SCrll1tl' 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
tllJlft;t ~lf tll& :t'f'(Yt'""htrl 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.No. 1337 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 14,.Section 4 (I) mandates that the State shall:. 
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RECFIVfl) IW:r 
SEC. 2 (I). Establish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and 
integrated system of education televant to the needs of the people and society. 
Though efforts have been made t6 improve the quality of our primary and secondary 
education, the Philippines has still a ldil!{way to go in meeting the global readiness standard for 
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higher education. Many of our students remedy the situation in the higher education fora. To 
further complicate the matter, poverty has led the students to prolong their stay in the universities 
to be able to maintain a job while studying for their degrees. 
By encouraging programs that assist remedial education in colleges and universities, we 
would be able to assist our students to cope with the ever increasing global standards. By 
encouraging programs that credits work programs, we allow our students to earn their degrees 
while maintainingjobs which assist their learning. 
This bill seeks to establish a program that would encourage institutions of higher 
education to develop programs to remedy the shortcomings of our basic education and allow 
creditable work programs for our underprivileged students.' 
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" 
Lw,- ~~ ... __ J~ 
. MIRIAM DEF~SOR SA-ifTIAfO 
oP' 
, This bill was originally filed in the Fourteenth Congress, Second Regular Session. 
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,~l'l'Iatr 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
H9fftrr llf t~~ ~~f.rr\'tZlr¥ 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'13 
/\lIG 22 °5 :02 
SENATE 
S. No. 
1337 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
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PROVIDING GRANTS TO COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO IMPROVE REMEDIAL 
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EDUCATION, TO CUSTOMIZE REMEDIATION TO STUDENT CAREER GOALS, AND 
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TO HELP STUDENTS MOVE RAPIDLY FROM REMEDIATION INTO FOR-CREDIT 
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OCCUPATION PROGRAM COURSES AND PROGRAM COMPLETION 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Bridges from Jobs to Careers 
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Act." 
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SECTION 2. Authorization of Program. - The Secretary of Education, hereinafter 
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referred to as the "Secretary," shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher 
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education for the purposes of improving remedial education, including English language 
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instruction, to customize remediation to student career goals, and to help students move rapidly 
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from remediation into for-credit occupational program courses and program completion. The 
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grants shall focus in particular on creating bridges to for-credit occupational certificate programs 
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that are articulated to degree programs, 
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SECTION 3. Application. - An eligible institution seeking a grant under this Act shall 
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submit an application to the Secret~ry at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
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information as the Secretary may require. 
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SECTION 4. Priorities. - The Secretary shall give priority to applications that are from 
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institutions of higher education in which not less than fifty (50) percent of the institution's 
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entering first-year students are enrolled in developmental courses to bring reading, writing, or 
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mathematics skills up to college-level; and propose to replicate practices that have proven 
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effective with adults and to applications that propose to collaborate with adult education 
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providers. 
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SECTION 5. Peer Review. - The Secretary shall convene a peer review process to review 
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applications for grants under this Act and to make recommendations to the Secretary regarding -
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the selection of grantees. 
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SECTION 6. Mandatory Activity. - An eligible institution that receives a grant nnder this 
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Act shall use the grant funds to create workforce bridge programs that customize developmental 
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education curricula, including English language instruction, to the content of the for-credit 
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occupational certificate or degree programs, or clusters of programs, in which developmental 
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education students seek to enroll. Such bridge programs may include those that integrate the 
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curricula and the instruction of both remediation and college-level coursework or dual enroll 
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students in remediation and college-level coursework. 
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SECTION 7. Permissible ActiJWes. - An eligible institution that receives a grant under 
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this Act, in addition to creating workforce bridge programs, may use the grant funds to carry out 
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the following: 
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A. 
Design and implement innovative ways to improve retention in and completion of 
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developmental education courses, including but not limited to enrolling students in c.ohorts, 
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accelerating course content, integrating remediation and college-level curricula and instruction, 
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dual enrolling students in remediation' and college-level courses, tutoring, providing counseling 
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and other supportive services, and giving small, material incentives for attendance and 
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performance. 
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B. 
In consultation with fatuity in the appropriate departments, redesignating class 
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schedules to meet the needs of working adults, such as by creating evening, weekend, modular, 
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compressed, distance learning formats,' or other alternative schedules. 
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C. 
Improving the quality of teaching in remedial courses through professional 
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development, reclassification of such teaching positions, or other means the eligible institution 
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determines appropriate. 
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D. 
Any other activities the eligible institution and the Secretary determine will 
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promote retention of and completion by students attending institutions of higher education. 
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E. 
Fully advise students on the range of options and programs available, which may 
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include: diploma; certification; 2-year degree; associate's degree; transfer degree to upper 
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division; and career options. 
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SECTION 8. Grant Period. - Grants made under this Act shall be for a period of not less 
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than thirty-six (36) months and not more than sixty (60) months. 
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SECTION 9. Technical Assista,nce. - The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to 
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grantees under this Act throughout the grant Period. 
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SECTION 10. Evaluation. - The Secretary shall conduct an evaluation of program 
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impacts under the demonstration prog~am,' and shall disseminate to the public the findings from 
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the evaluation and information on best practices. The Secretary is encouraged to partner with 
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other providers of funds, such as private foundations, to allow for use of a random assignment 
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evaluation in at least one of the demon~tration sites. 
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SECTION 11. Appropriations.,- To carry out the provisions of this Act, such amount as 
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is necessary is hereby authorized to be ,appropriated from the National Treasury. 
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SECTION 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part thereof is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
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with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, oramended accordingly. 
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SECTION 14. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shaH take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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