deans and Campus Directors

() Reputable HE! refers to any local higher education institution (HE!) which has been
recognized by the CHED as meeting the standards of either vertical (universities,
professional institutes, and liberal arts colleges) and horizontal typologies
{autonomous or deregulated), or those acknowledged by CHED as belonging to
accredited or recognized 1000 overseas HEIs.

SEC. 4, Philippine Higher Education Career System (Phil HECS) ~ The Philippine Higher
Education Career System is hereby established as a coherent and merit-based system
(which shall promote and facilitate the recruitment, selection, professional advancement, and
Career management of qualified individuals for deployment to Philippine SUCs.

SEC, 5. Purpose — PhilHECS shall increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and external
sadents of the institutional govemance of SUCs, by strengthening the competencies of SUC
a ancutives and managers, and promoting individual accountability, in order to contribute to
improving the quality of Philippine higher education. Specifically, the Phil-HECS shall
endeavor.

1 To facilitate the recruitment, selection, professional advancement, and career
management of the best leaders and senior academic staff in public higher
education;

2. To-cstablish and maintain a Roster of Eligible Executives from which appointments to
the positions of SUC presidents will be drawn through the implementation of an
eligibility process, and the provision of professional advancement program: and

3, To introduce transformational leadership that steers Philippine State Universities and
Colleges towards recognition by the various local and intemational quality assurance
institutions.


SEC. 6. Scope — Phil HECS shall be focused on executive positions in SUCs. Entry into the
system shall be open to all qualified applicants as maybe determined by the Governing
Board, regardless of whether they come from the public or private sector, provided they
meet the qualification standards set by the Governing Board. All incumbent SUC presidents
‘bn the date of this Order shall also be considered included in the system by way of the
Presidential Leadership Program

SEC. 7. Elements of Phil-HECS - Phil-HECS shall have three main functional elements that

allow the system to meet its objectives:
1. Recruitment and selection, which sources talent into Phil-HECS and accepts and

screens applications for entry into the system;

2. Professional advancement, which enhances and updates the competencies of high-
level SUC officials and senior academic staff, including both eligibility candidates and
incumbent SUC presidents;

3, Career management, which tracks individual performance and identifies placement
opportunities for individuals included in the system.

SEC. 8. Eligibility — Through the Phil-HECS, candidates shall be granted the eligibility to
qualify for the position SUC president the manner and requirements of which shall be fixed
by the GB. This eligibility shall be conferred with the title of Higher Education Career Officer
(HECO) and shall mean permanent inclusion to the Roster of Eligible Executives.

SEC. 9. Creation of a Governing Board — To carry out the purposes of this Act, the Phil-
HECS Governing Board (Phi-HECS GB) is hereby created, hereinafter referred to as the
Board.

‘A. Composition. The permanent Phi HECS GB shall be composed of the following
4. The chairperson of the CHED, as ex-officio chair of the board,
2. A Commissioner of the Civil Service Commission (CSC), as ex-officio member,
3. A designated representative from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
with the rank of Undersecretary, as ex-officio member,
4. A designated representative from the National Economic and Development Authority
(NEDA) with the rank of Undersecretary, as ex-officio member;
‘An incumbent SUC president nominated by the CHED chairperson;
6. An incumbent president from a private higher education institution nominated by the
CHED chairperson; and
7. A senior representative from a leading business enterprise with recognized advocacy
for executive development.

2

B. Powers, duties, and functions. The Board shall have the following powers, duties, and
functions
4. To provide policy and program direction on matters pertaining to the implementation
of Phil- HECS, in particular:

a. The qualifications standards, recruitment and selection of candidates for the
PAP;

b. The content, methodology, and approaches of instruction and assessment
applied in PAP;

c. The conferment of the title of HECO, which grants eligibility for appointment to
the position of SUC president and such other rights and privileges
appertaining thereto;

d. The career management of individuals who are entered into the Roster of
Eligible Executives;


2. To promote efficiency, transparency, meritocracy, and accountability throughout the
entire process;

3. To address any appeals regarding the Phi HECS eligibility process;

44. To designate International Points of Reference to advise the Board on international
higher education traditions and best practices;

5, To appoint technical consultants and other external resource individuals, selected
from eminent academics, administrators, and researchers, to advise the Board on
matters related to academic policies, both local and international, and on the
monitoring and evaluation of all programs implemented:

6. To evaluate the financial status and viability of Phil HECS;

7. To mobilize resources from both local and international sources accordingly;

& To select and designate the appropriate venues for the activities of Phil-HECS,
including PAP, that are most conducive to the pursuit of its diverse objectives;

9. To exercise all other powers incidental, necessary, and appropriate for the fulfillment
of the purposes of this Act

SEC. 10. Creation of a Phil HECS Secretariat - A Secretariat is hereby created to be
headed by an Executive Director to support the Board in carrying out its functions. The
Board shall provide for the institutional setup, qualifications and compensation and certain
incentives of employees composing the Secretariat in accordance with existing Civil Service
and Career Executive Service rules and regulations and consistent with the provision of the
Salary Standardization Law for government personnel, and determine the size and
composition of the Secretariat.

A. Composition. The Secretariat, as appointed by the GB, shall be composed of

a. An Executive Director, which shall have the rank of an Assistant Secretary;
b. A Deputy Director for Management Services;

c. A Deputy Director for Professional Development; and

d. Technical, administrative, and support staff

The two Deputy Directors shall alternately serve as Secretary to the Phi HECS GB

B. Functions. The Secretariat shall perform all the functions necessary for the fulfillment of
the system's goals, including but not limited to conceptualizing, planning, implementing,
monitoring, and evaluating the activities of the different elements of the system.

SEC. 11. Funding — The initial operations of Phil-HECS shall be initially funded from the
Higher Education Development Fund (HEDF) amounting to one hundred million pesos

(PhP 100,000,000.00). Thereafter, the operation of Phil-HECS and the GB shall be included
in the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations — Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of
this Act, the Board shall constitute a working group, in consultation with relevant
stakeholders in Tertiary Education to promulgate the Implementing Rules and Regulations
necessary for the proper implementation of this Act within sixty (60) days from the
constitution of the Board.

SEC. 13. Separability Clause — If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional or invalid, parts or provisions of this Act which are not affected shall
continue to be in full force and effect.


.e — All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, Implementing

SEC. 14. Repealing Claus¢
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified

Rules and Regulations
accordingly.

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

Approved