Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 9?

Introduced by REP. TEDDY BRAWNER BAGUILAT

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The 1987 Philippine Constitution provides under Article II Section 17 that “The State shall
give priority to education...” While it also provides under Article IT Section 22 that “The
State recognizes and promotes the rights of indigenous cultural communities within the
framework of national unity and development.” Giving life life to these provisions, this
Representation legislates for an educational program meant to grant substantive equality for
Indigenous Peoples (IP).

Ensuring that the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) is given a fixed
budget solely for its scholarship program while mandating State Universities and Colleges
(SUCS) to grant scholarships uplifts the oft-neglected right to education of Indigenous
Peoples.

On one hand, a fixed NCIP budget allocation makes the budgetary needs of the IP
education program independent of other budgetary concems of the Commission. While on
the other hand, the mandatory scholarship grants of SUCs multiply the scholarship as IPs
are now guaranteed that they will have available slots.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this Bill is earnestly sought.

TEDDY SRAWNER BAGUI
Represepttive — Lone District of Ifugao


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

OF
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by REP. TEDDY BRAWNER BAGUILAT

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Section 1. There shall be established, under the direct supervision of the National
Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), a nationwide scholarship program for
indigenous peoples to be known as the “Indigenous Peoples Scholarship Program.”

Section 2. Definition of Terms - As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean the
following:

@) “Commission” refers to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)

(&) "Indigenous Peoples (IPs) or Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs)" shall, as
provided under Section 3 (h) of Chapter II of RA No. 8371 or the "Indigenous People's
Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997", refer to a group of people or homogenous societies identified
by self-ascription by others, who have continuously lived as an organized community on
communally-bounded and defined territory, and who have, under claims of ownership since
time immemorial, occupied, possessed and utilized such territories, sharing common bonds
of language, customs, traditions, and other distinctive cultural traits, or who have, through
resistance to political, social, and cultural inroads of colonization, non-indigenous religions
and cultures, became historically differentiated from the majority of Filipinos. ICCs/IPs shall
likewise include peoples who are regarded as indigenous on account of their descent from
the populations which inhabited the country, at the time of conquest or colonization, or at
the time of inroads of non-indigenous religions and cultures, or the establishment of present
state boundaries, who retain some or all of their own social, economic, cultural and political
institutions, but who may have been displaced from their traditional domains or who may
have resettled outside their ancestral domains;

Section 3. Duty of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) - The
Commission ig mandated to promulgate rules and regulations for an effective nationwide
scholarship program for Indigenous Peoples.

Section 4, Mandatory Scholarships in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) — State
Universities and Colleges are mandated to grant scholarships to indigenous peoples


equivalent to 3% of its total student population.

Section 5. Rules and Regulations — State Universities and Colleges shall promulgate the
necessary rules and regulations to govern the effective implementation of their scholarship
program in consultation with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.

Section 6. Appropriations - The amount of Two Hundred Million Pesos
(P200,000,000.00) shall be divided among the State Universities and Colleges depending on
the number of IP scholars in the University or College. In addition, the NCIP shall also
receive One Hundred Fifty Million Pesos (P150,000,000.00) for the Commission’s
Scholarship Program. Funding for the Indigenous Peoples Scholarship Program shall be
charged against the savings in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) in the year of its
implementation. ‘Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary shall be included in the yearly
General Appropriations Act. This appropriation may be increased in subsequent years if
necessary.

Section 7. Effectivity — ‘This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,