Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City

16" CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 2299

Introduced by HON. JUAN “JOHNNY” R. REVILLA

Explanatory Note

This bill seeks to provide educational assistance to children of Overseas Filipino Workers
such as Tuition Fee Discounts and Scholarship Grants

The bill would embody the meaning and substance of the government's program of making
education accessible to all sectors of the society. Moreover, the state would fulfill its commitment
of providing opportunity, to the dependents of our OFWs, to enhance and further their education
and skills to prepare them for productive employment and contribute in the development of our
economy.

Considering the contribution our OFWs continue to give to our economy, it is just fitting to
extend assistance to their their dependents as a sign of our gratitude for the sacrifices they went
through while away from their families.

This bill is configured to make quality education accessible and affordable to families of
OFWs as it grants scholarship and tuition fee discounts in favor of qualified and deserving
dependents of OFWs.

In view of the foregoing, the swift passage of this bill is sought,

HON. JUAN “JOHNNY” R. REVILLA
OFW Family Party List


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

16" CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2299

House Bill No.

Introduced by HON. JUAN “JOHNNY” R. REVILLA _

AN ACT
GRANTING SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS AND TUITION FEE DISCOU
DEPENDENTS OF OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS, APPROPRIATING FUND‘
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

'S TO QUALIFIED
THEREFOR

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 “OFW Dependent's Educational
Assistance Act of 2013.”

SEC. 2, Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to adopt measures
that ensure the welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers’ dependents by prioritizing their educational needs
through affordable and accessible educational assistance

It is also the policy of the State to ensure that the OFW dependents’ access to educational
assistance have effective institutionalized mechanism in order to ensure that their rights, benefits and
responsibilities are adequately covered,

For this purpose, there is a need to establish and maintain a system of scholarship grant and tuition
fee discount programs which should be made available to deserving OFW dependents in state universities
and colleges, Local Government Units owned and administered universities and colleges as well as in
‘Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) educational institutions and training
centers

SEC. 3. Coverage. - This Act shall cover all qualified dependents’ of Overseas Filipino Workers
with an existing and valid contract from a POEA accredited employment agency, who are entering tertiary
or vocational/technical educational institution

SEC. 4, Schol: Grant. - All State Universities and Colleges, LGU owned and administered
universities and colleges as well as TESDA school and training centers, shall provide scholarship grants
to qualified deserving children of OFW which shall include free tuition fee, subsidies and other
incentives; Provided, that all dependents of OFW who apply for the said scholarship program should pass
a screening process to be administered by the SUCs, LGU owned and administered universities and the
TESDA and after presenting a POEA certified copy of the employment contract of his/her OFW parent

SEC. 5. Tuition Fee Discount. - The dependents of OFW who do not qualify for the scholarship


grant, can avail of a tuition fee of up to fifty-percent (50%) of the prescribed tuition fee.

SEC. 6, Availment. - The tuition fee discount privilege under this Act shall be claimed at the time
of enrollment by presenting the POEA certified copy of the employment contract of his/her OFW parent

SEC. 7. Sanctions. ~ Qualified students under this Act who are refused or denied availment of this
scholarship or tuition fee discount privilege may file a complaint with the Regional Office of CHED,
TESDA or Local Government Unit withjurisdiction over the concemed educational institution. As part of
the due process, the parties shall be notified prior to the conduct of investigation by CHED, TESDA or
concemed LGU. If the complaint is established or found to be true, the CHED, TESDA or LGU shall
direct the educational institution to grant the complaining student the privilege under this Act, When in
the findings of the CHED, TESDA or LGU the refusal to grant the said privilege is deliberate or
unreasonable, a fine of Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000,00) shall be imposed against the erring institution.
The fine imposed shall be collected by and placed under the disposal of CHED, TESDA or LGU
concemed in furtherance of the government's mandate to enhance quality education

SEC. 8. Misrepresentation ~ Any student who is found to have committed misrepresentation to
avail of the privilege shall be made to pay the total amount of tuition fee, without prejudice to the
imposition, at the instance of the school, of appropriate disciplinary sanctions, including suspension or
expulsion from the said school, at the discretion of CHED, TESDA or LGU concerned.

SEC. 9, Implementing Rules, - The Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority or Local Government Unit shall issue rules and regulations for the effective
implementation of this Act.

SEC. 9, Funding. - The amount needed to implement the provisions of this Act shall be
appropriated in the case of state universities and colleges and TESDA educational institution and training,
center shall be charged out of the appropriations of the educational institution concerned or the LGU
concemed and thereafter, such sum as maybe necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall
be included in the General Appropriations act or at the annual budget of the LGU concerned.

SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. — Any other provisions of law or rules and regulations inconsistent
with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 11. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days) after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,