Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____ 
Introduced by Representative 
HARRIS CHRISTOPHER M. ONGCHUAN 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Congressional secretariat plays a significant role in the legislative process. 
It provides the members of Congress with adequate, timely, relevant, and efficient 
administrative and technical assistance and support to enable them to perform their 
legislative task and constituent responsibility. 
In view of its indispensable role in the legislative process, it is necessary to 
strengthen and professionalize the Legislative Secretariat so as to provide the 
lawmakers capable and efficient individuals to assist them with their legislative duties 
and functions. It is therefore paramount to provide them continued education and 
strengthen and hone their skills through a specialized curriculum, coupled with 
seminars and workshops, and training programs that will enhance their 
understanding of and capability in the legislative process. Toward this end, the 
establishment of the Philippine Legislative Academy is hereby proposed.
This bill was filed in the 18th Congress by Representatives Gonzales, Cabochan, 
and Salvador-Tambunting. 
Hence, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
  HARRIS CHRISTOPHER M. ONGCHUAN 
August 30, 2022
8:02 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 
HARRIS CHRISTOPHER M. ONGCHUAN 
AN ACT 
 ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE LEGISLATIVE ACADEMY, DEFINING ITS 
POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared a policy of the State to 
ensure an efficient and credible Career Service of the Legislature (CSL). Toward this 
end, it is imperative to provide members of the CSL with continuing appropriate 
education and training. 
The CSL shall include the offices and employees of Congress composed of the Senate 
and the House of Representatives, the Commission on Appointments and the Senate 
and House of Representatives Electoral Tribunals. It shall also include the career 
officers and employees of the Philippine Legislative Academy established under this 
Act. 
SECTION 2. Objectives. — It is the purpose of this Act to professionalize, upgrade 
and strengthen the work force of Congress in order: 
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(a)             To enable its officers and employees to efficiently and effectively provide the 
necessary legislative and administrative support services to Congress and its 
Members; 
 
(b)             To create a pool of competent and development-oriented career legislative 
service officers and employees; and 
(c)             To provide a system of training and continuing education for personnel in 
order to ensure that only competent and qualified persons are recruited into the 
career legislative service. 
SECTION 3. Philippine Legislative Academy. — To carry out the policy and 
objectives enunciated in Sections 1 and 2 hereof, there is hereby established a 
Philippine Legislative Academy, herein referred to as the Academy. The Academy 
shall be a unit of both Houses of Congress and shall operate under its administration, 
supervision and control. It shall be located at the House of Representatives, Batasan 
Complex, Quezon City. 
SECTION 4. Functions. — The Academy shall serve as a training school for 
legislative officers and employees for positions in the CSL. For this purpose, it shall 
provide and implement a curriculum for legislative education as well as conduct 
seminars, workshops and other training programs to upgrade legislative support 
services, capabilities and efficiency, and shall perform such other functions as may 
be necessary in carrying out its mandate. 
SECTION 5. Governing Board. - The Academy shall have, as its governing body, a 
Board of Trustees composed of the Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission, the 
Secretary of the Senate and the Secretary General of the House of Representatives, as 
ex officio members; and an incumbent Deputy Secretary of the Senate chosen by the 
Senate President, and an incumbent Deputy Secretary General of the House of 
Representatives chosen by the Speaker, both of whom shall have served in such 
positions for at least five (5) years, as designated members. 
The ex officio members of the Board of Trustees shall serve as such for the duration 
of their incumbency in their respective offices. 
All members shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to a reasonable 
honoraria/allowance for the performance of their duties. 
 


SECTION 6. Executive Board. —The Executive Board of the Academy shall be 
designated by the Board of Trustees, and shall be composed of a Chancellor, two (2) 
Vice Chancellors and an Executive Secretary. The Executive Board shall serve for a 
term of three (3) years without prejudice to subsequent reappointments. 
In case of a vacancy in any Executive Board position, the Board of Trustees shall 
designate a replacement who shall serve in such position for the remainder of the 
unfinished term. 
The Chancellor shall have a requisite qualifications meritorious service as an 
incumbent Deputy Secretary of the Senate or an incumbent Deputy Secretary General 
of the House of Representatives, who shall have served as such for at least three (3) 
years and belongs to the ranks of the Career Executive Service. 
A Vice Chancellor shall be chosen from each House. A Vice Chancellor shall have as 
requisite qualifications meritorious service as an incumbent Executive Director or 
Deputy Executive Director of the Senate or the House of Representatives, who shall 
have served as such for at least three (3) years and belongs to the ranks of the Career 
Executive Service. 
If no such person meets the abovementioned requirements for any position, the Board 
of Trustees shall designate such official with the closest qualifications. 
The Chancellor and the Vice Chancellors shall serve without compensation, but shall 
be entitled to reasonable honoraria/allowance for the performance of their 
designated duties as determined by the Board of Trustees or as provided by law. 
The members of the Executive Board shall not engage in the private practice of any 
profession. 
 
SECTION 7. Academy Staff. — The Academy shall be staffed by a corps of 
professional lecturers. A lecturer shall be nominated by any of the members of the 
Executive Board of the Academy; and, such nomination shall be submitted to the 
Board of Trustees for approval. Lecturers whose nominations are approved by the 
Board of Trustees shall be included in the list of lectures, and shall be entitled to 
reasonable honoraria/allowance as deemed fit by the Board of Trustees or as 
provided by law. 
SECTION 8. Academic Courses. - The academic courses and the publication of a 
legislative service journal and such other documents shall be determined by the 
Executive Board and shall be approved by the Board of Trustees. 
SECTION 9. Criteria for Selection and Admission to the Academy. - The criteria for 
the selection and admission to the Academy shall be determined by the Executive 
Board and subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees. 


SECTION 10. Appointment and Promotion. — Legislative officers and employees 
who have completed the programs prescribed by the Academy and have 
satisfactorily complied with all the requirements incident thereto shall be given 
priority for appointment, selection or promotion to any position or vacancy in the 
CSL. 
 
SECTION 11. Consortium Agreements. — The Academy may enter into consortium 
and similar or related agreements with educational and training institutions for the 
development and implementation of programs for capacity building, career 
development and legislative orientation. 
SECTION 12. Tax Exemptions. — The provision of any general or special law to the 
contrary notwithstanding: 
(a) All revenues and assets of the Academy used actually, directly and exclusively 
for educational purposes shall be exempt from all taxes and duties; 
(b) Gifts and donations of real and personal properties of all kinds to the Academy 
shall be exempt from the donor's tax and the same shall be considered as 
allowable deductions from the gross income of the donor, in accordance with 
the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended; 
(c) Importation of economic, technical, vocational, scientific, philosophical, 
historical and cultural books, supplies, equipment, machinery and other 
materials, including scientific and educational computer and software 
equipment, shall be exempt from custom duties and taxes; and 
(d) Educational services rendered by the Academy shall be exempt from value- 
added tax. 
SECTION 13. Legislative Academy Fund. — All legacies, gifts and donations to the 
Academy established under this law shall constitute a special fund to be known as 
the Legislative Academy exclusively for the purpose of this Act. 
SECTION 14. Appropriations. — The amount necessary to carry out the initial 
implementation of this Act, including the operation, maintenance and improvement 
of the Academy shall be charged against the General Appropriations Act of 2018 and 
every year thereafter under the programs of the Congress of the Philippines. 
 
SECTION 15. Separability Clause. — Should any provision under this Act be deemed 
invalid, the remainder of this Act not otherwise affected thereby shall remain in full 
force 
and 
effect. 


 
SECTION 16. Repealing Clause. — All laws and regulations inconsistent with the 
provisions 
of 
this 
Act 
are 
hereby 
repealed 
or 
amended 
accordingly. 
 
SECTION 17. Effectivity Clause. — 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. 
 
SECTION 18. Separability Clause. — Should any part of this Act be declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions hereof not affected thereby shall 
continue 
to 
be 
in 
full 
force 
and 
effect. 
 
SECTION 19. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in a newspaper or general circulation. 
Approved.