HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
lntroduced by Representative Rufus B, Rodriguez
EXPLANATORY NOTE
As enunciated in the "Legal Education Reform Act of 1992" (RA 7662) creating the
Legal Education Board, "lt is the declared policy of the State to uplift the standards of legal
education in order to prepare law students for advocacy, counselling, problem-solving, and
decision-making, to infuse in them the ethics of the legal profession, to impress in them the
importance, nobility and dignity of the legal profession as an egual and indispensable partner
of the Bench in the administration of justice and to develop social competence. Towards this
end, the State shall undertake appropriate reforms in the legal education system, require
proper selection of law students, maintain quality among law schools, and require legal
apprenticeship and continuing legal education."
The "Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Ad of 2017" (RA 10931) has
already provided the means for all bona fide students in State Universities and Colleges
regardless of the program or course enrolled in, to free tuition and 13 other fees in every
Academic Year till graduation, provided he/she is in good academic standing with no
disciplinary case.
Congress has allocated certain amounts in the annual General Appropriations Act of
2017 until 2021 indicated as a line item in the CHED Budget for the program called "Cash
Grants to Medical Students enrolled in SUCs" (CGMS-SUCs), intended for free tuition and
other expenses of medical students in the eight (8) SUC Colleges of Medicine numbering
approximately 1,650-l,750 a year and provided budgetary allocation in the amount of from
P187-P317 Million for FY 2017-2021.
Considering that the average number of law students enrolled in law schools
approximates 4,283 as of AY 2021-2022, and that only an estimated budgetary requirement
of P70-TsMillion is required for the effective implementation of Free Legal Education in SUCs
per Academic Year, immediate passage of this measure is enjoined to ensure that law
students should not be excluded in the right to access to legal education in the SUCs. Such
budget may be included in the LEB budget for effective distribution to the qualified law students
in the SUC law school they are enrolled in.
RUF SB.
o
GUEZ
Page 1 of 4
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Thhd Regular Session 
)
House Bill No. _
One specific area where there is a glaring need for reforms is the right of access of our
law students particulady those who lack the resources, being the potential legal manpower
who will provide critical legal services in all sectors of society, to quality legal education that
would hone their skills, sharpen their minds, develop a sense of mission in their work, and
strengthen their resolve to utilize their profession for the benefit of the poor and marginalized
individuals and communities.
January 26, 2022
4:23 pm
10715


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
Third Regular Session
)
)
)
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
lntroduced by Representative Rufus B, Rodriguez
House Bill No.
AN ACT
PROiIOTING ACCESS TO LEGAL EDUCATION BY PROVIDING FOR FREE TUITION
AND OTHER SCHOOL FEES IN STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:
SECTION 1. Shorl litle. - This Act shall be known as the "Free Legal Education Act".
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy, - lt is the policy of the State to provide appropriate legal
measures for the protection of human rights of all persons within the Philippines, as well as
Filipinos residing abroad, and provide for preventive measures and public legal services to lhe
underprivileged, indigent litigants, marginalized and to ensure that the shortage of legal
practitioners in the different government agencies in the country is addressed.
Likewise, the State hereby recognizes the invaluable role of lawyers and law schools
to the country. Towards this end, the State shall encourage the youth to pursue a career in
legal education and provide them with opportunities for employment by serving their
countrymen as lawyers.
SEC. 3. Definifio n of Terms. -
Legal Education - Legal education refers to a professional educational program that
cultivates and imparts an understanding of the law, its articulation in jurisprudence and the
administration of justice. lt is a post-baccalaureate degree program and includes both the
basic law course as well as graduate courses in law.
Higher Education lnstitutions (HEls) - refers to an educational institution, private or public,
undertaking operations of higher education program/s with an organized group of students
pursuing defined studies in higher education, receiving instructions from teachers, usually
located in a building or group of buildings in a particular site specifically intended for
educational purposes. The following are the classifications of Higher Education lnstitutions:
a) Private Higher Education lnstitutions (PHEls) are institutions incorporated as stock
or non-stock corporations and supervised and regulated by the commission on Higher
Education, except the law program;
b) State Universities and Colleges (SUCS) are those created by special laws or
charters, governed by their respective board of regents or board of trustees, chaired
by the CHED Chairperson pursuant to RA 8292; and
Law Schools - Law Schools refer to any body of students and faculty members presided over
by a dean or a head that is engaged in legal education, whether it be part of a public or a
private higher education institution, and whether denominaled department, school, faculty,
college or institute.
Page 2 of 4
10715


SEC. 4. Establishment of the Free Legal Education in SUCs Program - There shall be
established a Free Legal Education Program for deserving students in state universities and
colleges (SUCs). All Filipino students who are either currently enrolled at the time of the
effectivity of this Act, or shall enroll at any time thereafter, in the law program to pursue Juris
Doctor degree offered in SUCs shall be exempt from paying tuition and other school fees for
units enrolled in; provided, that they pass the entrance examination and other admission and
retention requirements of the SUCs.
All SUCs with a Law Program duly registered by the Legal Education Board shall be
qualified to implement this Act to their b ona fide law students.
The SUCs shall create a mechanism to enable students with the financial capacity to
pay for their education, to voluntarily opt out of the tuition and other school fees subsidy or
make a contribution to the Higher Education lnstitution (HEl).
SEC. 5. Coverage. - The Free Legal Education shall cover the following:
(a) Tuition fees at the rate approved by the SUC governing board as of date of passage
of this Act; and
(b) Other school fees including but not limited to:
1. Fees for prescribed books, on a reimbursement basis, but not to exceed ten
thousand pesos (P10,000.00) per semester;
2. Student registration fees; and
3. Library fees.
SEC. 6. Exceptions. - The following students are ineligible to avail of the Free Legal
Education:
(a) Students who have already attained a Bachelor of Laws or a Juris Doctor degree from
any Higher Education lnstitution-
(b) Students who fail to comply with the admission and retention policies of SUCs.
(c) Students who fail to complete their Juris Doctor degree within the period prescribed in
the program.
Students' ineligible to avail ofthe Free Legal Education shall be charged the tuition and other
school frees as determined by the Board of the SUCs.
SEC.7- Harmonization with the Clinical Legal Education Program- - Pursuant to Section
5(5), Article Vlll of the 1987 Constitution, the Supreme Court is empowered to adopt and
promulgate rules through the amendment of the provisions of Rule 138-A or the Revised Law
Student Practice Rule of the Rules of Court.
The LEB shall adopt the policy on the Revised Law Student Practice Rule, ensure that
law students participate in the clinical legal education programs in all law schools, define the
scope of service to be rendered by law students in the said program, ensure access to iustice
of the marginalized sectors, enhance learning opportunities of law students, instill among them
social responsibility and awareness, and prepare them for the practice of law.
SEC.8. Harmonization with the Un|FAST Act. - Pursuant to Republic Act No. 10687, the
Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) is the existing system
to unify and harmonize all publicly-funded national government programs for Student Financial
Assistance Programs, including but not limited to Scholarships, Grants-in-Aid, and Student
Loans for Tertiary Education.
As the repository of all government-funded modalities of Student Financial Assistance
Programs for tertiary education in both public and private instittttions, the UniFAST is
mandated by law to implement the disbursement and accounting of student financial grants,
including the Free Legal Education Program, in coordination with the LEB which shall provide
validating data or information about the currently enrolled registered law students to the
LJniFAST for each semester of the Academic Year.
Page 3 of 4


sEc. 10. Penalties. - A violation of the prohibited act under the next preceding section shall
be subject to an administrative case under the jurisdiction of the LEB, and the delermination
of the appropriate administrative sanction, including but not limited to: (a) downgrading of the
government recognition; (b) phase-out of the law program; and (c) termination of the law
program.
SEC. 9. Prohrb ited Acts. - Upon effectivity of this Act, it shall be unlawful for any person,
SUC, to collect tuition and other school fees from qualified law students. Provided, that this
provision shall not apply to law students who voluntarily opt out of the subsidy during the
registration or enrollment period.
SEC. 13. lmplementing Rules and Regulations. - Within one hundred twenty (120) days
from the effectivity of thisAct, the LEB as lead, in coordination with the CHED, UnIFAST, DBITI,
Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC), Association of Local
Colleges and University (ALCU), Philippine Association of Law Schools (PALS), Association
of Law Students (ALSP), shall formulate and issue the rules and regulations to fully implement
the provisions of this Act.
SEC. 14. Separability Clause. - Should any part or provision of this Act be determined to be
unconstitutional or invalid, the other parts or provisions not affected thereby shall remain in
full force and effect.
SEC. 15. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders. rules and regulations and
other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.
Approved,
Page 4 of 4
SEC. 11. Reporiing Requirements. - All SUCs shall submit to the Un|FAST and the LEB,
within five (5) days after the last day of registration for each semester, a report detailing the
names of law students eligible for free tuition and other school fees of the institution, under
this Act.
SUCs shall submit a report to the LEB and UniFAST before the start of an academic
year the projected number of enrollees for each academic year set by the respective governing
boards of SUCs. This shall be the primary factor in computing the annual proposed budget of
SUCs and shall serve as the baseline for computation during the preparation of the annuat
National Expenditure Program (NEP) by the Department of Budget and lvlanagement (DBIU).
SEC. {2. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the implementation of this
Act shall be included in the current year's appropriation of the Un|FAST.
Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continuous implementation of the Free Legal
Education provided under this Act shall be included in the UniFAST appropriations in the
annual General Appropriations Act.
SEC. 16. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.