HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
Republic of the Philippi RECEIVED j
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PATE:3.0 JUN 2016

Quezon City, Metro Manila TWwe:_Z 1 p
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Seventeenth Congress RESISTRATION UNIT
First Regular Session BLS by
7 ~ SAND INDEX SERVICE

HOUSE BILL NO. 204

Introduced by Hon, Frederick F. Abueg

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill was filed in the Sixteenth Congress as House Bill No. 4745 and was
later on substituted as House Bill No. 6058. The bill was approved on its Third
Reading on the House of Representatives on September 9, 201
the Senate of the Philippines on September 14, 2015.

. It was transmitted to

It is the fervent hope of the Palawefios to have a comprehensive Palawan State
University System in Palawan to serve the needs of the students, faculty and staff and
visiting scholars, This is necessary to improve the quality of life in the province by
providing access to quality tertiary education to all. The explanation found herewith is
a reiteration in foro of the House Bill 6058.

This bill seeks to amend Republic Act (R.A.) No. 7818 for the purpose of
strengthening the administrative supervision of the Palawan State University (PSU) by
defining the integration of the PSU-Local Government Unit-College of Community
Resource Development (PSU-LGU-CCRD) campuses with the PSU Main Campus at
Puerto Princesa City, Province of Palawan and establishing the Palawan State
University System

PSU started as Palawan Teachers’ College (PTC) in 1972. In 1984, PTC was
converted into Palawan State College (PSC) and in 1994, PSC became PSU.

PSU has already contributed a lot to the human and non-human resources
development in Palawan by pursuing its mandate in instruction, research, extension
and production. It has earned an excellent reputation with its selection as one of the
Centers of Excellence in Teacher Education in Region IV in 1996; the Panrehiyong
Sentro ng Wika since 1995; the Reproductive Health Center since 1995; the Learning
Center of the University of the Philippines - Open University since 1989; the


Regional Science Teacher Training Center and the Regional Staff Development
Center from 1977 to 1984.

From 1984 to 1992, PSU embarked on the operation of Development High
Schools at a time when access to secondary education was quite difficult for the rural
youth in Palawan. Later, PSU phased down these high schools in order to focus on
tertiary education as directed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). In
response to the request of the LGUs to establish campuses in their respective
jurisdictions, PSU subsequently changed its high schools into tertiary education
institutions, To date, twenty CCRDs are operating in Palawan.

In the operation of each CCRD, the LGU and the Parent Teacher Council
(PTC) of the town where it is set up on one hand, and PSU on the other hand, enter
into a Memorandum of Agreement. The LGU provides the site, buildings, classroom
facilities, and extends funding for the salaries of faculty and staff. The PTC collects
school fees from the enrollees and uses the funds to help meet operations expenses
and acquisition of facilities. PSU manages the CCRD and provides the faculty and
non-teaching staff of these centers.

Through the years. the student population and operation costs of the CCRDs
have been increasing. The total financial assistance provided by LGUs has likewise
climbed from about P500,000.00 in the early stages of the centers to almost
P10,000,000.00 at present. The PTCs have been charging enrollees amounts ranging
from P8,000.00 to P12,000.00 per year. On account of these funding requirements,
most of the LGUs in recent years have been trying to scale down their support or to
withdraw assistance, while the parents, all of whom come from the depressed areas
and low-income households, have been clamoring for lower school fees.

Section 2, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution mandates that “the State shall
establish, maintain and support a complete, adequate and integrated system of
education, relevant to the needs of the people and society.” In consonance with this
mandate, CHED has been continuously adopting means to provide the youth with
affordable, accessible. relevant and quality tertiary education. Aligned with the CHED
thrusts, PSU has nurtured and operated the CCRDs that to date, the CCRDs have
already served no less than 20,000 rural youths.

Thus, to continue providing access and quality tertiary education to the rural
youth in Palawan, the bill intends to secure funding support for these centers from the
national government and to strengthen the administrative supervision of PSU in order
to achieve maximum output. These twin moves are imperative because leaving the


CCRDs as they are would mean depriving a significant number of rural youth the
opportunity to pursue tertiary education. It also means discarding the costly task of
operating the CCRD which is estimated at about twenty (20) times more than the costs
entailed for the conversion of the centers into regular branches and the latter’s
subsequent operation.

The budgets of all state universities and colleges come from the national
government. In the case of the CCRDs, as proposed in this bill, funds shall come not
only from the national government but also from the LGUs and the parents. The
CCRDs, therefore, more than deserve to be provided subsidies for their continuing
operation.

Rationalizing the circular offerings, organization and management in the
CCRDs cannot be achieved because, at present, the CCRD Budget comes largely from
the LGUs and parents. Defining the integration of the CCRDS as regular branches of
PSU in order to strengthen their governance and providing national government
subsidy for their sustained operation, as proposed in this bill, would definitely result in
better efficiency in the delivery of quality tertiary education in Palawan. Education
has been recognized as a social service, an investment, an economically feasible
activity, and a high impact strategy for people empowerment and socio-economic
development.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly recommended.



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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 204

Introduced by Hon. Frederick F. Abueg

AN ACT
CREATING THE PALAWAN STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM IN THE
PROVINCE OF PALAWAN AND THE CITY OF PUERTO PRINCESA,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7818

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

SECTION 1. Section 1 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to
read as follows:

“Section 1.The Palawan State University (PSU)
System is hereby created, composed of the PSU Main
Campus in Puerto Princesa City and the PSU-LGU-CCRD
external campuses located in the Province of Palawan, which
are hereby converted into regular branches, namely, PSU-
Narra, PSU-Quezon, PSU-Rizal, PSU-Espafiola, PSU-
Brooke’s Point, PSU-Bataraza, PSU-Balabac, PSU-Roxas,
PSU-San Vicente, PSU-Taytay, PSU-Coron, PSU-Araceli,
PSU-Dumaran, PSU-Linapacan, PSU-EI Nido and the others
that may be organized hereinafter. The Palawan State
University Main Campus and the regular branches shall be

collectively referred to herein as the University.”

SEC. 2. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to read as
follows:



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“Section 3. The University shall continue to offer its
present undergraduate and graduate circular offerings in the
fields of education, arts and sciences, and other degree
courses as the board of regents may deem necessary to carry
out its objectives, and consistent with the goals of local,
regional and national development. It shall also continue to
offer opportunity in short-term technical or vocational courses
within its areas of specialization to meet the needs of the
nation. Provided, however, that existing and future programs
pertaining to instruction, research, extension and production,
organization, administrative as well as academic structures,
including the appointment of the University key officials shall
be rationalized by the University Board of Regents.”

SEC. 3. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to read
as follows:

“Section 4. The University shall have the general
powers of a corporation set forth in the corporation law. The
administration of the University and the exercise of its
corporate powers shall be vested exclusively in the board of
regents and the president of the University insofar as
authorized by the board. An administrator, appointed by the
Board of Regents and whose appointment papers shall be
signed by the University President, shall head each regular
branch.”

SEC. 4. Section 9 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to read
as follows:

“Section 9. The University shall be headed by a
president to be appointed by the President of the Philippines
upon recommendation of the Board and shall hold office for



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a term of four (4) years but entitled for reappointment for the
second term unless he reaches the age of retirement or earlier
removed for cause or incapacitated to discharge the duties of
the office. Provided, that the current University President
shall continue to hold office for the remainder of his term,
unless he is reappointed or is sooner removed for cause, or is
incapacitated to discharge the duties of his office, or reaches
the retirement age.

In case of vacancy in the Office of the President by
reason of death, resignation, incapacity of the University
President to perform the functions of his office, or removal
for cause, the Board shall have the authority to designate an
officer-in-charge of the University pending the appointment
of a successor. The new President shall hold office for the
unexpired term but in no case shall his term be more than
four (4) years subject to the provision of the existing laws.

The powers and duties of the President of the
University, in addition to those specifically provided in this
Act, shall be those usually pertaining to the office of the
president of a university. The University President shall have
administration and supervision of the University branches.

The salary of the President of the University shall be
fixed by the Board and shall be comparable to that being
received by the president of similar educational institutions
of like enrollment and standing subject to the Revised

Compensation and Position Classification System.”

SEC. 5. Section 20 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to read
as follows:


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“Section 20. Establishment of the following campuses
as National Research Center will be an inherent function of
the University as part of its research and extension services.

a) Establishing a National Research Center for Petroleum and
Renewable Energy within the vicinity of the PSU Main campus;
b

PSU - Brooke’s Point Campus as National Research Center for
Protection and Preservation of Mount Mantalingahan and its
Landscape; Cultural Preservation and Tourism development of
the Municipality of Brooke’s Point;

©

PSU - Quezon Campus as National Research Center for

Protection, Preservation and Promotion of Tabon Cave

Complex and Its Landscape; Cultural Preservation and Tourism

Development of the Municipality of Quezon;

d) PSU - Narra Campus as National Research Center for
Philippine Cockatoo Conservation and National Research
Center for Rice Production in the Province of Palawan and in
the entire Region;

e) PSU - Balabac Campus as National Research Center for
Cultural and Mouse Deer preservation and Tourism
Development in the Municipality of Balabac;

£) PSU - Coron Campus as National Research Center for Cultural

and Tourism Development in the Municipality of Coron and

nearby municipalities;

g) Establishing the College of Hospitality Management as National
Research Center for Hospitality and Tourism Development in

the Province of Palawan.”

SEC. 6. Section 21 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to read
as follows:

“Section 21. The heads of bureaus and offices of the

national government are hereby authorized to loan or transfer,



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upon request of the President of the University, such
apparatus, equipment, or supplies as may be needed by the
University and to detail employees for duty therein when in
the judgment of the head of bureau or office, such apparatus,
equipment, supplies or services of such employees can be
spared without serious detriment to the public service. The
employee so detailed shall perform such duties as required of
them by the President of the University and the time so

employed shall be counted as part of their regular service.”

SEC. 7. Section 22 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to read

as follows:

“Sec. 22. It shall be a continuing policy of the
University to accept the affiliation and/or integration within
its operation of any existing national schools whose program
can contribute largely and effectively to the attainment of its
objectives: provided, however, that in case of integration, the
Chairman, Commission on Higher Education is hereby
authorized to determine and approve the specific existing
national schools that are to be integrated as part of the PSU
System. In this particular case, it is understood that all funds,
properties and other assets, as well as obligations of the

integrated schools shall be transferred to the University.”

SEC. 8. Section 23 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to read
as follows:

“Section 23. All assets, fixed and movable, personnel
and records of all existing PSU Campuses in the Southern
part of Palawan and other branches that may be established
by the University as well as their liabilities or obligations are

hereby transferred to the University. Provided, however, that


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the position, rights and security of tenure of faculty and staff
members employed therein under existing laws prior to the
integration of the PSU-LGU-CCRD external campuses as
regular University branches shall not be impaired. Provided
further, that the present support of local government units
(LGUs) to the existing PSU-LGU-CCRDs shall not be
abridged, curtailed or diminished.

All parcels of land belonging to the government and
occupied by the present campuses of existing PSU-LGU-
CCRDs shall be titled in the name of the University.
Provided, that should the University cease to exist or be
abolished or should such parcels of aforementioned lands be
no longer needed by the University branches, the same shall
revert to the municipality which has jurisdiction over the

same.”

SEC. 9. Section 24 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to read

as follows:

“Section 24. The amount necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act for the continued operation and
maintenance of the PSU Main Campus and all the University
branches shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act.

In case of deficiency in the funding requirement herein
provided, such amount as may be necessary shall be
augmented by the income derived from any school project,
the financial support of the LGU, and from other fees that the
University Board of Regents may approve.”

SEC. 10. Section 25 of Republic Act No. 7818 is hereby amended to
read as follows:


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“Section 25. All laws, presidential decrees, executive
orders, rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with
the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or

modified accordingly.”
SEC. 11. All other laws, decrees, orders, issuances, rules and
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are

hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 12. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication

in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,