Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 6577

{In substitution of House Bills 5186 and 6262 and Privilege Speech 282)

Introduced by: SIGFRIDO R. TINGA, REPS. JUAN EDGARDO “SONNY” M. ANGARA,
RODOLFO G. BIAZON, RAYMOND V. PALATINO, MARIANO U. PIAMONTE and PRYDE
HENRY A. TEVES

AN ACT

GRANTING FREE COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS TO GRADUATING HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENTS, HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES, COLLEGE ENTRANTS OR
TRANSFEREES APPLYING FOR ADMISSION IN STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES
AND LOCAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND TO UNDERPRIVILEGED PUBLIC HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENTS BELONGING TO THE TOP TEN PERCENT (10%) OF THE
GRADUATING CLASS APPLYING FOR ADMISSION IN PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONS

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Free College Entrance Examination
Act”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the State to expand and
further democratize access to’ quality education at the college level by instituting mechanisms
that protect the rights of underprivileged but bright and deserving high schoo! graduates.

The exemption from the imposition of entrance examination fees is one such mechanism
that will ensure that underprivileged, but bright and deserving high school graduates, are given
adequate assistance and equal opportunity to pursue their dreams of obtaining @ college
education.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. For Purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean,

a) College Entrance Examinations — shall refer to examinations required by higher
education institutions on 7raduating high school students or high school graduates as
one of the criteria for d — ....ing-admission to a four-year or five-year college degree
program in the said educational institutions:


) Underpnvileged Public High School Graduates — shall refer to public high school

I

2 students who belong to the top ten percent (10%) of the graduating class and whose

3 Parents live below the poverty line or belong to the poorest of the poor, as determined by

4 the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the National Household
Be Targeting System of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD);

i ¢) Higher Education Institution (HEI) - shall refer to an educational institution that is legally

7 authorized to offer a program of education leading to the conferment of a degree.

§ SEC. 4. Coverage. All state universities and colleges (SUCs) and local colleges and

4 universities (LCUs) offering degree-granting programs are hereby required to provide free

jo college entrance examinations to graduating high school students, high school graduates,

J] college entrants and transferees who are applying for college admission

2 All private colleges, universities or institutions of higher education or degree-granting

{3° programs are hereby required to provide free entrance examinations to underprivileged public
14. high schoo! students belonging to the top ten percent of the graduating class and who are
{5 applying for college admission.

|e SEC. 5. Qualification Requirements for Free College Entrance Examination Beneficiaries
11 in SUCS and LCUs. To be eligible to take the free college entrance examination in an SUC or
/% LCU, an applicant must be a natural-born Filipino citizen and a graduating high school student
[4 orhigh school graduate, college entrant or transferee and intends to enroll in any public HEI

3° SEC. 6. Qualification Requirements for Free College Entrance Examination Beneficiaries
oll in Private HEls: To be eligible to take the free college entrance examination in a private HEI,
22 an appficant must:

23 a) be anatural-born Filipino citizen;
24 b) be enrolled in or have graduated from a public high school; and

25 c) belong to the top ten percent of the graduating class as certified by the public school

ob and the Department of Education (DepED): Provided, however, that the applicant's
a7 parents or guardians live below the poverty line as determined by the NEDA and the
oe Dswo.

24 SEC. 7. Penalties. Any HE! official or employee and other concemed individuals found guilty of
30 violating the provisions of this Act shall suffer the penalty of prision correccional or imprisonment
<3] from six (6) months and one (1) day to six (6) years and a fine of Seven Hundred Fifty
32 ‘Thousand Pesos (P750,000.00),

a3 In addition, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) may impose disciplinary
34 sangtions against any HEI official or employee violating the provisions of this Act pursuant to
35 Section 8 of Republic Act No. 722, otherwise known as the Higher Education Modemization
3b Act of 1994


FACT SHEET

Substitute Bill to House Bill Nos. 5186 & 6262 & Privilege Speech No. 282

(Approved by the Committee on Higher and Technical Education
on July 31, 2012)

AN ACT

PROVIDING FOR FREE COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS TO
GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES,
COLLEGE ENTRANTS OR TRANSFEREES APPLYING FOR ADMISSION IN
STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES AND LOCAL COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES AND TO UNDERPRIVILEGED PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS BELONGING TO THE TOP TEN PERCENT (10%) OF THE
GRADUATING CLASS

Introduced by: REPS. SIGFRIDO TINGA, JUAN EDGARDO M. ANGARA,
RODOLFO G. BIAZON, RAYMOND V. PALATINO, MARIANO U. PIAMONTE

AND PRYDE HENRY A. TEVES

Committee Referral: COMMITTEE ON HIGHER AND TECHNICAL
EDUCATION

Committee Chairperson: REP. JUAN EDGARDO M. ANGARA

OBJECTIVE:

noving the first hindrance at

To widen access to higher education by
7 entrance examinations

the entry level, which

SALIENT FEATURES:

Requires all state universities and colleges (SUCs) and local colleges
and universities (LCUs) to prov college entrance examinations to
graduating high school students, high school graduates, college entrants

or transferees

Requires all private higher education institutions (HEIs) to provide free
college entrance examinations to underprivileged high school graduates
belonging to the top ten percent of the graduating class

ciaries of free college

's Of ber

Provides for the qualification reaui
entrance exams

provision of the law

Provides for penalties for viol

RELATED LAW:

Republic ACT 7722 Higher Education Act of 1994


SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The CHED, in coordination with the DepED,
Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC), the Coordinating Council of
Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA), and the Association of Loca! Colieges and
Universities (ALCU), shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective
implementation of this Act.

Cag oe

SEC. 9. Separability Clause. \f any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid,
the other sections or provisions not otherwise affected shall continue to be in full force and
effect

SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. All laws, executive orders, decrees, instructions, rules and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with any provision of this Act are hereby amended,
repealed or modified accordingly

== SS
Sd 8

J&_ SEC. 11. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
/ Dihe Official Gazette.

Approved,