TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE 
S. No.
'r, ,J' I. ’
25 AUG-6 AlO '52
ri;chiv:dbv
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
CREATING AND ESTABLISHING THE INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Asia Pacific region is a hotbed of international conflicts and tension 
arising from competing interests, specifically with respect to overlapping claims to 
territorial domain, and from struggle for dominance and influence over the vast 
maritime resources. Many observers believe that the Southeast Asia is the one to 
watch considering the many important issues occurring in the region - the fight for 
control over vital sea lanes in the West Philippine Sea; increased aggression of state 
parties with regard to their preserving the integrity of archipelagic borders; 
continuing protests over encroachment and reclamation of waters within exclusive 
economic zones; contending ownership over immense energy and food reserves, 
among others - all of which have repercussions and immediate effects on world 
security and peace.
On the domestic front, the Philippines is also confronted with threats coming 
from communists and terrorist groups, which have also established links with 
foreign-based and -affiliated organized criminal groups, extremists, and terrorist 
radicals. While domestic force of the long-standing insurgency is reportedly reduced 
to a minimum due to successful military campaign and comprehensive socio-


economic policies in the countryside, their very existence still poses danger to 
political stability and national security.
"There is this discontinuity of strategy and policies every change of 
administration, affecting the long-term horizon of strategic planning," says General 
Emmanuel Bautista, former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines 
(AFP). He believes that a "whole-of-nation approach must always be applied to the 
country's security," and that this "must also involve the academe, think-tanks, and 
sectors immersed in strategic thinking."1
This bill aims to establish the Institute for Strategic Studies (ISS) which shall 
promote understanding of consequential prevailing and emerging issues in the 
homeland or international level, and assist the government in crafting relevant 
responses and perspectives with respect to such issues, utilizing independent 
researches, factual data, interdisciplinary and integrated approaches under the lens 
of a long-term national strategy.
I am refiling this measure which I originally submitted during the Thirteenth 
Congress. In view of aforesaid reasons, passage of this legislation is sought.
INGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA
1 "PHL's foreign policy, national security plan lack long-term vision." December 7, 2021.
https://www.bworldonline.com/the-nation/2021/12/07/415796/phls-foreiRn-policy-national-security-plan-
lack-lonR-term-vision/


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
■ 
, vjDffiir oi '■
)
SENATE 
S. No.
25 AUG -6 AlO 52
RKCEIvvDB\;
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
CREATING AND ESTABLISHING THE INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Establishment of the Institute for Strategic Studies (ISS). - The
2 
Institute for Strategic Studies, hereinafter referred to as the Organization is hereby
3 
created and established as an institution to promote understanding of fundamental,
4 
current and emerging domestic and international issues and to assist the
5 
government in formulating policy and strategic perspectives on those issues. It shall
6 
conduct research on fundamental national concerns in response to or in anticipation
7 
of the needs of policy-making, conduct studies on matters of domestic and
8 
international political, economic, military, socio-cultural and techno-scientific
9 
significance in an interdisciplinary and integrative manner; identify strategies to
10 
serve the ends of policy, design programs to effect coordinated and integrated work
11 
of other research institutes engaged in strategic studies, undertake commissioned
12 
research work in collaboration with outside entities/institutions consistent with its
13 
mandate; build and maintain a resource facility and data bank; and carry out such
14 
other activities and projects as shall enhance the mission of the organization.
15 
Sec. 2. Powers of the Organization. - The Organization shall have the
16 
following powers:
17 
a) Adopt, alter and use a corporate seal;


1 
b) Take and hold by bequest, devise, gift, purchase or lease, either and
2 
absolutely or in trust, for any of its purposes, any 
property, real or
3 
personal, without limitation as to amount or value, 
to convey such
4 
property and to invest and reinvest any principal of the said Organization
5 
in such manner as shall best promote its objectives;
6 
c) Collect, receive and maintain a fund or funds and to apply the income and
7 
principal thereof to the promotion of its aims and purposes herein-before
8 
set out;
9 
d) Contact any obligation or enter into any agreement necessary or
10 
incidental to the proper management of its corporate powers;
11 
e) Engage in any activity, and exercise all the powers conferred by the laws
12 
upon private or government-owned and controlled corporations, and;
13 
f) Exercise the general powers of a duly incorporated entity as set out in the
14 
corporate code.
15 
Sec. 3. The Board of Trustees. - The Organization shall be organized
16 
functionally with the following components:
17 
1) There shall be a Board of Trustees composed of the Executive Secretary,
18 
Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Secretary of
19 
Foreign Affairs, Secretary of National Defense, Secretary of Science and
20 
Technology, President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and
21 
Industry, an eminent representative from the private sector to be
22 
appointed by the President of the Republic of Philippines and the
23 
President of the Organization;
24 
2) The Trustees shall elect from among themselves the Chairman and Vice-
25 
Chairman of the Board;
26 
3) The Board of Trustees coming from the private sector may create an
27 
executive committee of five trustees including its Chairperson, which shall
28 
have the authority to make decisions on behalf of the Board of Trustees in
29 
between the regular meetings of the said board. The Chair of the Board
30 
shall head the executive committee. Decisions of the Executive Committee
31 
shall be reported to the Board of Trustees at its meeting;


1 
4) The trustees shall receive a per diem as may be authorized for every
2 
meeting actually attended, in addition to reasonable transportation and
3 
representation expenses;
4 
5) The Board shall provide guidance to the Policy Council on the thrusts,
5 
objectives, policies, research, agenda, programs and other activities of the
6 
organization.
7 
Sec. 4. Policy Council. - There shall be a Policy Council, composed of an
8 
Executive Director and five others as Members, all of whom shall be appointed by
9 
the President of Republic of the Philippines from among the present members of the
10 
Strategic Studies Group of the National Defense College of the Philippines, as
11 
presently constituted, for a term of six (6) years. The Councii shall have the
12 
following authority;
13 
1) To formulate the thrusts, objectives, policies, research agenda, programs
14 
and other activities;
15 
2) To oversee, monitor and evaluate all research work and studies;
16 
3) To designate Research Fellows with notable scholarship to do and
17 
or/direct research work and strategic studies in various functionai/area
18 
program of the organization that are relevant to their areas of expertise;
19 
4) To determine and fili up other positions in the Organization and fix the
20 
saiaries, honoraria, ailowance and other emoluments of all Organizations
21 
Sec. 5. Autonomy and Academic Freedom of the Organization. - The
22 
Organization shall be an autonomous and self-governing institution governed by the
23 
principle of academic freedom; it shall neither be organic nor be part of any
24 
government instrumentality. It shall be attached to the Office of the President to
25 
facilitate its budgetary and other administrative requirements and for the purpose of
26 
policy coordination.
27 
Sec. 6. Assistance from Government Departments and Agencies. -To assist
28 
in its functions, government departments, agencies, units or instrumentalities shall
29 
allow the Organization access to their official files, records, data and other
30 
documents, provided such access is consistent with the 
requirements of
31 
confidentiality.


1 
Sec. 7. Exemptions. - Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary,
2 
appointments to the research and administrative staff of the Organization may be on
3 
a full-time basis and shall be exempt from the requirements and restrictions of the
4 
Civil Service and retirement laws, other laws, rules and regulations on position-
5 
classification and salary standardization and Section Two Hundred Fifty Nine of the
6 
Revised Administrative Code; Provided, that any government retiree employed in the
7 
Organization shall not be required to reimburse or refund any gratuity received from
8 
the government nor shall any pension or annuity to which he is entitled be
9 
suspended or reduced on account of his employment in the Organization.
10 
Sec. 8. Services of Outside Agencies and of Private Sector. - The Organization
11 
may, for the purpose of research, field work and other activities, obtain and pay for
12 
the services of the personnel of any agency of the Philippine Government and/or
13 
private sector to perform research of field work and such other activities as may be
14 
needed.
15 
Sec. 9. Endowment Fund. - An Endowment Fund shall be created to provide
16 
for non-recurring expenditures of the Organization. For this purpose, the amount of
17 
Five hundred million pesos (P500,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated from any funds
18 
in the National Treasury. The Endowment Fund shall be administered as a trust
19 
funds with the Board of Trustees thereof, provided that the principal of said
20 
endowment shall not be subject to impairment and provided further that the
21 
earnings thereof, shall constitute a trust fund available for non-recurring and
22 
unprogrammed expenditures of the Organization.
23 
Any or all savings of the Organization shall form part of the trust funds
24 
provided herein.
25 
Sec. 10. Appropriations. - There is hereby appropriated the amount of Five
26 
hundred million pesos (P500,000,000.00) out of any unappropriated funds in the
27 
National Treasury for such initial requirements as capital outlay and infrastructures
28 
of the Organization. Thereafter, the Congress of the Philippines shall include as part
29 
of its budgetary appropriations the amount of at least Fifty million pesos
30 
(P50,000,000.00) to finance the recurring and operational expenditures of the
31 
Organization.


1 
Sec. 11. Separability Clause. - If any section or part of this Act is held
2 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions not otherwise affected
3 
shall remain in full force and effect.
4 
Sec. 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
5 
regulations, issuances or any part thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act,
6 
are deemed repealed and modified accordingly.
7 
Sec. 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
8 
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation, whichever
9 
comes earlier.
Approved,