Republic of the Philippines 2 TP JUL 2014
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES é
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO,__ 4745.

Introduced by Hon, Frederick F. Abueg

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to amend Republic Act (R.A.) No. 7818 for the purpose of
strengthening the administrative supervision of the Palawan State University (PSU) by
defining the integration of the PSU-Local Government Unit-College of Community
Resource Development (PSU-LGU-CCRD) campuses with the PSU Main Campus at
Puerto Princesa City, Province of Palawan and establishing the Palawan State
University System.

PSU started as Palawan Teachers’ College (PTC) in 1972. In 1984, PTC was
converted into Palawan State College (PSC) and in 1994, PSC became PSU.

PSU has already contributed a lot to the human and non-human resources
development in Palawan by pursuing its mandate in instruction, research, extension
and production. It has eared an excellent reputation with its selection as one of the
Centers of Excellence in Teacher Education in Region IV in 1996; the Panrehiyong
Sentro ng Wika since 1995; the Reproductive Health Center since 1995; the Learning
Center of the University of the Philippines - Open University since 1989; the
Regional Science Teacher Training Center and the Regional Staff Development
Center from 1977 to 1984,

From 1984 to 1992, PSU embarked on the operation of Development High
Schools at a time when access to secondary education was quite difficult for the rural
youth in Palawan. Later, PSU phased down these high schools in order to focus on
tertiary education as directed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). In
response to the request of the LGUs to establish campuses in their respective
Jurisdictions, PSU subsequently changed its high schools into tertiary education
institutions. To date, twenty CCRDs are operating in Palawan,


In the operation of each CCRD, the LGU and the Parent Teacher Council
(PTC) of the town where it is set up on one hand, and PSU on the other hand, enter
into a Memorandum of Agreement. The LGU provides the site, buildings, classroom
facilities, and extends funding for the salaries of faculty and staff. The PTC collects
school fees from the enrollees and uses the funds to help meet operations expenses
and acquisition of facilities. PSU manages the CCRD and provides the faculty and
non-teaching staff of these centers.

Through the years, the student population and operation costs of the CCRDs
have been increasing. The total financial assistance provided by LGUs has likewise
climbed from about P500,000.00 in the early stages of the centers to almost
P10,000,000.00 at present. The PTCs have been charging enrollees amounts ranging
from P8,000.00 to P12,000.00 per year. On account of these funding requirements,
most of the LGUs in recent years have been trying to scale down their support or to
withdraw assistance, while the parents, all of whom come from the depressed areas
and low-income households, have been clamoring for lower school fees.

Section 2, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution mandates that “the State shall
establish, maintain and support a complete, adequate and integrated system of
education, relevant to the needs of the people and society.” In consonance with this
mandate, CHED has been continuously adopting means to provide the youth with
affordable, accessible, relevant and quality tertiary education. Aligned with the CHED
thrusts, PSU has nurtured and operated the CCRDs that to date, the CCRDs have
already served no less than 20,000 rural youths.

Thus, to continue providing access and quality tertiary education to the rural
youth in Palawan, the bill intends to secure funding support for these centers from the
national government and to strengthen the administrative supervision of PSU in order
to achieve maximum output. These twin moves are imperative because leaving the
CCRDs as they are would mean depriving a significant number of rural youth the
opportunity to pursue tertiary education. It also means discarding the costly task of
operating the CCRD which is estimated at about twenty (20) times more than the costs
entailed for the conversion of the centers into regular branches and the latter’s
subsequent operation.

The budgets of all state universities and colleges come from the national
government. In the case of the CCRDs, as proposed in this bill, funds shall come not
only from the national government but also from the LGUs and the parents. The
CCRDs, therefore, more than deserve to be provided subsidies for their continuing
operation,


Rationalizing the circular offerings, organization and management in the
CCRDs cannot be achieved because, at present, the CCRD Budget comes largely from
the LGUs and parents. Defining the integration of the CCRDS as regular branches of
PSU in order to strengthen their governance and providing national government
subsidy for their sustained operation, as proposed in this bill, would definitely result in
better efficiency in the delivery of quality tertiary education in Palawan, Education
has been recognized as a social service, an investment, an economically feasible
activity, and a high impact strategy for people empowerment and socio-economic
development.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly recommended,

Representative, 2" District of Palawan


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

House BuLNo.__ 4745
Tntroduced by Hon. Frederick F. Abueg
AN ACT
CREATING THE PALAWAN STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM IN THE
PROVINCE OF PALAWAN AND THE CITY OF PUERTO PRINCESA,

AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT

. 7818

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

SECTION 1. Section 1 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to
read as follows:

“Section 1.The Palawan State University (PSU) System is hereby created,
composed of the PSU Main Campus in Puerto Princesa City and the PSU-LGU-
CCRD external campuses located in the Province of Palawan, which are hereby
converted into regular branches, namely, PSU-Narra, PSU-Quezon, PSU-Rizal,
PSU-Espafiola, PSU-Brooke’s Point, PSU-Bataraza, PSU-Balabac, PSU-Roxas,
PSU-San Vicente, PSU-Taytay, PSU-Coron, PSU-Araceli, PSU-Dumaran, PSU-
Linapacan, PSU-El Nido and the others that may be organized hereinafter. The
Palawan State University Main Campus and the regular branches shall be

collectively referred to herein as the University.”

SECTION 2. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to

read as follows:


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“Section 3. The University shall continue to offer its present
undergraduate and graduate circular offerings in the fields of education, arts and
sciences, and other degree courses as the board of regents may deem necessary to
carry out its objectives, and consistent with the goals of local, regional and
national development. It shall also continue to offer opportunity in short-term
technical or vocational courses within its areas of specialization to meet the
needs of the nation. Provided, however, that existing and future programs
pertaining to instruction, research, extension and production, organization,
administrative as well as academic structures, including the appointment of the
University key officials shall be rationalized by the University Board of
Regents.”

SECTION 3. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to
read as follows:

“Section 4. The University shall have the general powers of a corporation
set forth in the corporation law. The administration of the University and the
exercise of its corporate powers shall be vested exclusively in the board of
regents and the president of the University insofar as authorized by the board. An
administrator, appointed by the Board of Regents and whose appointment papers
shall be signed by the University President, shall head each regular branch.”

SECTION 4. Section 9 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to
read as follows:

“Section 9. “The University shall be headed by a president to be appointed
by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation of the Board and shall
hold office for a term of four (4) years but entitled for reappointment for the
second term unless he reaches the age of retirement or earlier removed for cause
or incapacitated to discharge the duties of the office. Provided, that the current
University President shall continue to hold office for the remainder of his term,
unless he is reappointed or is sooner removed for cause, or is incapacitated to

discharge the duties of his office, or reaches the retirement age.


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In case of vacancy in the Office of the President by reason of death,
resignation, incapacity of the University President to perform the functions of his
office, or removal for cause, the Board shall have the authority to designate an
officer-in-charge of the University pending the appointment of a successor. The
new President shall hold office for the unexpired term but in no case shall his

term be more than four (4) years subject to the provision of the existing laws.

The powers and duties of the President of the University, in addition to
those specifically provided in this Act, shall be those usually pertaining to the
office of the president of a university. The University President shall have
administration and supervision of the University branches.

The salary of the President of the University shall be fixed by the Board
and shall be comparable to that being received by the president of similar
educational institutions of like enrollment and standing subject to the Revised
Compensation and Position Classification System.”

SECTION 5. Section 20 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to
read as follows:

“Section 20. Establishment of the following campuses as National
Research Center will be an inherent function of the University as part of its

research and extension services.

a. Establishing a National Research Center for Petroleum and Renewable
Energy within the vicinity of the PSU Main campus;

b. PSU - Brooke’s Point Campus as National Research Center for Protection
and Preservation of Mount Mantalingahan and its Landscape; Cultural
Preservation and Tourism development of the Municipality of Brooke's
Point;

¢. PSU - Quezon Campus as National Research Center for Protection,
Preservation and Promotion of Tabon Cave Complex and Its Landscape;

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Cultural Preservation and Tourism Development of the Municipality of
Quezon;

d. PSU - Narra Campus as National Research Center for Philippine Cockatoo
Conservation and National Research Center for Rice Production in the
Province of Palawan and in the entire Region;

e. PSU - Balabac Campus as National Research Center for Cultural and
Mouse Deer preservation and Tourism Development in the Municipality of
Balabac;

f. PSU - Coron Campus as National Research Center for Cultural and
Tourism Development in the Municipality of Coron and nearby
municipalities;

g. Establishing the College of Hospitality Management as National Research
Center for Hospitality and Tourism Development in the Province of

Palawan.

SECTION 6. Section 21 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to
read as follows:

“Section 21. The heads of bureaus and offices of the national
government are hereby authorized to loan or transfer, upon request of the
President of the University, such apparatus, equipment, or supplies as may be
needed by the University and to detail employees for duty therein when in the
judgment of the head of bureau or office, such apparatus, equipment, supplies or
services of such employees can be spared without serious detriment to the public
service. The employee so detailed shall perform such duties as required of them
by the President of the University and the time so employed shall be counted as
part of their regular service.”

SECTION 7. Section 22 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to
read as follows:

“Sec. 22. It shall be a continuing policy of the University to accept the
affiliation and/or integration within its operation of any existing national schools

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whose program can contribute largely and effectively to the attainment of its
objectives: provided, however, that in case of integration, the Chairman,
Commission on Higher Education is hereby authorized to determine and approve
the specific existing national schools that are to be integrated as part of the PSU
System. In this particular case, it is understood that all funds, properties and
other assets, as well as obligations of the integrated schools shall be transferred

to the University.”

SECTION 8. Section 23 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to
read as follows:

“Section 23. All assets, fixed and movable, personnel and records of all
existing PSU Campuses in the Southern part of Palawan and other branches that
may be established by the University as well as their liabilities or obligations are
hereby transferred to the University. Provided, however, that the position, rights
and security of tenure of faculty and staff members employed therein under
existing laws prior to the integration of the PSU-LGU-CCRD external campuses
as regular University branches shall not be impaired. Provided further, that the
present support of local government units (LGUs) to the existing PSU-LGU-
CCRDs shall not be abridged, curtailed or diminished.

All parcels of land belonging to the government and occupied by the
present campuses of existing PSU-LGU-CCRDs shall be titled in the name of the
University. Provided, that should the University cease to exist or be abolished or
should such parcels of aforementioned lands be no longer needed by the
University branches, the same shall revert to the municipality which has

jurisdiction over the same.”

SECTION 9. Section 24 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to
read as follows:

“Section 24. The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this
Act for the continued operation and maintenance of the PSU Main Campus and


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all the University branches shall be included in the annual General

Appropriations Act.

In case of deficiency in the funding requirement herein provided, such
amount as may be necessary shall be augmented by the income derived from any
school project, the financial support of the LGU, and from other fees that the
University Board of Regents may approve.”

SECTION 10. Section 25 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended
to read as follows:

“Section 25. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.”

SECTION 26. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Approved,