*/I,$ 
&I- -8 I1 r, 'i ., 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
1 I ,' 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator Franklin M. Drilon 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) was instituted 
under Republic Act No. 7323 in early 1992 to help poor but deserving students in 
pursuing their education by encouraging their employment during summer 
and/or Christmas vacations. 
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RA 7323 advances such program by enabling companies or businesses to 
employ students during the summer and/or Christmas vacations and allowing 
them to pay only 60% of the salaries and wages and the 40% through education 
vouchers to be paid by the government. Such vouchers are then applicable in the 
payment of the student's tuition fees and books in any educational institution for 
secondary, tertiary, vocational technological education. 
This bill proposes to strengthen the program by allowing the employment 
of students not only during the summer or Christmas vacations but for the whole 
year. Also, this amendatory measure encourages employers engaged in small 
and medium - scale enterprises to adopt the program and employ working 
students. 
This bill likewise penalizes any person or entity who refuses or dishonors 
the educational voucher paid by the government to the student-employee with 
imprisonment of,not less than 6 months to 1 year and a fine of not less than Ten 
thousand pesos. 
With the, improvement and expansion of the Special Program for 
Em,doyment of Ftudents, it is hoped that this will allow more Filipino youth to 
pursue their education. 
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I n  view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly 
sought. 
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ON 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
*&4 
.JUL -8 ii.9 5 3  
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
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BY :+
S. No. 
17 
Introduced by Senator Franklin M. Drilon 
AN ACT 
TO STRENGTHEN THE SPECIAL PROG 
FOR EMPLOYMENT OF STUDENTS 
BY AMENDING CERTkIN PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7323 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
S E ~ ~ I O ~  
1. Seciion 1 of Republic Act No. 7323 is hereby amended to 
Philippines in Congress asiembled: 
read as follows: 
“Section 1. Any 
provision of 
law to the contrary 
notwithstanding, ahy person or entity employing at least [fifty (50) 
TEN (10) persons may [during the summer and/or Christmas 
vacation] FOR THE WHOLE YEAR employ poor but deserving 
students fifteen (15) years of age but not more than twenty - five 
(25) years old, paying them a salary not lower than the minimum 
wage provided by law and other applicable labor rules and 
regulations. 
“For purposes of this Act, poor but deserving students refer 
to those whose parents’ combined incomes, together with their 
income, if any, do not exceed [Thirty six thousand pesos (P36,OOO) 
per annum] THE ANNUAL FAMILY INCOME OF SIX FOR THE 
PRECEDING YEAR AS MAY BE DETERMINED BY THE NATIONAL 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (NEDA). Employment 
should be at the Labor Exchange Center of the Department of 
Labor and Employment (DOLE).” 
SECTION 2. Section 4 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
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“Section 4. Any person or entity who shall make any 
fraudulent or fictitious claim under this Act, regardless of whether 
payment has been made, AND ANY PERSON OR ENTITY WHO 
REFUSES OR DISHONORS AN EDUCATIONAL VOUCHER, shall, 
upon conviction be punished with imprisonment of not less than six 
(6) months and not more than one (I) year and a fine of not less 
than Ten thousand pesos ’ (PlO,OOO), without prejudice to their 


prosecution and punishment for any other offense punishable 
under the Revised Penal Code or ahy other penal statute. 
‘In case of partnerships br corporations, the managing 
partner, general manager, or chi&f executive officer, ’ as the case 
may be , shall be criminally liable.”, 
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N 3. Rules and Regu/atidns, -Within thirty (30) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the Department of .tabor and Employment, the Department 
of Education, the Commission on Highbr Education, and the Department of 
Finance shall issue and publish the corresponding rules and regulations to carry 
out the purposes;of this Act. 
SECTION 4. Appropriations. 
e amount necessary to carry out the 
charged against the appropriations of 
purposes of this ,Amendatory Act 
the budget of the Department of Labor ahd Employment. Thereafter, such sums 
as may be needed shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 5. Separability Clause, f If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, such sections or parts not affected thereby shall 
remain in full force and effect. 
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SECTION 6. Repealing C/ause, - All laws, executive orders, presidential 
decrees, presidential proclamations, issuances, rules and regulations or parts 
thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or 
modified accordingly. 
SECTION 7. €ffectivity. - This Act shall take effect (15) days after its 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of 
general circulation. 
Approved,