T 
" • 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
) 
) 
Second Regular Session 
SENATE 
S.No. 
2330 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING PILOT PROGRAMS 
"14 JUl28 Pl:41 
TO EXPAND STUDENT ACCESS TO DIGITAL COURSE MATERIALS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 14, Sections 1 and 2, para. 1 provide: 
SEC. 1. 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. 
SEC. 2. The State shaH: 
(1) Establish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and 
integrated system of education relevant to the needs of the people and 
society. 
The purpose of this legislative measure is to fund pilot programs of up to ten state 
universities and colleges (SUCs) to reduce the cost of attendance for undergraduate 
students in at least two different academic departments by expanding access to digital 
course materials as part of their academic programs, expand the availability of electronic 
readers and tablets for low-income students, and encourage college professors to 
incorporate new learning technologies into their classes. 
The bill directs the Chair of Commission on Higher Education to give preference 
to applications that demonstrate a commitment to serving disadvantaged students. Under 
the bill, the chosen SUCs may use the grant to: 
1. purchase and maintain the electronic equipment or software their pilot 
programs need; 
1 


2. purchase and maintain the digital and online content that instructors or students 
will use; 
3. hire staff to administer their pilot programs, with priority given to hiring 
enrolled undergraduate students; 
4. build or acquire extra storage space for pilot program equipment; 
5. revise and adapt academic curricula as needed to implement their pilot 
programs; and 
6. acquire such other goods or services that the Chair determines appropriatel 
~ 
~ ,O,.;tJU 
. MIRIAM DEFI~~'S~S~TI~O 
pJ'i 
1 This bill was originally filed by Ms. Suzan DelBene and Mr. Richard Hanna in the U.S. House 
of Representatives (H.R. 4259; 1131h Congress, Second Session). 
2 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENAI:a 
S. No. 
~;i30 
) 
) 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
'14 JUL28 Pl:41 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
1 
AN ACT 
2 
ESTABLISHING PILOT PROGRAMS 
3 
TO EXPAND STUDENT ACCESS TO DIGITAL COURSE MATERIALS 
4 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Electronic Books 
5 
Opening Opportunity for Knowledge Act" or the "E-Book Act". 
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SECTION 2. Grants to Expand Access to Digital Course Materials. -
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(a) Grants Authorized. -
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(1) In General. - The Chair of the Commission on Higher Education may 
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award grants on a competitive basis to not more than ten state universities and 
10 
colleges to reduce the cost of attendance for undergraduate students by providing 
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such students with expanded access to digital course materials. 
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(2) Amount of Funds to be Awarded. - The Chair shall determine the 
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amount of funds to be awarded for each grant based on the number of students to 
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be served under the grant. 
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(b) Application. - A state university or college desiring to obtain a grant under this 
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Act shall submit an application to the Chair at such time, in such form, and accompanied 
17 
by such information, agreements, and assurances as the Chair may reasonably require. 
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(C) Preference. -
In awarding grants under this Act, the Chair shall give 
2 
preference to applications that demonstrate a commitment to serving disadvantaged 
3 
students. 
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(d) Use of Funds. - Each grant awarded under this Act shall provide to a state 
5 
university or college funds to support a pilot program for the state university or college to 
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make digital course materials available to undergraduate students in at least two different 
7 
academic departments. Such funds may be used for any of the following: 
8 
(l) Purchasing and maintaining electronic equipment or software necessary 
9 
for the operation of the pilot program, including mobile computer devices and 
10 
accompanying hardware, software applications, computer systems and platforms, 
11 
digital and online content, online instruction, and other online services and 
12 
support. 
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(2) Purchasing and maintaining digital and online content for the state 
14 
university or college to make available electronically to instructors or students, 
15 
including paying any copyright fees associated with the digital distribution of 
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physical course materials. 
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(3) Hiring staff for the administration of the pilot program, with priority 
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given to hiring enrolled undergraduate students. 
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(4) Building or acquiring extra storage space dedicated to equipment used 
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for the pilot program. 
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(5) Revising and adapting academic curricula as needed to implement the' 
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pilot program. 
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(6) Acquiring such other goods or services as the Chair determines 
24 
appropriate. 
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( e) Reporting Requirements. -
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(1) Report to the Chair. - After a period of time to be determined by the 
3 
Chair, each state university or college that receives a grant under this Act shall 
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submit to the Chair a report that includes: 
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(A) an assessment of the effectiveness of the pilot program funded 
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by the grant in reducing the cost of attendance for students; 
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(B) an assessment of any impact of the pilot program on student 
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achievement; 
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(C) an accounting of the purposes for which the grant funds were 
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expended; and 
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(D) any additional information the Chair reasonably requires. 
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(2) Report to Congress. - Not later than three years after the end of the first 
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fiscal year in which a grant is awarded under this Act, the Chair shall submit to 
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Congress a report on the effectiveness of the grants. Such report shall include: 
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(A) an estimate by the Chair of the amount of money saved by 
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students who participate in the pilot programs; 
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(B) a summary of the best practices developed in the pilot programs; 
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(C) a description of the types of digital course materials used in the 
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pilot programs, including electronic books, interactive and adaptive digital 
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learning tools, and open educational resources; and 
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(D) any recommendations the Chair determines appropriate 
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regarding future congressional action related to student access to digital 
23 
course materials. 
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1 
(f) Definition o/Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the term: 
2 
(1) "Cost of attendance" means: 
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(A) tuition and fees normally assessed a student carrying the same 
4 
academic workload as determined by the state university or college, and 
5 
including costs for rental or purchase of any equipment, materials, or 
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supplies required of all students in the same course of study; 
(B) an 
allowance 
for 
books, 
supplies, 
transportation, 
and 
miscellaneous personal expenses, including a reasonable allowance for the 
documented rental or purchase of a personal computer, for a student 
attending the state university or college on at least a part-time basis, as 
determined by the state university or college; 
(C) an allowance (as determined by the state university or college) 
for room and board costs incurred by the student; 
(D) for less than part-time students (as determined by the state 
university or college) tuition and fees and an allowance for only: books, 
supplies, and transportation (as determined by the state university or 
college); or room and board costs, except that a student may receive an 
allowance for such costs under this Act for not more than three semesters or 
the equivalent, of which not more than two semesters or the equivalent may 
be consecutive; 
(E) for a student engaged in a program of study by correspondence, 
only tuition and fees and, if required, books and supplies, travel, and room 
and board costs incurred specifically in fulfilling a required period of 
residential training; 
(F) for a student enrolled in an academic program in a program of 
study abroad approved for credit by the student's home state university or 
4 


, 
1 
college, reasonable costs associated with such study (as determined by the 
2 
state university or college at which such student is enrolled); 
3 
(0) for a student with a disability, an allowance (as determined by 
4 
the state university or college) for those expenses related to the student's 
5 
disability, including special services, personal assistance, transportation, 
6 
equipment, and supplies that are reasonably incurred and not provided for 
7 
by other assisting agencies; 
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(H) for a student receiving all or part of the student's instruction by . 
9 
means of telecommunications technology, no distinction shall be made with 
10 
respect to the mode of instruction in determining costs; and 
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(J) at the option of the state university or college, for a student in a 
12 
program requiring professional licensure or certification, the one-time cost 
13 
of obtaining the first professional credentials (as determined by the state 
14 
university or college). 
15 
(2) "Digital course materials" includes electronic books, portable document 
16 
format and word-processing documents, internet websites, interactive and adaptive 
17 
digital learning tools, open educational resources, and other digital and online 
18 
educational resources. 
19 
(3) "Open educational resources" means digital course materials that are 
20 
made freely available online to the public with a permanent copyright license 
21 
granting advance permission for the public to access, distribute, adapt, and 
22 
otherwise use the work with appropriate attribution to the authors as provided in 
23 
the materials. 
24 
(4) "Mobile computer device" means an electronic reader or tablet 
25 
computer; 
5 


1 
(5) "Disadvantaged student" means an undergraduate student who is from a 
2 
low-income family; a part ofIndigenous Peoples (IPs); or from an economically or 
3 
otherwise disadvantaged background. 
4 
SECTION 3. Funding. - Of the funds made available in General Appropriation 
5 
Acts for fiscal years 2015, 2016, and 2017 for the purpose of making competitive grants 
6 
to state universities and colleges under this Act, the Chair may make available such sums 
7 
as are necessary to carry out this Act. No grants may be awarded under this Act after 31 
8 
December 2017. 
9 
SECTION 4. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid 
10 
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
11 
remain valid and subsisting. 
12 
SECTION 5. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
13 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to 
14 
or is inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended. 
15 
accordingly. 
16 
SECTION 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
17 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
Ifldp21july20 14 
6