Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Philippines

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS,
First Regular Session

a4 ____nouse pitt No, 2198 ee
Introduced by Representative “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

AN ACT GRANTING EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS TO THE
DEPENDENTS OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES.
(AFP), PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE (PNP), BUREAU OF FIRE PROTECTION
, (BEP), BUREAU OF JAIL MANAGEMENT AND PENOLOGY (BJMP), NATIONAL

BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (NBI), PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY (PDEA), PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD (PCG) AND BUREAU OF
CORRECTIONS (BUCOR) WHO ARE KILLED OR PERMANENTLY
INCAPACITATED WHILE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTY OR BY
REASON OF THEIR OFFICE OR POSITION

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The life of the uniformed personnel in our country is always at risk and uncertainty

Police, soldiers, fireman, and related functions put their life in imminent danger and threat
in order to promote peace, safety and order in our society. The State shall recognize their
valuable contribution by giving their families a financial security or guarantee in case of
death or injuries sustained by them.

This bill seeks to provide full scholarship for the legitimate children and other
legitimate dependents of the uniformed personnel and members of the Philippine National
Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau
of Fire Protection, Philippine Coast Guard, National Bureau of Investigation,
Drug Enforcement Agency and Bureau of Corrections that are killed or physi
disability while in the performance of their official duty.

“KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO;
Representative
First District of Bulacan


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Philippines

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

2198
nis _HOUSE BILL NO.
Introduced by Representative “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

AN ACT GRANTING EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS TO THE
DEPENDENTS OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES
(AFP), PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE (PNP), BUREAU OF FIRE PROTECTION
(BFP), BUREAU OF JAIL MANAGEMENT AND PENOLOGY (BJMP), NATIONAL

BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (NBI), PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY (PDEA), PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD (PCG) AND BUREAU OF
CORRECTIONS (BUCOR) WHO ARE KILLED OR PERMANENTLY
INCAPACITATED WHILE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTY OR BY
REASON OF THEIR OFFICE OR POSITION

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Uniformed and Law
Enforcement Personnel Educational Assistance and Benefits Act".

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared policy of the State to recognize
the vital role of the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National
Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP),
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine
Coast Guard (PCG) and Bureau of Corrections (BUCOR) in the maintenance of peace and public
order in our country and to ensure that the dependents of those who are killed in action or are
permanently incapacitated while in the performance of their duty or by reason of their office or
position are provided with educational assistance and benefits.

SECTION 3. Permanent Incapacity Definition. - Permanent Incapacity shall refer to
physical 6r mental ill-health or infirmity which is: (i) permanent, (ii) prevents a member from
. purstiing his or her normal employment, and (iii) seriously impairs his or her earning capacity.

SECTION 4. Grant of Educational Assistance and Benefits. - All the surviving children of
the members of the AFP, PNP, BEP, BJMP, NBI, PDEA, PCG and BUCOR who are killed or
permanently incapacitated while in the performance of their duty or by reason of their office or
position shall automatically and without qualification be extended full scholarship from
kindergarten to tertiary level whether baccalaureate, formal or non-formal education or training
program in a non-exclusive school or institution; Provided, that the surviving spouse if he or she


30 desires may also avail of the benefit; Provided further, that, if the deceased or disabled personnel

is single, his or her qualified dependent siblings may also avail of this benefit. The scholarship
‘privilege Shall include, but shall not be limited to, payment of tuition and miscellaneous fees,
allowance for books and school supplies and allowance for food and transportation.

SECTION 5. Uniformed and Law Enforcement Personnel Scholarship Board. - The
scholarship funds collected hereunder shall be managed and administered in accordance with the
policies formulated by an inter-agency scholarship board to be known as the Uniformed and Law
Enforcement Personnel Scholarship Board, which shall be created and formally organized within
thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act. The Board shall be composed of the Secretary of
the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Secretary of Justice, the Secretary of
Transportation and Secretary of the Department of National Defense, or their alternatives, as Co-
chairmen and one (1) member each to represent the AEP, PNP, BFP, BJMP, NBI, PDEA, PCG and
BUCOR.

The Board shall serve as the policy making body vested with the authority to come-up with the
mechanics, scope and limitations, and requirements for scholarship program pursuant to the
objectives of this Act. The Board shall, however, delegate the responsibility to implement the
Screening, admission, qualification, disqualification and other scholarship-related availment
processes to the respective scholarship bodies of the AFP, PNP, BFP, BJMP, NBI, PDEA, PCG
and -BUCOR, in accordance with the guidelines to be prescribed by the Board. If the agency
concerned does not have an existing scholarship board or body, the head of agency is authorized
‘to create such board or body or to delegate its function to an existing bureau, division or office
which could concurrently perform such functions.

SECTION 6. Authority to accept donations: Tax Exemption. - The Uniformed and Law
Enforcement Scholarship Board and the respective board or bodies of the concerned agencies shall
have the authority to accept donations, contributions, grants in cash or in kind, from appropriate
sources, domestic or foreign. Said donations shall be used exclusively to complement the funding
Tequirements of the scholarship program subject to the existing government accounting and
auditing rules and regulations, Provided, That any donation contribution or financial aid which
may be made to the Board and to respective board of bodies of the concerned agencies shall be
‘exempt from taxes of any kind and shall constitute allowable deductions in full from the income of
the donors, contributors or givers for income tax purposes. Furthermore, the Board and the
respective board or bodies of the concerned agencies are authorized to invest so much of the idle
funds as may be necessary for the purpose of generating additional revenue for the benefit of the
scholarship program subject to the guidelines as may be prescribed by the board.

SECTION 7. Funding of Educational Assistance and Benefits, - The amounts necessary to
fund the educational assistance and benefits for the surviving children of the deceased or
permanently incapacitated Uniformed and Law Enforcement Personnel provided under this Act
‘shall be separately sourced and utilized, as follows:
a ‘
#1) 9) 1A. or PNP, license fees collected from the PNP firearms, and explosive office;
B. For AFP, prevailing funds exclusively allocated for scholarship including
applicable grants and donations and other service income;
fy). ©. For BFP, subsidy income from the National Government;
D. For PCG, collection from permits and licenses fees, fines and penalties, service
ineome, and other general income; and

thet
penned it


E. For NBI, income from government services, particularly new clearance fees,
including miscellaneous income. For PDEA, BIMP and BUCOR, the amounts necessary
for the educational assistance and benefits shall be included in their respective budgets
under the annual General Appropriation Act. The concerned agencies may also determine
or generate additional sources of funds for the continuity of their scholarship assistance
programs under this Act.

SECTION 8. Appropriations. - Any shortfall in the amount necessary to fund the
educational assistance and benefits specified above shall be included in the respective annual
budgets of the AFP, PNP, BEP, NBI, and PCG to be enacted as part of the annual General
Appropriations Act; Provided, That any deficiencies in the financial requirements may likewise be
taken from savings on the personal services of the AFP, PNP, BFP, BJMP, NBI, PDEA, PCG and
BUCOR and the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefit Funds (MPBF); Provided, further, that the
Uniformed Personnel Scholarship Board may, consistent with Sec. 5 of this Act, identify, develop
and/or generate additional sources of funds to further support this scholarship program

SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Uniformed and Law Enforcement
Personnel Scholarship Board herein created shall promulgate, formulate and issue, within sixty
(60) days from its creation, the necessary implementing rules and regulations for the effective
implementation of this Act

‘SECTION 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part this Act is held illegal, invalid
oF unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provisions not otherwise affected shall remain
valid and subsisting

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. - Presidential Decree No. 577, RA 6963, and all other
laws, presidential decrees or issuances, executive orders, letters or instruction, administrative
orders, rules and regulation or parts thereof which are contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions
of this Act are hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly

SECTION 12. Effegtivity Clause. - This Act'shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
‘complete publication in af least two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the country or in the

Official Gazette, which€ver comes first.
1 wey

Approved,