FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
SENAT»O· 
S. No. _---'~"_"'--
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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Quality education is expensive and not everybody can afford it. It is a sad reality that 
although education is accessible to most students since we are provided with state schools and 
universities, this cheap alternative comes with the cost of a poor education system. 
This bill seeks to establish a grant program for certain pat-time, independent students, 
and to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state agencies and institutions of higher 
education, in order for quality education to be affordable for everybody.! 
1 Thls bill was originally filed in the Thirteenth Congress, Third Regular Session. 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
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TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO P ART-TIME AND INDEPENDENT STUDENTS 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
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Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Part-Time, Independent 
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Students Grant Act." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
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provide a quality education for all and establish a grant program to foster the pursuit of 
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postsecondary education by part-time, independent students who have financial need. 
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms - As used in this section, the term -
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(1) "Commission" means the Commission of Higher Education (CHED) of the 
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Philippines. 
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(2) "Financial Need" means need as determined by the institution based upon a need 
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analysis standard established by the commission. Such standard shall take into consideration the 
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student's current annual income and exclude his or her home equity. 
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(3) "Independent student" refers to a student who finances higher education expenses on 
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his/her own, without any financial assistance from anybody, including family. 
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(4) "Pali-time" means not less than 3 semester hours and not more than 11 semester 
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hours per semester, or the equivalent for a quarter or term. 
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SECTION 4. Eligibility to Participate in a Grant Program. - A person is eligible to 
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participate in the grant program ifhe or she meets all of the following: 
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(a) Is a part-time student. 
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(h) Is an independent student. 
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(c) Has obtained a high school diploma for at least the 2 preceding years. 
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(d) Is enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an undergradnate program of not less than 9 
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months duration leading to a college degree, in an educational institution that is approved and 
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sanctioned by CHED. 
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(e) Has resided continuously in the Philippines for the immediately preceding 12 months 
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and is not considered a resident of any other country. 
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(f) Has good moral character and has not been convicted of any crime involving moral 
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turpitude; 
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(g) Has complied with this act and the rules promulgated under this act by the 
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commission. 
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(h) Is a Filipino citizen or permanent resident of the Philippines. 
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(i) Is not enrolled in an institution whose primary purpose is to prepare students for 
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ordination or appointment as a member of the clergy of a church, denomination, or religious 
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association, order, or sect. 
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(j) Is not in default on a loan guaranteed by the commission or any government entity or 
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agency. 
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(k) Is shown by the school to be making satisfactory academic progress. 
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SECTION 5. Total Amount Granted to Educational Institutions; Use of Funds. - The 
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total of the amount granted to an educational institution shall be proportionate to the number of 
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needy independent students eligible for this program enrolled at the institution for the most 
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recent year for which statistics are available. Funds provided to eligible schools shall be used for 
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awards to students, not for administration of the program. 
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SECTION 6. Maximum Grant to Eligible Student; Priority; Effect of Other Scholarships 
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or Grant Awards. -
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(1) Upon application of an eligible student, an educational institution shall grant to the 
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student an amount of not more than PhP 30,000.00 per academic year for not more than a 12-
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month period at any given educational institution. 
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(2) If the number of eligible applicants exceeds the money available, priority shall be 
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given to persons with the greatest financial need as determined by each educational institution. 
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(3) A student who receives a state university scholarship award or who receives other 
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scholarships or grant awards, may be eligible for funds under this act if the total amount of the 
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student's scholarships and grants is less than the student's financial need. A student's scholarship 
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and grant awards may be increased with funds from the program under this act up to the level of 
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the maximum grant as provided in subsection (1). 
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SECTION 7. Gifts, Grants, Bequests, Donations, and Devises: Acceptance Authorized; 
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Annual Report. - The commission may accept gifts, grants, bequests, donations, and devises, 
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from whatever sources, of real, personal, or mixed property and money for the purposes 
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described in this act. The commission shall prepare an annual report of all gifts, grants, bequests, 
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donations, and devises for the governor and the legislature. 
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SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or is inconsistent 
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with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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