Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City
* TIME 2:25 pm

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No._1584__ ip INDEX

Introduced by

HON. YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ
HON. FERDINAND MARTIN G. ROMUALDEZ

and
HON. JUDE A. ACIDRE

AN ACT
CONVERTING THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES VISAYAS TACLOBAN
COLLEGE INTO AN AUTONOMOUS CONSTITUENT UNIVERSITY WITHIN THE
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES SYSTEM TO BE KNOWN AS THE
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES TACLOBAN, APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill provides for the conversion of the University of the Philippines Visayas
Tacloban College (UPVTC) into an autonomous constituent university within the UP
‘system, to be known as UP Tacloban.

The University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College is presently a
regional unit of the University of the Philippines Visayas, which is one of the constituent
universities of the University of the Philippines System. It was established on May 23,
1973, during the 823 meeting of the UP Board of Regents then headed by UP
President Salvador P. Lopez, upon the request of the Provincial Government of Leyte
led by Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez.

At present, UP Tacloban has seven undergraduate programs and one graduate
program offered by four divisions: Division of Humanities, Division of Management,
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and the Division of Social Sciences.

UP Tacloban was established as an answer to the urgent need for quality
education in Easter Visayas, with particular emphasis on science, humanities, and
agriculture. Through the years, the UP community in Tacloban has contributed
significantly to the social and economic development of the region, with many of its
graduates occupying key leadership positions in the academe, business
organizations, government, and civil society.

DATE July 7, 2022

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The institutional growth of UP Tacloban, however, has been limited owing to a
relationship of dependency with its current mother unit, UP Visayas. It operates at a
distance from the mother unit, and with a limited budget. It continues to face significant
challenges in terms of the infrastructure and other resources needed to deliver its
mandate. Nevertheless, these limitations, UP Tacloban is able to perform well and
clearly has the potential to perform even better. For UP Tacloban to better serves the
needs not only of its faculty and students, but that of the wider region, a grant of
autonomy is urgently required.

The grant of autonomy, and the conversion of UP Tacloban into a constituent
university within the UP system will strengthen UP Tacloban’s capability to create and
apply new knowledge through teaching, research, extension and to develop minds
that will not only invent new products and technologies but innovate and improve
existing ones as well as shape leaders with the moral character to ensure a just and
‘sustainable future.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

Rep. YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ
Representative /Tingog Sinirangan

Rey -RDINAND MARTIN G. ROMUALDEZ

Representative, First District of Leyte

Rep. JUDE/A. ACIDRE
Representative, Tingog Sinirangan


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. __ 1584

Introduced by

HON. YEDDA MARIE K. ROMUALDEZ
HON. FERDINAND MARTIN G. ROMUALDEZ

and
HON. JUDE A. ACIDRE

AN ACT
CONVERTING THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES VISAYAS
TACLOBAN COLLEGE INTO AN AUTONOMOUS CONSTITUENT
UNIVERSITY WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES SYSTEM TO
BE KNOWN AS THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES TACLOBAN,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

Section 1. - This Act shall be known as the “University of the Philippines
Tacloban Act of 2022’

Section 2. The University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College
is hereby converted into an autonomous constituent university within the
University of the Philippines system, to be known as the University of the
Philippines Tacloban, hereafter referred to as UP Tacloban.

Section 3. The Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines
shall have the full authority to determine the instruction, research, extension


programs, schedule of preparatory work and initial operations, qualifications
and number of academic and other personnel, enrollment and other matters
related to the administration and operation of UP Tacloban.

Section 4. The University of the Philippines Tacloban shall offer
graduate and undergraduate courses with the areas of specialization and
according to its capabilities, as the Board of Regents of the University of the
Philippines may deem necessary to carry out its objectives, particularly to
realize its mandate and meet the needs of the region. UP Tacloban is also
mandated to undertake research and extension services and provide
progressive leadership in these areas.

Section 5. The University of the Philippines Tacloban shall network and
coordinate with other state universities and colleges (SUCs) in such areas that
shall contribute to the development of Eastern Visayas.

Section 6. The Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines
‘shall submit a report to the President of the Philippines, Congress, and the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on the actions that the University
has taken pursuant hereto within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act.

Section 7. The amount of three hundred million pesos (P
300,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated from the current year’s unappropriated
balance to finance the initial implementation of this Act. Thereafter, a
supplemental appropriation of one hundred million pesos (P 100,000,000.00)
shall be set aside annually and included in the General Appropriations Act for
four (4) years or until the provisions of this Act are fully implemented.

Furthermore, this supplemental budget appropriated by this Act is
separate from and in addition to the appropriations and internal operating
budget that will be earmarked for UP Tacloban as a constituent unit of the


University of the Philippines System, as provided in the Annual Appropriations
Act.

Section 8. The provisions of Republic Act No. 9500, otherwise known
as the “University of the Philippines Charter of 2009" shall form an integral part
of this Act.

Section 9. If any part or provision of this Act is held unconstitutional or
invalid, other parts for provisions hereof which are not affected shall continue
to remain in full force and effect.

Section 10. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations or
parts thereof inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are
deemed amended, repealed, or modified accordingly.

Section 11. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following
completion of its publication in the Official Gazette and in at least two (2)

newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,