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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
S. No. 
81 
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Introduced by Senator JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBIRI 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Career service in the governrnent is an essential factor in the continued 
smooth delivery of services as well as in the administration and operations of a 
certain public office. It is the system where government career officers and staff 
serve as the institutional memory of their respective agencies towards the pursuit of 
progressive achievement in the public service. 
The Civil Service Commission has certainly put up and maintained a 
professional career service over the years where government employees are 
recruited and promoted on the basis of a merit-and-seniority system based on their 
education, knowledge and skills. Actually, it encompasses the three branches of the 
government-the Executive, the Legislative and the JudiCiary. 
It may be noted, however, that career service in the executive branch of the 
government has somehow been the focus throughout and so it has now become 
well-developed. In fact, there is the Career Executive Service that has already been 
put in place. On the other hand, similar development had been carried in pursuit of 
excellence in the Judiciary where the Philippine Judicial Academy has been 
established more than a decade ago. 
In the 14th Congress, the Philippine Tax Academy was enacted into law with 
the mandate of training our tax collectors and customs personnel. Thus, this bill for 
the Legislative branch of the Government. 
The function of the Legislature is altogether a different field of work as it 
specializes alone on legislation where detailed steps are taken within the process of 
the legislative mill, which employs laborious committee and plenary work for every 
bill passed into law. And apart from legislating proposed measures, Congress also 
conducts inquiries and investigations, in aid of legislation, on various socio-economic 
and political issues. 
As such, it is about time that career service in the Legislative branch of 
government should now be given focus and attention. The Congress of the Republic 
of the Philippines equally needs a set of career service officials and employees who 
are adequately trained and attuned to the needs of legislative work. 
It is imperative that officials and employees in Congress are able to provide 
efficient technical as well as administrative support to our legislators considering that 


technical research and bill drafting and administrative management are the primary 
roles that must be effectively performed by them. 
Thus, this bill seeks to establish a Legislative Career Service, a Legislative 
Career Service Board and a Legislative Academy which would govern and ensure 
the recruitment and training of prospective legislative career service officers and 
employees in Congress. The Academy would likewise serve as a venue for training 
prospective and elected legislators on parliamentary rules, precedents, practices, 
and traditions, including the process of the legislative mill. 
It is on this note that the urgent approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 


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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
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JUL -1 pil :12 
SENATE 
S. Nb'. 
61 
Introduced by Senator JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBIRI 
AN ACT 
CREATING 
THE 
PHILIPPINE 
LEGISLATIVE 
ACADEMY, 
DEFINING 
ITS 
POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled, 
1 
Section 1. Short Title. -
This Act shall be known as the "Philippine 
2 
Legislative Academy Act of 2010", 
3 
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. -
It is hereby declared to be the policy of 
4 
the State to enhance and develop our human resources 
in the civil service to 
5 
provide effective and efficient administrative and technical support, particularly in 
6 
the field of policy making, The State recognizes that Congress of the Philippines 
7 
requires career service officials and employees adequately trained 
in providing 
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technical support in the conduct of inquiries and investigation, bill drafting, 
9 
administrative management, 
preparation of committee reports, and 
legislation 
10 
making, For this purpose, the State recognizes the need to create a specialized 
11 
training institution that will provide the appropriate education, training, and skills to 
12 
the career service officials and employees of the Legislature, 
13 
Section 3. Objective. -
This Act aims to upgrade, strengthen, and 
14 
professionalize the Legislative Branch of the Government to ensure that the 
15 
legislative officials, employees, prospective and elected legislators are adequately 
16 
trained on legislation making, including the process of legislative mill and plenary 
17 
work for every bill passed into law, Towards this end, a continuing professional 
18 
development with pool of competent and development-oriented legislative career 
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service officers and employees shall be maintained, 
20 
Section 4. Creation of the Philippine Legislative Academy. - To carry out 
21 
the policy under this Act, th'ere is hereby created a corporate body to be known as 
22 
the "Philippine Legislative Academy" which shall have the attribute of perpetual 
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succession and possessed of the powers of corporations, to be exercised in 
conformity with the provisions of this Act. 
Section 5. Parpose. - The Philippine Legislative Academy shall serve as 
the primary training institution that will provide continuing education, training, 
seminar, conferences, workshops for professional development of the legislative 
officials, employees, and prospective and elected Members of the Congress. 
For 
this purpose, it shall be managed by the Legislative Governing Board. 
The Academy shall develop and implement a curriculum in training models 
pertaining to (a) the technical aspects of legislation making, (b) career officer 
orientation, and (c) development for civil servants. 
Section 6. Corporate Powers. The Philippine Legislative Academy shall, in 
carrying out the purposes for which it was created, have the following powers: 
(a) To adopt, alter and use a corporate seal; 
(b) To take and hold by bequest, devise, gift, purchase, or lease, either 
absolutely or in trust for any of its purposes, any property, real or 
personal, without limitation as to amount or value; to convey such 
property and to invest any principal, and deal with and expend the income 
and principal of the Philippine. Legislative Academy in such manner that 
will best promote its objectives; 
(c) To collect, receive and maintain a fund or funds, by subscription or 
otherwise, and to apply the income and principal thereof to the promotion 
of its aims and purposes herein before set out; 
(d) To contract any obligation, or enter into any agreement necessary or 
incidental to the proper management of its corporate powers and 
(e) In general, to carry on any activity and to have and exercise all of the 
powers conferred by the laws upon private or government-owned or 
controlled corporations. 
Section 7. Governing Board. - The Philippine Legislative Academy shall 
have a governing board to be composed of the Secretary of the Senate as ex-
officio Chairperson, the Secretary General of the House of Representatives, ex-
officio Vice Chairperson; 
one (1) Career Official from among the officials and 
employees of the Senate to be designated by the President of the Senate, one (1) 
Career Official from among the officers and employees of the House of 
Representatives to be designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 
and the Chairpersons of Civil Service Commission and Commission on Higher 
Education or their representative. The Members of the Board shall serve for a term 
of three (3) years, without prejudice to subsequent re-appointment. In case of 
vacancy in the Board, the person so appointed or designated shall serve for the 
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unexpired term. The members of the Governing Board shall serve without 
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compensation for the performance of their functions but they shall be entitled to 
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reasonable honoraria/allowance pursuant to existing laws and regulations. 
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Section 8. The Executive Officers. -
The Executive Officials of the 
5 
Academy shall be composed of a Chancellor, a Vice-Chancellor, and an Executive 
6 
Director, to be appointed by the Senate President for a term of three (3) years 
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without prejudice to subsequent reappointment. 
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Section 9. The Corps of Professional Lecturers.· 
The Philippine 
9 
Legislative Academy shall be staffed by a Corps of Professional Lecturers with 
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sufficient knowledge, education, training, and actual experience in policy making, 
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public finance and development administration, among others. A lecturer shall be 
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appointed by the Governing Board, upon nomination of any member, and shall be 
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exempt from the requirements and restrictions of the Civil Service Law, laws, rules 
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and regulations on position-qualification and salary standardization. For the purpose 
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of filling up the staffing requirements for the Corps of Professional Lecturers, 
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officers, employees or personnel of the Philippine Senate, the House of 
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Representatives and the Commission on Appointments may be transferred to and 
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from the Academy and their respective institutions. 
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Section 10. Staff AppOintments. - Any provision of law to the contrary 
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notwithstanding, appointments to the administrative or research staff of the 
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Philippine Legislative Academy may be on a full-time basis or part-time basis, and 
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shall be covered by the requirements and restrictions of the Civil Service Law, laws, 
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rules and regulations on position-classification and salary standardization. For the 
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purpose of filling up the staffing requirements, officers, employees or personnel of 
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the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Customs, and Bureau of Local 
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Government Finance may be transferred to and from the Academy and their 
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respective institutions. 
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Section 11. Authority to Enter Into Consortium. - The Academy may 
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enter into consortium agreements with the Centers of Excellence, Centers of 
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Development and other reputable training institutions (local and foreign) for the 
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development of the curriculum, programs for orientation, career development and 
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continuing legislative education. 
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Section 12. Special Fund.· 
All legacies, gifts, and donations to the 
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Academy shall constitute a special fund to be known as the Philippine Legislative 
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Academy Fund which shall be administered by the Board exclusively for the use of 
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the Academy. 
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All incomes, legacies, gifts, donations for the benefit of the Academy shall be 
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exempt from the payment of all forms of taxes and duties, donor's tax, fees, income 
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tax, real estate, assessments, and other charges of the government its agencies, 
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instrumentalities, branches and subdivisions. 
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Section 13. Appropriations. -
The amount necessary for the initial 
4 
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations 
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of the Congress. The President of the Senate, with respect to the Senate and the 
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Commission on Appointments, and the Speaker, with respect to the House of 
7 
Representatives, are hereby authorized to realign any portion of their respective 
8 
appropriations to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
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Section 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The President of the 
10 
Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall jointly promulgate 
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such rules and regulations for the proper implementation of this Act. 
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Section 15. Separability Clause. -
If for any reason, any section or 
13 
provision of this Act is declared to be unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections 
14 
or provisions hereof which are not affected hereby, shall continue to be in full force 
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and effect. 
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Section 16. Repealing Clause. -
Ali laws, decrees, orders, rules and 
17 
regulations, policies, programs or parts thereof, that are inconsistent with any of the 
18 
provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
19 
Section 17. Effectivity. -
This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
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from its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspaper of general 
21 
circulation. 
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Approved. 
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