SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE I'HILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.NO. 827 
'13 
,JIJL 16 !' ') :09 
Introdueed by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. TrilJanes IV 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article XIV Section 1 provides that the State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to 
quality education at all levels, and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible 
to all. However, recent data prove contrary to this policy. 
CHED data show that "enrolees in higher education institutions (I-IEIs) from 200 I to the present 
havc'feached 2.56 million. The' same data showed the dropout rate at an alarming 83.7 percent, 
meaning the country is producing 2.13-million college dropouts annually. "The continuing 
increase in the cost of tertiary education, inadequate government expenditure on education, 
continuous surge in oil and food prices compotmded by the looming economic recession will 
only seek to exacerbate this alarming statistics unless firm political will is exercised and 
appropriate state intervention is put in place. 
In this light, this measure seeks to provide scholastically deserving graduates of public and state-
supported highschools the oppOlttmity to enjoy their right to higher education and subsequently, 
a better quality of life. It is hoped that the passage of this measure shall see more poor but 
deserving high school graduates, who view high school as a dead end, having access to higher 
education. 
In view ofthe foregoing, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought. 
~rk_ 
ON ~. 
TRlLLANES IV 
Senator 
1 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC 0'1<' THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.NO. 827 
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'13 
JUL 16 :"5 :09 
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Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
GRANTING COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP TO STUDENTS WHO GRADUATED AS 
VALEDICTORIANS 
AND 
SALUTATORIANS 
FROM PUBLIC 
AND 
STATE-
SUPPORTED HIGHSCHOOLS IN THE PHILIPPINES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SEC. 1. Declaration of Policy. -It is hereby declared the policy of tbe State to establish 
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and maintain a system of scholarship grants, student loan pro!,,'rams, subsidies, and other 
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incentives which shall be available to deserving students in public schools, especially to the 
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underprivileged. Toward this end, the State shall provide financial support or assistance to 
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qualified honor graduates from public and state-supported secondary schools in the country. 
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SEC. 2. Coverage. - All state colleges and universities under the governance of the 
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Commission on Higher Education (hereinafter referred to as CHED) are hereby mandated to 
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grant four or five-year college scholarship, depending on the degree program, to the top two 
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graduates or the graduates who garnered the top two highest overall grade average from the 
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'public and private secondary day and night schools in the country. These graduates could be 
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honored as the valedictorian, salutatorian, or first, second as the case may be. 
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The qualified scholar shall be entitled to avail of a two (2) or three (3) year 
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TechnicallVocational course or any four or five-year degree course in any educational institution 
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of his/her choice. 


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SEC. 3. Qualifications. -
To qualifY for the aforementioned scholarship program, 
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hereinafter referred to as the Program, the graduate must: 
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a, be citizens of the Philippines, whose parents (natural or adoptive)/ or legal guardians 
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are residents and registered voters of the country; and 
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b, have graduated from any public or state-supported secondary school of the country, 
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SEC. 4. Benefits. - The national government shall grant the qualified applicant the 
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following benefits: 
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a, 
Tuition and other fees, - The graduates who earned the highest and second 
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highest grade average (Valedictorian, Salutatorian) of each of night and day classes are 
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entitled to receive a scholarship equivalent to a full tuition and other fees; 
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b, 
Food Allowance _. The qualified applicants shall receive Five Hundred Pesos 
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(PhP500,00) per month for 10 months in a year for food; 
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c, 
Tramporlation allovllance. - The qualified applicants shall receive an allowance 
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of Five Hundred Pesos (PhP500,00) per month for 10 months in a year for transportation. 
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d, 
Book Allowance .. The qualified applicants shall receive Five Hundred Pesos 
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(PhP500.00) per semester or One Thousand Pesos (P 1,000,00) per year of books; 
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e, 
Clothing allowance - The qualified applicant shall receive Five Hundred Pesos 
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(PhP500.00)/year for uniform allowance, 
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SEC. 5. Rights of Scholars. -
Subject to the limitations prescribed by laws and 
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regulations, the scholar shall enjoy the following rights: 
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a, 
The right to freely choose their field of study subject to existing curricula and to 
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continue their course therein up to graduation, except in cases of academic deficiency, or 
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violation of disciplinary regulations; 
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b, 
The right to shift to alternative field to study, provided, however, the government, 
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will pay only the remaining years of his/her scholarship, 
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c. 
The right to make decisions and selecting alternative scholarship programs other 
than that of the government, Provided, however, That the scholar should not enjoy two 
scholarships at one time. 
d. 
That if the heneficiary has availed of any government scholarship program other 
than the Program, s/he is only entitled to receive Food Allowance, Transportation 
Allowance, Book Allowance, and Clothing Allowance. 
SEC. 6. Render of Service - Whenever the State deems it necessary to employ the 
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professional service of a graduate-beneficiary of the Program, he/she shall make him/herself 
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available for the public service to perfonn a duty and discharge a function subject, however, to 
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the following conditions: 
e. 
S/He shall be justifiably compensated in accordance with the law; 
f. 
The service to be rendered is related to his/her qualifications and skill; and 
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g. 
In no way s/he can be required to render service for more than two (2) years 
without her/his consent and approval. 
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SEC. 7. Funding. - The amount necessary for the effective implementation of this Act 
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shall be charged to the appropriations for the CHED under the current General Appropriations 
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Act (GAA). Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this 
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Act shall be included in the annual GAA. 
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SEC. 8. Implementing Rules. - The Commissioner of CHED shall issue the pertinent 
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rules with regard to this Act, including but not limited to the application for, termination of, 
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suspension and lifting of suspension of the Program. 
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SEC. 9. Separability Clause. If any proVISIOn or part hereof 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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SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, 
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letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent with, the 
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provisions of this Act, is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SEC. 11. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
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publication in the Official Ga::ette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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