EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

“Introduced by

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to institutionalize the granting of Lateral Promotion for Honor Graduates who
chose to enter the Military & Uniformed Service Bureaus/Agencies of the government,
namely; Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Jail
Management and Penology, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Corrections and Philippine
Coast Guard after their successful 2-year service and Lateral Promotion of all Honor
Graduates who are currently in the uniformed service for more than two (2) years to the
Rank of Lieutenants or Inspectors or its equivalent

The Constitution explicitly provides that the State recognizes the vital role of the youth in
nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and
social well-being, It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage
their involvement in public and civic affairs. It explicitly mandates the goverment to afford
the youth with every possible opportunity for participation and involvement in national
endeavors, especially those that will lead to the improvement of communities and other
public service

During the incumbency of President Ferdinand E. Marcos, granting of Civil Service Eligibility
was decreed under Presidential Decree 907 once they will graduate as Honor Graduates of
four-year or longer courses from schools, colleges and universities of good standing as
determined by the Secretary of Education. The Decree showed that the government is
convinced that a student who has pursued his collegiate course as a scholar and has in fact
graduated with honors, has sufficiently shown that he is fit to hold a position in the public
service and competent to discharge its duties and responsibilities

It has long been considered that graduation with honors eared under the competitive
atmosphere of the academic community is as good as a determination of merit and
excellence for public employment and that the immediate absorption of these honor
graduates in the public service will assure their participation in public affairs and buoy up the
quality of the civil service.

The Decree boosted interest of the youth to government service. Since then, however, only
a small fraction of honor graduates chose goverment service over other job opportunities
thereby making the government lost the chance of hiring and retaining people who are close
to the ideal of keeping the best and the finest for public service.

In view of the above, the government must do more and create a mechanism which will
inspire the youth to study hard while in college by giving them preference in the employment
in the government's military and uniformed service bureaus/agencies and promote them to
the rank of Lieutenants or Inspectors after 2-year service and greater leadership role as well
as make sure to retain the presently employed Honor Graduates of the Uniformed Service
Bureaus/Agencies of the government who have already served for more than 2 years by
Promoting them to the Rank of Lieutenants or Inspectors as a fitting recompense for their
sacrifices to graduate as part of the cream of the crop and giving them opportunity to lead as


they are already proven leaders. The 2-year service shall be considered their learning stage
wherein they will learn the different and unique facets of their bureau/agency so as to better
prepare and equip them with leadership qualities. 2

If the government automatically absorbs graduates from the PMA and PNPA and make them
Officers after their graduation, paid for their baccalaureate studies and gave them decent
allowances, why can it not do to Honor Graduates who have to work hard for their education,
make both ends meet as scholars, most of the times, even without support from the
government and under the normal, not artificial, competitive environment?

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

RYFUS'B. RODRIGYEZ


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

“introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez a

5220

House Bill No.

AN ACT

INSTITUTIONALIZING THE GRANTING OF LATERAL PROMOTION FOR HONOR
GRADUATES WHO CHOOSE TO ENTER THE MILITARY & UNIFORMED SERVICE
BUREAUS/AGENCIES OF THE GOVERNMENT, NAMELY: THE ARMED FORCES
OF THE PHILIPPINES, PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE, BUREAU OF JAIL
MANAGEMENT AND PENOLOGY, BUREAU OF FIRE PROTECTION, BUREAU
OF CORRECTIONS AND PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD AFTER THEIR
SUCCESSFUL 2-YEAR SERVICE; AND THE LATERAL PROMOTION OF ALL
HONOR GRADUATES WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN THE UNIFORMED SERVICE
FOR MORE THAN TWO (2) YEARS TO THE RANK OF LIEUTENANTS OR
INSPECTORS OR ITS EQUIVALENT, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES:

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

Section 1. Declaration of Policy — It is the policy of the State to afford the youth with every
possible opportunity for participation and involvement in national endeavors, especially these
that will lead to the improvement of communities and other public service and attract and
keep the best and the finest to work for public service.

Section 2. Coverage — As used in this Act, the term "Honor Graduates" shall be understood
as those who graduated summa cum laude, magna cum laude or cum laude, or an
equivalent of any of these honors in their Bachelor's degree, regardless of the number of
years of completion, from colleges and universities of good standing as recognized by the
Commission of Higher Education.

Section 3. Preference of Employment — The military and uniformed service
bureaus/agencies of the government, namely; Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine
National Police, Bureau of jail Management, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of
Corrections and Philippine Coast shall preferably hire or employ Honor Graduates in the
furtherance of keeping the best and the finest in the uniformed service

Section 4. Lateral Promotion to the rank of Lieutenant or Inspector or its equivalent -
After completion of the 2. years of service, Honor Graduates shall be promoted to the Rank
of Inspector: Provided, that for the duration of 2-year service, the Honor Graduate shall
obtain an adjectival rating of at least VERY SATISFACTORY in his/her Strategic
Performance Management System: Provided further, that the presently enlisted/employed
Honor Graduates for more than two (2) years in the uniformed service of the government
who obtained at least VERY SATISFACTORY RATING in his/her Strategic Performance
Management System for four consecutive semesters.

Section 5. Penalty for Violation — The appointing Authority who _ knowingly violates the
provisions of this Act shall be punished by a fine equivalent to one month salary for the first
violation and dismissal from the service for the second violation


Section 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations - The Civil Service Commission, the
Department of Budget and Management, the Department of the Interior and Local
Government, the Department of National Defense, the Department of Justice and the
Department of Transportation, shall within 30 days from the approval of this Act, promulgate
the rules and regulations necessary to implement its provisions.

Section 7. Separability Clause — If any provisions of this Act shall be held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect

Section 8. Repealing Clause — All laws, rules, regulations, orders, circulars and memorahda
which are inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.

Section 9. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in any
two newspapers of general circulation

Approved,