SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHlLlPPINES 
) 
Second Regnlar Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. No .. ~533 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defcnsor Santiago 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING THAT ALL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION, WHETHER PUBLIC OR 
PRIVATE, SHALL HOLD MANDATORY CONSULTATION WITH STUDENTS, 
PARENTS OR GUARDIANS, ALUMNI, TEACHERS, AND OTHER NON· 
TEACHING PERSONNEL ASSOCIATIONS, BEFORE INCREASING AND/OR 
ADDING MISCELLANEOUS FEES, OTHER PEES, AND PAID SERVICES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 14, Section 4, paragraph I, provides: 
The State recognizes the complementary roles of public and private 
institutions in the educational system and shall exercise reasonable 
supervision and regulation of all educational institutions. 
Under B.P. BIg. 232, otherwise known as Education Act of 1982, Section 42, 
private learning institutions are free to determine their tuition and miscellaneous fees. 
However, tuition fees in colleges are subject to consultation with their student 
councils/governments, faculty, alumni, and/or non-teaching personnel associations. In the 
absence of a student council/government. the student organizations and societies 
recognized by it shall select not more than ten (10) representatives who will participate in 
the consultation (CHFD Memorandum Order No. 13 series of 1998, Section 1, and in 
pursuant to R.A No. 7722, Section Ul, otherwise known as Higher Education Act of 
1994, where the power of Department of Education on tertiary education, including the 
authority given by BP Blg. 232, Section 57 and Section 70, par.3 and the power vested by 
Presidential Decree No. 451 authorizing the Secretary of Education to regulate imposition 
oftuition and other fees). 


Unfortunately, such consultations have hecome mere formalities because in 
reality, the process only involves the presentation of the planned increases and nothing 
more, thus defeating the essence for which consultations are conducted, which is to arrive 
at a consensus on the necessity and practicability of sllch hikes. 
Since the said memorandum pertains only to tuition fees, the colleges and 
universities circumvent the law by increasing their miscellaneous and/or adding other 
fees without proper consultation with their student councils/governments, parents, 
facuity, ano alumni. 
Students have the right to know and be consulted on what they are paying for. This 
bill seeks to provide that all educational instit.utions, whether public or private, shall hold 
mandatory consnltalion with their student councils/governments, parents or guardians, 
alumni. faculty, and other non··teaching personnel Rssociations, heforc increasing and/or 
adding miscellaneous fees, other fees, and paid services. 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
'11 
[IEC 27. P t1 :12 
SEN ATJ.? 
S.B. No. 
~ .. )3a 
\ f J 
. ;r 
Introduced hy Senator Miriam Oefensor Santiago 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
AN ACT 
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PROVIDING THAT ALL EDUCATIONAL INSTTTUTION, WHETHER PUBLIC OR 
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PRIVATE, SHALL I-TOLD MANDATORY CONSULTATION WTTH STUDENTS, 
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PARRNTS OR GUARDIANS, ALUMNI, TEACHERS, AND OTHER NON· 
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TEACHING PERSONNEL ASSOCIA nONS, BEFORE INCREASING AND/OR 
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ADDING MISCELLANEOUS FEES, OTHER FEES, AND PAID SERVICES 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shal1 be known as the "Miscellaneous and 
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Other Fees Consul1ation Ac1." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. 
It is the policy of the state to exercise 
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reasonable supervision and regulation of all educational institutions. 
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - as used in this Act, the term: 
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(1) "Student" - refers to any person enrolled in elementary, high school, center, 
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tertiary, graduate, and post graduate levels. 
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(2) "Tui1ion fee"- refers to the direct eost of: 
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(a) instruction, 
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(b) training, 
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( c) the use of school activities, 
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(d) and other related activities. 
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(3) "Miscellaneous" -- refer to fees which cover other necessary cost supportive of 
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instruction, including but not limited to medical and dental, athletic, library, laboratory, 
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and National Service Training Program (NSTP) or Reserved Officers Training Corps 
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(ROTC). 
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(4) "Other fees" -- refer to additional fees imposed by th" school, center, and the 
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I-IEI which are not included in the "miscellaneous fees". 
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(5) "School" - refers to elementary and high school. 
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(6) "Higher Education Institution or I-lET" -- refers to colleges and universities. 
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(7) "Center" - refers to learning centers that grant short-term courses. 
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(8) "Short·Term Courses" - courses offered for a dur~tion of not greater than two 
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(2) years but not less than six (6) months. 
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(9) "DepEd" -
refl~rs to the Department oCEducation. 
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(1 O)"CHED" - refers to the Commission on Highcr Education. 
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(11 )"TESDA" 
refers to the Technical Education and Skills Development 
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Authority. 
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(12) "Private Schools" -. refers to those owned and operated by an individual or 
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group of individuals distinct from the government. 
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(13) "Public Schools" - refers to those owned, controlled, and operated by the 
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government. 
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SECTION 4. Consullalion Requirernenl for School. - All Schools intending to 
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increase their miscellaneous, and/or other fees, or add other paid services, which will 
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result to other fees, for the ensuing School Year (SY) or Academic Year (A Y), before 
submitting to the DepEd other required docllments and notices, must hold mandatory 
consultation with their student councils/governments, parents or guardians, alumni, 
teachers, and non-teaching personm:J Assoriations. Tn the absence of a student 
council/government in an educational institution, the student organizations and societies 
recognized by the School, shall select no! more than ten (10) representatives who will 
participate in the consultation. 
SECTION 5. Consultation Requirement for HE!. -- All Higher Education 
Institutions intending to increase their miscellaneous, and/or other fees, or add other paid 
services, which will result to other fees, for the ensuing Semester, School Year (SY) or 
Academic Year (A Y), before submitting to the CI-IED other required documents and 
notices, must hold mandatory consultation with their student councils/governments, 
alumni, teachers, and non-teaching personnel associations. [n the absence of a student 
council/government in HEr, the student organizations and societies recognized by the 
School, shall select not more than ten (l0) rcpresentatives who will participate in the 
consultation. 
SECTION 6. Consultation Requirement for Center. -- All Centers intending to 
increase their miscellaneous, and/or other fees, or add other paid services, which will 
result to other fees, for the ensuing Semester, School Year (S Y) or Academic Year (A Y), 
before snhmitting to the TESDA other required documents and notices, must hold 
mandatory consultation with their student councils/governments, instructors, and non-
teaching personnel associations. In the absence of a stndent council/government in Center, 
the student organizations and societies recognized by the Center, or in the absence of any 
student organizations, at least ten (10) student-representatives who will participate in the 
consultation. 
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SECTION 7. implementing Rules and Regulmions. . The DepEd, CI-IED, and 
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TESDA are hereby authori7:ed to promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the 
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effective implementation ofthis Act within thirty (30) days upon its approval. 
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SECTION R. Deadlock. .. - In case no consensus have reached, the DepEd, CI-IED, 
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and TESDA are herehy authorized to decide whether the intending increase or additional 
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fee or paid services is meritorious hut will not bar either party to seek remedy from the 
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Court when there is less or grave abuse of discretion. 
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SECTION 9. Sanctions. - In case of violation of this Act and the rules and 
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regulations for the effective implementation or this Act the DepEd, CHED, and TESDA 
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are hereby authorized to restrain and tIne the School, HEI. and the Center, and cancel its 
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application for miscellaneous and/or other fee increase, and/or application for adding 
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other paid services, without prejudice to the filing of the administrativc and criminal 
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charges against the school and/or responsible of1lcers under existing laws. 
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SECTION 10. Scholarship Fund. - The fine to be imposed by the DepED, CHED, 
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and TESDA shall be constituted as a scholarship fund under a program to be established 
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by the DepEd, CI-IED, and TESDA. 
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SECTION 11. Separability Clause. - If any prOVlSlOn or part hereof; is held 
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invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise 
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affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. -
Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
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executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, 
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or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
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accordingly. 
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SECTION 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
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after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
imam! 
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