Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

DATE:

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL no.38 63

INTRODUCED BY: HONORABLE JOCELYN F. FORTUNO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippine Constitution explicitly provides to give priority to education and to
promote and protect the right of all citizens to take appropriate steps to make education
accessible to all.

In pursuance of these Constitutional mandates, Congress passed Republic Act
No. 6655 otherwise known as the “Free Public Secondary Education Act of 1988”, and
later Republic Act No. 6728 otherwise known as the "Government Assistance to Students
and Teachers in Private Education Act” as amended in 1998 by Republic Act No. 8545 to
grant assistance to students and teachers in the form of tuition fee supplements for
students in private high school, including students in vocational and technical courses
and in private colleges and universities, and also established the Education Loan Fund
to give students opportunity to avail of loans for education-related expenses.

Notwithstanding these privileges however, the number of elementary and high
school dropouts has risen, reaching 4.8 million or an eleven percent increase since 2012.
Likewise, the college drop out rates revealed an alarming 83.7 percent, which means the
country is producing 2.13 million college dropouts annually.

In order to address the situation, Congress passed in 2017 Republic Act No. 10931
‘otherwise known as the “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act” by providing
students, subject to certain conditions, free tuition and other school fees in state
universities and colleges, local universities and colleges and state-run technical-
vocational institutions, including cost of living allowance, allowance for room and board
costs incurred by student; allowance for books, supplies, transportation and
miscellaneous personal expenses, a reasonable allowance for the documented rental or
purchase of a personal computer or laptop and other education-related expenses.

RAGE ERs ¢

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It is therefore the paramount objective of this bill to waive the conditions and
expand the privileges granted under the “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education
‘Act’ by providing monthly stipend, clothing allowance and other education-related needs
of students in order to ensure that there will be one scholar in a Filipino Family

In view of the foregoing reasons, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

cesta FORTUNO
resentative

Fifth District, Camarines Sur


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
House BiLt No._ 589

INTRODUCED BY: HONORABLE JOCELYN F. FORTUNO

AN ACT
PROVIDING A SCHOLARSHIP GRANT FOR EVERY FILIPINO FAMILY

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "One Family, One
Scholar Act of 2019.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
give priority to education and promote total human liberation and development as it also
recognizes the sanctity of family life as a basic social institution. Toward this end, the
family shall be strengthened when the State shall provide with the opportunity to send at
least one member of every Filipino Family to college free from any related financial
expenses.

SEC. 3. Establishment of One Family, One Scholar Program. — There shall be
established a One Family, One Scholar Program whereby one member of a Filipino
Family shall be a recipient for an appropriate college course or training for a technical or
vocational skills. The scholarship grant shall cover all related expenses, including but not
limited to board and lodging, book allowance, transportation expenses, etc.

SEC. 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days after the
effectivity of this Act, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shall issue the
necessary rules and regulations which shall contain a program relevant to the
qualifications based on the financial status of the family and not on the academic
performance of the recipient, and that the later shall make a commitment to help his or
her family after graduation.


SEC. 5. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to implement this Act shall be
charged against the appropriations of the CHED. Thereafter, such sums as may be
necessary shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,