‘RECEIVED “A

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

18" Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL no.5964

Introduced by Rep. Erico Aristotle C. Aumentado

EXPLANATORY NOTE

A good background in science and technology education is very important during the
formative years of our students, the nation is in dire need of scientists who will serve the
Filipino people. To address these needs, we need a continuous development in the field
of science and technology.

This bill seeks to expand the establishment of Philippine Science High School (PSHS)
campus in the different regions of the country.

The establishment of a Philippine Science High School in the different regions of the
country will be a catalyst in inspiring our youth to seek further knowledge and eventually
Pursue a career in the field of science and technology, research and other related fields
which may be beneficial to the country in general.

The various regions of the country deserve to have a Philippine Science High Schoo!
campus of its own so that quality education in the field of science and technology can be
provided, considering the pool of talent and deserving high school students that excel in
the field of science and mathematics.

The establishment of a Philippine Science High School in the regions will enable the
students to be equipped with proper training and facilities that will eventually lead them
to a science-oriented career and will provide free access to quality education while
addressing the future of our youth as a whole for the benefit of the country.

In view of these, passage of the bill is earnestly ‘sought.

ERK TLE C. AUMENTADO.


SowrdsAwaeuna

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

18 Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 5964

Introduced by Rep. ERICO ARISTOTLE C. AUMENTADO

AN ACT

EXPANDING THE PHILIPPINE SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL SYSTEM,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8496 AS
AMENDED BY 9036

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 "Expanded Philippine Science High

‘School (PSHS) System Act of 2020."
Section 2. Section 2 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

“The State shall give priority to Research and Development, invention, innovation, and
their utilization; and to Science and Technology education, training and services. It shall
support appropriate, and self-reliant scientific and technological capabilities, and their
application to the country's productive systems and national life. To achieve these, the
State hereby establishes a PSHS System that will assume a leadership role in secondary
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education.”

The State shall support the admission process of the PSHS System by establishing test
centers all over the regions, to enhance equitable admissions and access for deserving
pupils.

The State shall also ensure that every region is given equal opportunity to benefit from the
establishment of the PSHS System. Towards this end, not more than three (3) PSHS
campuses inclusive of the existing PSHS Campuses shall be established in each of the
administrative regions of the country outside NCR where PSHS Main Campus is located
Provided that, all establishment of PSHS Campuses shall be in accordance with the
guidelines/criteria set by the PSHS System Board of Trustees. After 10 years of the
implementation of this law, the PSHS System Board of Trustees (BoT) may consider
establishment of more than three (3) PSHS campuses per region.


Section 3. Section 3 of the same Act shall be amended to read as follows:

Section 4. Definition of Terms - Section 4 of the same Act shall be amended to read as foll

‘Section 5. Section 5 of the same Act shall be amended to read as follows:

“Section 3. Objectives. — In implementing the foregoing policy, the State shall pursue the

following objectives:

opportunities to enroll in Philippine Science High School System;

b)

mathematics;

°)

to establish campuses that are geographically more accessible to the public;

dg)

to increase the pool of high school graduates who will pursue undergraduate cou!
conduct researches and become leaders in the field of science, technol
engineering and mathematics;

“a) PSHS System — composed of the Office of the Executive Director and the PSHS
campuses under its supervision.

b) Term —refers to the “term of office, with a duration of five (5) years in one (1) term”

to ensure that pupils’ with high aptitudes in science and mathematics are given

to provide more scholarship opportunities to pupils with high aptitudes in science and

llows:

of

the existing PSHS campuses herein mentioned and future campuses which be

“Section 5. Scope. - The Philippine Science High School System shall be nena
shall
folk

established under this Act. The existing sixteen (16) campuses shalll be known as

5.1 Philippine Science High School - Main Campus

5.2 Philippine Science High School - Davao Region Campus in Davao City, formerly
PSHS — Southern Mindanao Campus

5.3 Philippine Science High School - Western Visayas Campus in Iloilo City, formerly
Philippine Science High School - Western Visayas Campus

5.4 Philippine Science High School - Eastern Visayas Campus in Leyte, formerly
Philippine Science High School - Eastern Visayas Campus

5.5 Philippine Science High School - Cagayan Valley Campus in Nueva Vizcaya,
formerly PSHS-Cagayan Valley Campus

5.6 PSHS-Northern Mindanao Campus in Lanao del Norte, formerly Philippine Science
High School-Central Mindanao Campus

5.7 Philippine Science High School - Bicol Region Campus in Camarines Sur, formerly
Philippine Science High School -Bicol Region Campus

5.8 Philippine Science High School - Ilocos Region Campus in Ilocos Sur, formerly

Philippine Science High School - Ilocos Region Campus:



5.9

5.10

5.11

5.12

5.13

5.14

5.15

5.16

Philippine Science High School - Central Visayas Campus in Cebu, formetty,
Philippine Science High School - Central Visayas Campus

Philippine Science High School - Central Luzon Campus in Clark Freeport Zone,
formerly Philippine Science High School - Central Luzon Campus

Philippine Science High School - Cordillera Administrative Region Campus in
Baguio City, formerly Philippine Science High School - Cordillera Administrative
Region Campus |

Philippine Science High School - SOCCSKARGEN Region Campus in Koronadal
City, formerly Philippine Science High School - SOCCSKARGEN Region Campus

Philippine Science High School - CARAGA Region Campus in Butuan City, formerly
Philippine Science High School - CARAGA Region Campus |

Philippine Science High School - CALABARZON Region Campus in Batangas City,
formerly Philippine Science High School - CALABARZON Region Campus

Philippine Science High School - MIMAROPA Region Campus in Rombion,
formerly Philippine Science High School - MIMAROPA Region Campus |
Philippine Science High School - Zamboanga Peninsula Region Campus in Dipo
City, formerly Philippine Science High School - Zamboanga Peninsula Region
Campus” |

“Future campuses which shall be established under this Act shall be integrated in the
Region where they are located and shall be named after the municipalty, province, or
chartered city where they are located.”

5.17 Philippine Science High School - Central Visayas Campus in Ubay,
Bohol |

5.18 Philippine Science High School - Bicol Region Campus in Daraga,
Albay

5.19 Philippine Science High School - CALABARZON Campus in Sta Rosa,
Laguna

|
5.20 Philippine Science High School — Cagayan Valley Campus in Reina
Mercedes, Isabela

5.21 Philippine Science High School - Cagayan Valley Campus in Iguig, in
Cagayan

5.22 Philippine Science High School - Zamboanga Peninsula Campus in
Labangan, Zamboanga Del Sur

|
5.23 Philippine Science High School — Northern Mindanao Campus in
Bukidnon |


Section 6. Power of the Board of Trustees - Section 8 paragraph 2 of the same Act shall
be amended and read as follows:

“The Board shall exercise the following powers:

Ensures that the provisions of the Laws pertaining to the creation and operation of the
PSHS System are enforced/ implemented;

b)

Approves policies and guidelines necessary in the operation of science high schools
under the PSHS System in order to maintain the quality and uniform standard in all
PSHS Campuses;

©)

Approves strategic plans to enhance the capability of the System in developing human
resources with focus on youth with special talents in science, technology, engineering
and mathematics.

d)

Approves the curricula submitted by the Executive Director,

e)

Approves policies for the expansion of enrollment in the campuses under the PSHS
System;

f) Approves the grant and termination of PSHS scholarships;

9
h

‘Approves the graduation of successful candidates from the various PSHS campuses;

Recommends to the DOST Secretary the appointment of Executive Director, Deputy
Executive Director(s) and Campus Director(s);

i) Approves appointment, promotion, retention, renewal, rewards and incentives for
faculty, fix their compensation and other conditions of employment, and remove them
for cause after proper investigation and hearing;

j) Appoints professorial lecturers up to 70 years of stage.

k)

Draws up a position classification and compensation plan for its faculty and staff, and,
any law to the contrary notwithstanding, to create positions and fix and adjust salaries
and benefits of the faculty members and other employees and to determine the
minimum hours of service of faculty and such other terms and conditions| of
employment as it may deem proper;

1) Receives grants whether cash, land, buildings and improvements thereof; donations,
contributions, bequests, gifts, and to formulate policies for the administration thereof
in accordance with applicable internal revenue laws;

m) Approves the use of income generated by the PSHS System in the pursuit of its
functions and donations received in trust by individual campuses, according to the
purpose of the donor and intention of the donation. In cases where income/donation
received is not intended for a particular campus, the Board shall likewise appropriate
the same for the benefit of the System or any part thereof; and

n) Approves partnership of PSHS System with local and international institutions.


Section 7. Section 9 of the same Act shall be amended and read as follows:

“Section 9. Executive Director (ED). — There shall be an Executive Director (ED) who
shall be appointed by the Board and shall have the rank of an Executive Director V, with
a Salary Grade of 30 and with a fixed term of five (5) years, renewable for another term
but with a maximum of three (3) terms at the option of the PSHS System BoT.

The ED shall exercise academic and administrative supervision within the Philippine
Science High School System and shall be the Chief Executive Officer and primary
implementor of policies and guidelines set by the Board of Trustees. As a member of the
Board of Trustees, the ED shall articulate to the Board the concems of the PSHS System.

The ED shall act as the Head of the Procuring Entity in the Office of the Executive Director.

The Executive Director III position shall be upgraded to Executive Director V upon
establishment of an additional campus in at least one region;” |

Section 8. Section 10 of the same Act shall be amended and read as follows:

Executive Directors, for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Finance and Administration
(DED) with the rank of Deputy Executive Director IV and with a Salary Grade 28 who shall
be appointed by the DOST Secretary upon the recommendation of the PSHS BoT on the
basis of a search process. They shall serve for a fixed term of five (5) years, renewable
for another term but with a maximum of three (3) terms at the option of the PSHS System
BoT.

“Section 10. Deputy Executive Director (DED). — “There shall be three (3) ston

The DED shall perform the duties assigned by the Executive Director.

The creation of the additional two (2) Deputy Executive Director lV positions and upgrading
of the existing Deputy Executive Director III position to Deputy Executive Director IV shall
be upon the establishment of an additional campus in at least one region;”

Section 9. Section 11 of the same act will be amended to read as follows:

“Section 11. Campus Director (CD) ~ There shall be a Campus Director for each PSHS
campus in the region who shall be appointed by the PSHS System BoT with the rank of
Director IV with a Salary Grade 28 on the basis of a search process. He/She shall serve for
a fixed term of five (5) years, renewable for another term but with a maximum of three (3)
terms in the Campus at the option of the PSHS System BoT.

The Campus Director shall be given the option to be a Special Science Teacher |V with the
Salary Grade of 26 upon the end of his/her term.

The CD shall implement the academic programs, plans and activities of the PSHS
Campus.
The CD shall act as the Head of the Procuring Entity in the campus.”

Section 10. A new Section, Section 13 of the same Act will be added to read as follows:

“Section 13. Extension of Tenure. PSHS faculty members shall be considered as
scientists under the provisions of RA 11312 (Magna Carta for Scientists, Engineers,


Researchers and other Science and Technology Personnel in the Government, Amending

for the purpose of RA 8439).

‘Section 11. A new Section, Section 14 will be added to the same Act and will read as fous

“Section 14. Exemption from Tax. Gifts and donations of real and personal properties of
all kinds shall be exempt from the donor's tax and the same shall be considered jas
allowable deductions from the gross income of the donor, in accordance with applicable

internal revenue laws;”

Section 12. Section 11 of RA 3661 is reiterated as follows:

“Section 16. Appointment to Special Science Teacher | shall be exempt from a
Eligibility and can stay in the said rank for a maximum of three (3) years. Appointments to
Special Science Teacher II and above shall require CSC eligibility/ appropriate professional

license.

Said professors, instructors and faculty members, as well as the school's habits

staff, shall be exempt from the provisions of laws, rules and regulations on wage
position classification.”

Section 14. Section 13 of the same Act is hereby renumbered to Section 17 amended to read as

follows:

“Section 17. Funding — The amount necessary to carry out the initial implementation of
this Act shall be provided for in the General Appropriations Act with a minimum allocation
of 200 Million pesos per additional campus, to be adjusted for inflation, for one academic

building and one dormitory building. Thereafter, sufficient appropriation as may be n

led

for the continuous operation of the Philippine Science High School System shall be included
in the annual General Appropriations Act for the continuous offering of secondary STEM

education on scholarship basis.”

Section 16. Section 16 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section 20 and amended to

read as follows:

known as ‘An Act to Establish the Philippine Science High Schoo!’ is hereby repealed

“Section 20. Repealing Clause. — Sections 7, 9 and 10 of Republic Act No. 3661 ao
All

laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or portions thereof, inconsistent with this
are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.”

Section 17. Sections 14 to 15 of the same Act are hereby renumbered accordingly.

Section 18. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect on the day following its complete publonton

in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.