HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
1* Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 139

ATION UNIT

BILLS 4X) INDEX SERVICE

Introduced by Congressman Alfredo D. Vargas III

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The State has a duty, an obligation, a responsibility and thus, a policy to ensure
accessible education for all citizens, especially the youth. It is thus imperative for the
State to provide and make available, facilities which are necessary in the pursuance of
studies or learning. Among these facilities are dormitories and residence halls.

It is crucial that for the State to create and ensure an environment conducive to
education or learning, it must make student accommodation a top priority.

‘The government, so far, has not been responsive to the necessity for suitable
accommodation in higher public institutions. This is because of our lack of public funds
for such endeavor.

This proposed measure shall encourage and urge the private sector to invest in
student housing through tax exemptions and financing schemes.

This bill will also provide students of low-income families, _ free

accommodation in student housing facilities, thus ascertaining that they can concentrate
on their education, free from financial worries due to “board and lodging” costs.

FREDO D. VARGAS IIT


REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
House of Representatives
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
1st Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNo, 4390

Introduced by Congressman Alfredo D. Vargas III

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR STUDENT HOUSING FINANCING SCHEME

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

SECTION 1. Short File. - This Act shall be known as the “Student Housing
Act”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to promote
the welfare of students by ensuring availability and accessibility of student
housing facilities

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in the Act, “student housing”
means the use or development of land for accommodation of bona fide students
while studying at tertiary institutions.

SECTION 4. Financing of Student Housing. - The National Housing
Authority (NHA) is hereby authorized to finance under liberalized credit terms
student housing under any of the following schemes:

a. affordable interest rates and long-term payment schemes;

b. graduated amortization scheme that will ensure smaller
amortization during the initial period of payment; and

c. subsidy of a portion of the interest payments, or of the capita
cost of construction

SECTION 5. Powers and Functions. - The NHA shall have the power to:

a. regulate the reasonable margin of profit of any entity investing
in student housing under this Act; and

b. ensure the habitability of the student housing facilities
financed under this Act.

SECTION 6. Exemption from Tax. ~ All lands, buildings, and improvements,
actually, directly, and exclusively used pursuant to this Act, and all incomes


derived therefrom shall be exempt from all kinds of taxes, duties, fees, charges,
and other assessments for five years from the actual use of the student housing
facilities.

SECTION 7. Free Accommodation. - The NHA shall, in coordination with
the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), establish a program whereby at
least five percent of the occupancy spaces of the student housing constructed
pursuant to this Act, shall be furnished for free in favor of students belonging to
low-income families. This provision shall be made an integral part of the credit
arrangement granted by the NHA.

SECTION 8. - Implementing Agencies. - The NHA, in coordination with
CHED, shall promulgate the rules and regulations necessary to implement this
Act.

SECTION 9. Appropriations. - To carry out the provisions of this Act, such
amount as may be necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the
National Treasury. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continuous
operation of this program shall be included in the annual appropriation of the
NHA.

SECTION 10. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall
be held unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions, which are not affected
thereby, shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive
order, rules and regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 12. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after 15 days following
its publication in two newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,