FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. NO. 2188 
Introduced by SENATOR FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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The 1987 Constitution, under Article XIV, Section 1 thereof provides: "The State 
shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality educati9n at all levels and 
shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all." 
Pursuant to this mandate, the State's primordial concern is to provide every 
citizen high quality standard of education. 
Through the years, a great number of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) 
have proliferated, especially in the countryside. To date, there are already 110 existing 
State Universities and Colleges in the country. And it is expected that that there will still 
be a great number of proposals creating SUCs that would await the approval of 
Congress. 
In a report of the GMA News Research posted on December 1, 2006, it states 
that "in 15 years, the number of SUCs in the country increased by 160 percent-from 
138 main and satellite campuses in 1990 to 364" in 2005. 
The unfortunate reality, however, is that the quantity of SUCs does not guarantee 
quality education. 
The unregulated propagation of SUCs is not matched with the 
corresponding increase in the budget for these institutions, thereby diminishing the 
quality of service that these academic institutions should be known for. 
Through the years, there is a downward trend in the budgetary allocation for the 
SUCs in the country. In 2010 alone, P22.4 Billion has been allotted for SUCs' funds. 
This amount is not sufficient to subsidize each of the 110 SUCs. The budgetary funding 
for each SUC, therefore, decreases, as the number of these institutions steadily 
increases. 
There is, therefore, an imperative need to assess the situation. 
The policy on imposing moratorium on the creation / conversion of SUCs is not 
entirely new. 
On October 7, 1999, former President Joseph E. Estrada issued a Memorandum 
addressed to the CHED reiterating its administration policy "not in any way support the 
creation of new state universities and colleges and the conversion/upgrading of existing 
state colleges into universities". 
Unfortunately, despite this policy recommendation for the moratorium, the 
creation and/or conversion of SUCs persisted. Records show that despite the above 
cited 1999 moratorium, 145 main and satellite campuses were created. In 2005, 37 of 
42 SUC bills were approved by the House Committee on Higher and Technical 
Education and favorably commented on by the Committee on Appropriations for the 
bills' funding proviSions and the Committee on Ways and Means for tax exemptions. 
(GMA News Research posted on December 1, 2006). 


The bottom line of it all is that the whole process of creation and/or conversion of 
SUCs has become so politicized, that in the end, lawmakers have sometimes 
completely disregarded the CHED guidelines for high standards of educational system, 
just to provide SUCs in their respective congressional district. 
The basic questions that should be resolved now are: 
Are the SUCs really 
providing quality education for our students? 
Is the Philippine educational system, 
through the SUCs, competitive enough to meet the challenges of the global educational 
environment? 
Is the National Government allocating enough money to fund the 
budgetary needs of all the SUCs in the country? Until we provide the answers to these 
queries, there must be a suspension or moratorium in the creation and/or conversion of 
SUCs. 
This bill proposes a moratorium on the creation of new State Universities and 
Colleges, and conversion or upgrading of existing State Colleges into Universities, 
within three (3) years from the effectivity of this Act. This will provide Congress and the 
CHED reasonable time to assess, monitor and upgrade the educational system of 
higher education that would truly meet the challenges of the changing times. 
In view of thereof, the passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
") 
FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR 


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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC 'OF THE PHILIPPINES) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
SENATE BILL No.218B 
Introduced by Senator FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR. 
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AN ACT IMPOSING A THREE-YEAR MORATORIUM ON THE CREATION OF NEW 
STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES AND CONVERSION OR UPGRADING OF 
EXISTING STATE COLLEGES INTO STATE UNIVERSITIES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress Assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title - This Act shall be known as "Moratorium on the Creation or 
Conversion of State Universities and Colleges Act of 201 0". 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Basic Policy- It is the policy of the State to give 
utmost importance to quality education that is accessible to all Filipinos. The State shall 
likewise provide an integrated system of education that is relevant to the needs of the 
people, and the changing times. 
SECTION 3. Coverage - The moratorium mandated by this Act shall cover all 
existing public higher education Institutions and State Colleges all over the country. 
SECTION 4. Moratorium on the Creation of State Universities. 
There shall 
be a moratorium or suspension on the creation of new State Universities and Colleges, 
and conversion or upgrading of existing State Colleges into Universities, for a period of 
three (3) years from the effectivity of this Act. 
SECTION 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. 
The Commission on 
Higher Education (CHEO) is hereby tasked to draft the implementing rules and 
regulations of this Act within sixty (60) days following its complete publication. 
SECTION 6. Repealing Clause -
All laws, presidential decrees, executive 
orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions 
of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall be 
held unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions hereof which are not affected shall 
continue to be in full force and effect. 
SECTION 8. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication to two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,