Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Batasan Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by  
HON. ATTY. GERVILLE “JINKY BITRICS” R. LUISTRO 
AN ACT 
GRANTING FREE TUITION FOR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ENROLLED IN 
GRADUATE EDUCATION MASTER'S PROGRAM AT STATE UNIVERSITIES 
AND COLLEGES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The State's primary policy is to protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality 
education at every level and ensure its accessibility. This is reflected in Article XIV, Section 2 of 
the 1987 Constitution wherein free public education is guaranteed from the elementary to the 
high school level, and Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education 
Act of 2017 which  provides free tertiary education in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs). 
These legislative measures reflect the State’s commitment to ensuring quality education 
is accessible to all citizens, from early childhood through higher education. They exemplify the 
fulfillment of the constitutional mandate to provide equitable educational opportunities across all 
levels. 
Building on this policy of education for all, from the basic to the tertiary, this proposed 
measure aims to extend this to Master’s degree programs to government employees, providing 
them with free education in SUCs. By doing so, public servants are encouraged to pursue further 
studies and develop a greater array of skills, with the goal of improving government services 
through a well-equipped bureaucracy.  
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December 18, 2024
6:44 pm


In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is urgently sought. 
HON. ATTY. GERVILLE “JINKY BITRICS” R. LUISTRO 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Batasan Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by  
HON. ATTY. GERVILLE “JINKY BITRICS” R. LUISTRO 
AN ACT 
GRANTING FREE TUITION FOR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ENROLLED IN 
GRADUATE EDUCATION MASTER'S PROGRAM AT STATE UNIVERSITIES 
AND COLLEGES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Free MA for Public Servants Act." 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to promote the 
enhanced professionalization of the civil service to further improve on the efficient delivery of 
the public services to the people. Further, the State shall likewise upgrade on its human resources 
to cope with the rapidly evolving societal and administrative requirements of a fast-moving 
polity. Towards this end, government workers, being an important component of the State's 
human resources, shall be given education advancement opportunities through adequate funding 
and such other mechanisms to improve their education levels, for the eventual benefit of the state 
bureaucracy in particular, and the country, in general. 
Section 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act: 
(a) Government employees refer to those who are employed, whether classified as career, or
non-career service positions, by the National Government or any of its political
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subdivision, instrumentalities, and agencies including government-owned and/or 
controlled corporations and local government units; 
(b) Graduate Education refers to higher education programs leading to a master's degrees, as 
may be authorized and recognized by the Commission of Higher Education (CHED); 
(c) A Master's degree refers to an academic qualification granted at the graduate education 
level to individuals who have successfully undergone study demonstrating a high level 
of expertise in a specific field of study or area of professional practice; 
(d) State universities and colleges (SUCs) refers to the public higher educational institutions 
established by the national government and are governed by their respective independent 
boards of trustees or regents; 
(e) Tuition fees refer to fees or school charges for subjects or course enrolled by a graduate 
education student; 
 
Sec. 4. Free Graduate Education for Government Employees in SUCs. - All career and non-
career service government employees are granted free tuition fee for all maximum of two-year 
master's program in any SUCs that they have successfully applied for: Provided, That non-career 
contractual govemment personnel must be employed for at least five (5) years at any time after 
the effectivity of this Act, to qualify for this program: Provided, Further, That the govemnment 
employees pass the entrance examination and other admission and retention requirements of the 
SUCs: Provided, Finally, That the amount required to implement the free tuition fees in SUCs 
shall be determined by the respective governing boards of SUCs based on the projected number 
of enrollees for each academic years, which shall the primary factor in computing the annual 
proposed budget of SUCs. This shall in turn serve as a baseline during the preparation of the 
annual National Expenditure Program (NEP) by the Department of Budget and Management 
(DBM). 
 
Sec. 5. Exceptions to the Grant of Free Graduate Education. – The following students are 
ineligible to avail of the free graduate education leading to a Master's degree: 
 
(1) Students who were already granted with any government-sponsored graduate education 
scholarship program in any higher education institution, whether public or private, in the 
country or abroad; 
(2) Students who fail to comply with the admission and retention policies of the SUC; and, 
(3) Students who fail to complete their master's degree within two years after the period 
prescribed in their graduate education program. 
 
Sec. 6. Return Service Program. – Government employees who avail of the Free Graduate 
Program are required to stay in public service for a time period equal to the period of grant of 
free Master’s education.  
 


Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). - Within ninety (90) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the CHED, in coordination with the Civil Service Commission (CSC), 
shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act. 
Provided, That the non-promulgation of rules and regulations provided under this section shall 
not prevent immediate implementation of this Act upon effectivity. 
Sec. 8. Separability Clause. - If any provisions of this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, 
the other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and 
effect. 
Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, letters of instructions, 
proclamations, rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act shall be deemed 
notified, amended, or repealed accordingly. 
Sec. 10. Effectivity Clause.- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,