Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE:

Constitution Hills, Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH (17) CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.923 9

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Introduced by ERIC L. OLIVAREZ

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EXPLANATORY NOTE

Teachers play a very important role in our society. They area
very crucial facet thereto as they are one of the people and/or
institutions responsible for the rearing and the training of our
youth. They see to it that their students, regardless of their station
in life, turn into competent, intelligent and principled individuals.

What the Filipino children learn from their teachers will most
likely carry on for the rest of their lives. It is in this way that
teachers influence the young generation who in turn are expected to
become great leaders and vigilant, responsible and well-informed
citizens of this country in the near future. Hence, it is but proper
that teachers be afforded great opportunities to expand their


knowledge and better their expertise on subject matters that they
teach and impart to their students.

Granting our public school teachers scholarships to pursue
graduate studies serve both as a reward and a tool that benefits not
only our hardworking and dedicated educators but also the nation
as a whole in that producing well-educated and highly-qualified
teachers will necessarily and inevitably result in better learning for
the Filipino Youth.

With the fast paced globalization that is happening, the
Philippines need to stay competitive in the world. For this to
happen, it is very vital that we produce brilliant and able citizens.
As we all know, competency and skills are greatly honed in schools
and such training start as early as the elementary level. For our
educational institutions to produce great minds and great talents,
the teachers and trainers thereof must be top calibre as well, for
what they know they will surely impart. And one way to ensure that
our educators become and remain excellent in their field is to afford
them higher education in the form of graduate programs.

It is for this reason that the approval of this Bill is being
sought.

Bel ory
ERIC OLIVAREZ


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH (17%) CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill Noo239

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Introduced by ERIC L. OLIVAREZ

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“AN ACT PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS TO PUBLIC
SCHOOL TEACHERS TO PURSUE GRADUATE STUDIES”

Section 1. Name. This Act shall be known as “The Public
School Teachers’ Scholarship Act of 2013.”

Section 2. Definition of Terms.

Teacher-scholar - pertains to a public school teacher who
successfully qualified for the scholarship and has pursued any
graduate course in accordance with this Act.

Continuing eligibility — pertains to any program that provides
qualification and eligibility to teachers through scholarship
programs for graduate courses.


Graduate courses - for purposes of this Act, graduate courses
shall pertain to masteral or doctorate programs.

Section 3. Creation of the Teacher’s Scholarship
Committee. A Teacher’s Scholarship Committee is hereby created
to process and grant scholarship applications to deserving and
qualified public school teachers. The said committee shall be under
the Department of Education. The duties of the said Committee
shall be, among others, the following, to wit:

. manage the screening and _ selection
process of the applicants.

. manage and account for the budget
and/or fund allocated for the purpose of this
Act.

. discuss outcomes, issues, finances,
procedures or policy in relation to scholarships
and

. ensure that minuted proceedings of the
committee provide a basis for specific and
constructive feedback to applicants.

Section 4. Eligibility. An applicant is eligible to apply for a
scholarship under this Act, provided he or she meets the following
criteria:

a. the applicant must be currently employed
as a teacher in a public school, elementary or
high school, and have been employed as such
for an aggregate of at least five years, whether
continuous or otherwise.

b. the applicant must not have received
another scholarship to pursue graduate
studies from other institutions or personalities.


Section 5. Application. Any eligible teacher as provided in
this Act may apply for a Scholarship to pursue graduate studies by
submitting a completely filled out application form along with the
other pertinent documents that the Selection Committee may
require.

Section 6. Qualifying Examination. After submitting the
application form and other required documents, every applicant
must take and pass the Qualifying Examination that will be
conducted by the Selection Committee. For purposes of this Act, the
passing rate must be eighty (80) percent of the total number of
items.

Section 7. Result of the Application and Acceptance
Thereof. Decisions made by the committee are final, Successful
applicants are required to formally accept the offer within two
weeks from the time they were formally notified by mail that they
qualified for the scholarship.

Section 8. Continuing Eligibility. Once accepted under this
program, the teacher-scholar must continue to serve as a bona fide
public school teacher while pursuing his or her graduate studies.
Voluntary resignation, abandonment of work, or removal from
service for valid causes of the teacher-scholar shall cause the
forfeiture of the scholarship under this Act.

Section 9. Commitment to Teach in the Country. The
successful teacher-scholar must be committed to continue teaching
in the Philippines in the next ten (10) years after completing or
obtaining a masteral or doctorate degree under this Act, or in the
event that the applicant did not complete the course, in the next
four years after his or her last semester thereat. In the event that
they will resign for whatever reason, the teacher-scholar must
reimburse the cost of the scholarship to the extent that it benefited
him or her.


Section 10. Accredited Graduate Studies. The Teacher's
Scholarship Committee shall release a list of accredited masteral
and/or doctorate courses which the applicants under this Act may
choose from. The courses, to be accredited, must be of the nature
that:

(1) supports their work as a teacher;

(2) aligns with the priorities of our Education
System as determined by Dep-Ed; or

(3) of the nature that will benefit the students’
learning.

Section 11. Scope of the Scholarship. The scholarship
consists of:

* Tuition for every semester until the teacher-scholar
finishes the entire accredited course, provided that he or she
completes the same in accordance with the regular
curriculum of the college or university where he or she is
enrolled. Tuition and other fees incurred in extended
semesters will not be covered by this Act if such extension or
delay is due to the fault or shortcoming of the teacher-
scholar.

* Monthly stipend in the amount of P10,000.00.
The Scholarship under this Act will not cover:

* Short courses
* Courses that are not accredited by the DepEd or CHED
* Conferences, Seminars, and analogous events.

Section 12. Obligation of Scholarship Recipients. By
accepting a scholarship, the teacher-scholar shall fulfil the following
obligations:


* Provide evidence of successful completion of the
agreed course or stage of the course, as well as
paid receipts for fees, in submitting
reimbursement requests every year.

* Notify the Commission of any change to work
location or personal details that will affect the
status and continuing eligibility of the teacher-
scholar.

* Undertake a professional sharing occasion with
colleagues or staff working in the Directorate
during or after your studies.

Section 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The
Department of Education shall promulgate the Implementing Rules
and Regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act.

Such rules and regulations shall take effect upon their
publication in three (3) newspapers of general circulation.

Section 14. Repealing Clause.- All laws, presidential
decrees, letters of instructions, executive orders, rules and
regulations insofar as they are inconsistent with this Act, are
hereby repealed or amended as the case may be.

Section 15. Separability Clause.- In the event that any
provision of this Act or any portion thereof is declared
unconstitutional by a competent court, the other provisions shall
not be affected thereby and shall remain valid and enforceable.

Section 15. Effectivity Clause.- This Act shall take effect
after its complete publication in at least three (3) newspapers of
general circulation.

APPROVED.