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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
Nineteenth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. __________ 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Representative JOEY SARTE SALCEDA 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT 
CREATING A NETWORK OF MEISTER SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
As part of his comprehensive education reform agenda, and to help bridge the country’s 
skill gap and reduce youth unemployment, this bill will create specialized senior high schools 
that will teach highly-technical skills compatible with the manufacturing and other high-value 
industries. 
This proposed measure is modelled after technical-vocational (tech-voc) schools in 
Korea that produce “meisters” or master-craftsmen. In Korea, the effect that Meister Schools 
had were dramatic. 85% placement of first batch/generation or those who signed employment 
contracts. In the first two years of implementation, the employment rate of vocational high 
school graduates increased from 19% in 2010 to 42% in 2012. 
Cultural barriers are one of the reasons why technical-vocational education is not as 
attractive in the Philippines. One of the objectives of this proposed measure is to elevate the 
status of technical and vocational education in the country, and to have a large base of highly-
skilled, highly-hireable tech-voc graduates (without college degrees) rather than have so many 
college degree graduates that are functionally useless as far as skills gap is concerned. This bill 
also provides that Meister Schools will assist in developing technical vocational programs in 
the country. 
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is urgently sought. 
JOEY SARTE SALCEDA 
July 1, 2022 
8:00 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
Nineteenth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. __________ 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Representative JOEY SARTE SALCEDA 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT 
CREATING A NETWORK OF MEISTER SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
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 “Meister Schools Act.” 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – 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. The right to education shall be promoted with the end goal of producing 
graduates who are prepared to become civically-active, economically productive members of 
society. 
The State shall also ensure that education aligns with the goals of national development 
and industrialization. Towards this end, the State shall ensure access to affordable and 
competitive industrial schools for the training of highly technically-skilled graduates who are 
able to meet the country’s need for higher-order industrial skills, and who are able to find 
decent employment in high-value industries even without a college degree. 
SEC. 3. Establishment of Meister Schools. – There shall be established in every region 
at least one senior high school to be known as a “Meister School,” which shall be funded in the 
manner of National High Schools. Meister schools shall be senior high schools where courses 
for highly-specialized, higher-order industrial and technical skills shall be taught, with the 
objective of producing graduates who can find employment in highly-technical, high-skill 
functions in the manufacturing sector and other high-value industries, such as energy, 
machinery, mechatronics, and telecommunications. 
SEC. 4. Autonomy of Meister Schools over curriculum. – Meister schools shall exercise 
autonomy over curriculum, facility and development of industry linkages.  
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SEC. 5. Functions and Appointment of Headmaster. – Each Meister School shall be 
headed by a Director, who shall be appointed by the Chair of the Board of Trustees subject to 
the approval of, and his or her compensation shall be fixed by, the Board of Trustees. He or 
she shall not be removed therefrom except for cause. His or her functions, powers and duties, 
in addition to those specifically provided for in this Act, shall be those usually pertaining to the 
office of the principal of a public high school. 
 
SEC. 6. The Board of Trustees. – Each Meister School shall be governed by a Board of 
Trustees. The exercise of corporate powers of each Meister School is hereby vested exclusively 
in the Board of Trustees and in the Director of the Meister School insofar as authorized by said 
Board. The Board shall be composed of the Regional Director of the Department of Education, 
as chair of the Board, the Regional Director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as 
co-chair of the Board, and the Regional Director of the Department of Science and Technology 
(DOST), the heads of economic zones operating in the region, the head of the regional chapter 
of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the head of the Parent-Teacher’s 
Association of the school, and a representative of scientific and technological associations as 
members.  
 
The member of the Board representing scientific and technological associations or 
societies shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines, upon recommendation of the 
Chair of the Board. 
 
SEC. 7. Functions of the Board. – The Board of Trustees shall exercise for the Meister 
School all the powers and prerogatives of a board of directors of a private corporation. It shall 
also have the following powers and duties: 
 
a) To affix the site of the Meister School; 
 
b) To receive and appropriate to the ends specified by law such sums as may be 
provided by law for the support of the Meister School;   
 
c) To approve appointments made and contracts entered into by the Director in 
connection with the employment of professors, instructors, lecturers, and other 
employees of the school, subject to the provisions of Section Ten of this Act; to fix 
their compensation and other conditions of employment; and to remove them for 
cause after an investigation and hearing shall have been had; 
 
d) To approve the curricula, course of study, and rules of discipline drawn up by the 
Executive Council as hereinafter provided; 
 
e) To provide fellowship for faculty members and approve the grant of scholarship, 
stipends and such other allowances to deserving students; 
 
f) To approve the issuance of certificates of diplomas to successful candidates for 
graduation; 
 
g) To provide its own rules of procedure, and to prescribe for the administration of the 
Meister School such general rules and regulations, not contrary to law, as are 
consistent with the purpose of the Meister School, as defined in Section two of this 
Act; 


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h) To receive in trust legacies, gifts, and donations of real and personal property of all 
kinds and to administer the same in accordance with the directions and instructions 
of the donor, and in default thereof, in such manner as the Board of Trustees may 
in its discretion determine, for the benefit of the Meister School or for aid to any of 
its students; and 
 
i) To establish the criteria for the selection and admission of students. 
 
SEC. 8. Quorum. – A quorum of the Board of Trustees shall consist of a majority of all 
the members holding office at the time the meeting of the Board is called. All processes against 
the Board of Trustees shall be served on the Director or secretary thereof. 
 
SEC. 9. Report to Congress and the President. – On or before the fifteenth of June of 
each year, the Board of Trustees shall file with the President and Congress of the Philippines a 
detailed report, setting forth the progress, condition, and needs of the Meister School. 
 
SEC. 10. Meister School Executive Council. – There shall be an Executive Council 
consisting of the Director, the heads of departments, and such other ranking faculty members 
or officials of the Meister School as may be determined by the Director. The Council shall have 
power to screen and select the students to be admitted to the Meister School; to select students 
who shall be recipients of scholarship, stipends and other allowances; and to develop the 
curricula, course of study, and rules of discipline, all subject to the approval of the Board. The 
Council shall have the exclusive power to recommend students eligible for graduation. Through 
the Director it shall have disciplinary power over the students. 
 
The Council shall implement and execute the policies laid down by the Board of 
Trustees and exercise such other functions, powers and duties as the Board may prescribe. 
 
SEC. 11. Registrar. – There shall be a registrar of the Meister School who shall also act 
as Secretary of the Board of Trustees, to be appointed by the Director with the approval of the 
Board of Trustees. He or she shall keep such records as may be prescribed by the Board. 
 
SEC. 12. Treasurer. – There shall be a treasurer of the Meister School who shall be 
appointed by the Director with the approval of the Board of Trustees. All accounts and expenses 
shall be audited by the Commission on Audit. 
 
SEC. 13. Professors and Staff. – Professors, instructors and other faculty members of 
the Meister School shall be exempt as such from any civil service examination or regulations 
as a requisite to appointment. They shall be selected in accordance with such criteria as may 
be established by the Board of Trustees which shall include, if necessary and practicable, 
screening and competitive examination. 
 
Said professors, instructors and faculty members, as well as the school's administrative 
staff, shall be exempt from the provisions of laws, rules and regulations on wage and position 
classification. 
 
SEC. 14. Gifts and Donations. – All legacies, gifts and donations for the benefit of the 
Meister School or for its support and maintenance or for aid to any of its students shall be an 
allowable deduction from the gross income of the donors. For the purpose of the income tax, 


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the Meister School, all taxes, fees, assessments and other charges of the Government, its 
branches and subdivisions shall be chargeable to the Tax Expenditure Fund. 
 
SEC. 15. Meister School Fund. – All incomes and donations to the Meister School 
created under this Act shall constitute a special fund to be known as a Meister School Fund. 
This fund shall be expended by the Board of Trustees exclusively for the purpose of this Act. 
 
SEC. 16. Assistance from the National Government Agencies. – Heads of bureaus or 
offices of the National Government are hereby authorized to loan or transfer, upon request of 
the Director of the Meister School, such apparatus, supplies and other properties as may be 
needed by the Meister School, and to detail employees for duty therein, when in the judgment 
of the head of the bureau or office, they can be spared without serious detriment to the public 
service. Employees so detailed shall perform such duties as are required under such detail, and 
the time employed shall be counted as part of their regular official hours, all laws, rules and 
regulations limiting the detail of government employees notwithstanding. 
 
Any officer, or employee of the Government engaged as lecturer in the Meister School, 
may receive a compensation in addition to his salary at the rate to be fixed by the Board: 
Provided, that his duties as such lecturer are performed outside of the regular office hours. 
 
SEC. 17. Role of the Industry. – Local chambers of commerce, manufacturing 
companies, economic zones and locators, and other private-sector stakeholders in business and 
industry shall provide equipment, facilities, scholarships, mentoring, training and jobs for 
graduates and students of Meister Schools. Providing a tax   
 
SEC. 18. Free Tuition. – As with national high schools, Meister Schools shall not 
charge tuition and other fees. 
 
SEC. 19. Linkages with Technical-Vocational Schools. – Upon request of state 
technical-vocation schools, Meister Schools shall provide technical assistance to state technical 
vocational schools for the development of their curriculum and pedagogy. 
 
SEC. 20. Appropriations. – To carry out the purpose of this Act, including the operation 
of the Meister School, the acquisition, improvement, and conditioning of the land on which the 
Meister School shall be located, the construction, maintenance, and repair of buildings and 
improvements, and the acquisition of furniture, fixtures and equipment, there shall be 
appropriated at least One Hundred Million Pesos (Php 100,000,000.00) for each Meister 
School. The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) shall make the necessary 
adjustments to account for the differences in costs specific to the standard of living in each 
region. 
 
Thereafter, the expenses of the Meister School, for the purposes above-described, shall 
be provided in the yearly General Appropriation Act of the National Government: Provided, 
however, That any unexpected balance for any shall also form part of the aforementioned 
Meister School Fund.   
 
SEC. 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Secretary of Education, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Trade and Industry, and the Secretary of Science and 
Technology, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations within ninety (90) working 
days from the effectivity of this Act. 


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SEC. 22. Separability Clause. – If any portion or provision of this Act is subsequently 
declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby 
shall remain in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 23. Repealing Clause. – All other laws, acts, presidential decrees, executive 
orders, presidential proclamations, issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof which are 
contrary to or inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, 
or modified accordingly. 
 
SEC. 24. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,