SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
SENATE BILL NO. _6_6_2_ 
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'13 
JUl -8 PS :24 
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Education serves as the backbone of all industrialized and 
industrializing countries in the world today. 
The framers of the 1987 Constitution made sure that education 
should be a priority thrust of the government by incorporating it in the 
supreme law as clearly enunciated under Article XIV, Section 1, which 
provides that "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." . 
Moreover, the 1987 Constitution stipulates further that the 
State should establish and maintain a system of scholarship grants, 
student loan programs, subsidies, and other incentives, which shall be 
available to deserving students in both public and private schools, 
especially to the underprivileged. 
Considering the high cost of education in the private educational 
institutions and the decreasing subsidies in the State Universities and 
Colleges, large number of Filipino youth suffers the anxiety and 
uncertainty of not finishing their education. Should the State continue 
to neglect its duty to provide adequate support to poor but deserving 
students, the country may face an intellectual and moral drain in the 
future. 
This bill seeks to set a mechanism and support system for the 
poor but deserving students so that they would be able to finish their 
education and provide the government the needed intellectuals for the 
development and growth of this country. Along with the other 
educational measures, which the author introduced in the Chamber, 
this bill will certainly provide a big relief to the large mass of students 
who are financially drained to continue their college education. 


" 
On 
the side of the private educational institutions, this 
mechanism of providing scholarship grants to intelligent but poor 
students in the universities and colleges, will certainly provide them 
competent graduates and future topnotchers in the various field of 
professional exams. 
Given that situation, it would not only benefit the government 
but the private educational institutions as well. Thus, all educational 
institutions will be required to grant full tuition scholarships to at least 
10% of its college student population. 
It is for these reasons that the approval of this bill is fervently 
sought. 
JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 


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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
'13 
JUL -8 P5 :24 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
SENATE BILL NO, 
662 
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 
AN ACT REQUIRING ALL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO 
PROVIDE COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP GRANT TO AT LEAST TEN 
PERCENT (10%) OF THEIR STUDENT POPULATION WHO ARE 
POOR BUT DESERVING STUDENTS, 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 
Scholarship Program for Poor but Deserving Students Act." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy - The State shall give priority 
to education, protect and promote the right of all citizens to qualify 
education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such 
education acceSSible to all. Towards this end, there shall be provided 
scholarship grants for poor but deserving Filipino students. 
SECTION 3. Nature and Extent of Scholarship Grants - College 
Scholarship grants are hereby extended in the form of free tuition fee 
to at least ten percent (10%) of the student population of all colleges 
and universities who are poor but deserving students. 
SECTION 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations -
The 
'Secretary of the Department of Education shall issue the necessary 
rules and regulations for the speedy and effective implementation of 
this scholarship program. 
SECTION 5. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) 
days from its complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of 
general circulation. 
Approved,