" 
, 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
(eH,;r (If lii~ _*,,,,n rhIt' 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
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SENATE 
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S_. N_O_. _1_5_6_1 _____ 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 14, 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. 
With regard to public elementary and high school education, it provides in Article 14, 
Section 2 that: 
The State shall: 
(2) Establish and maintain a system of free public education in the 
elementary and high school levels. Without limiting the natural rights of parents to 
rear their children, elementary education is compulsory for all children of school 
age; 
Even though there is a constitutional declaration as regards free public elementary and 
high school education, there have been various reports that there are some public school teachers 
and principals who still refuse to admit students and release report cards and other documents for 
clearance purposes in public schools for failure of the students to pay miscellaneous and other 
fees. Although the Department of Education has already issued various department orders 
reiterating that such practice is prohibited, it seems like some teachers and principals are not 
afraid of the administrative consequences for violating the Department of Education's order. 
Therefore, in order to ensure that we have a truly free public elementary and high school 
education, there should a be law which would effectively deter teachers and principals from 
refusing to admit students and release report cards and other documents for clearance purposes 
based on the sole ground of non-paYl11entof Illiscellaneous and other fees.' 
~"- 4\-v . .4~ J~ 
MIRIAM DEF~SOR SANTI,fJO 
P 
. 
• This bill was originally filed in the Thirteenth Congress, Third Regular Session. 
I 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. 1561 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
1 
AN ACT 
StaatI' 
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PENALIZING THE REFUSAL TO ENROLL STUDENTS OR TO RELEASE REPORT 
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CARDS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY 
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SCHOOLS FOR FAILURE TO PAY MISCELLANEOUS AND OTHER FEES 
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 "Anti-Student Extortion Act." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
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establish and maintain a system of free- public education in the elementary and high school 
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levels. This Act aims to pursue this policy by penalizing teachers and principals who refuse to 
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admit students and to release report cards and other documents for clearance purposes for non-
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payment of miscellaneous and other fees. 
II 
SECTION 3. Offense. - Any public elementary or secondary school teacher, principal, or 
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agent of such teachers and principals who shall require the payment of miscellaneous and/or 
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other fees for school admission, enrolment, or the release of report cards, test results, or other 
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documents shall be guilty of the offense of stlident extortion. 
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SECTION 4. Penalties. - Any person who commits any of the unlawful acts mentioned in 
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the next preceding section shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than six (6) months 
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and not more than one (1) year, or a fine of-not less than five thousand pesos (P5,OOO.OO) nor 
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more than ten thousand pesos (PIO,OOO.OO), or both, at the discretion of the court. 
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SECTION 5. 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 6. 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, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall 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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