NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session
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24 mar 11 A10 :02
SENATE
RECEIVED BY.
2596
SENATE BILL NO.
Prepared and submitted jointly by the Committees on Higher, Technical and 
Vocational Education; Justice and Human Rights; and Finance with Senators Tuifo, 
Villanueva, Escudero, Toientino and Angara as authors thereof
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A LEGAL SCHOLARSHIP AND RETURN SERVICE PROGRAM 
FOR DESERVING STUDENTS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines ih 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Abogado Para sa
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Bayan Act".
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
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uphold the right to free access to the courts and quasi-judicial bodies and ensure
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that adequate legal assistance shall not be denied to any person by reason of
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poverty. Towards this end, and in cognizance of the constitutional directive to
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provide for preventive measures and legal aid services to the underprivileged whose
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human rights have been violated or need protection, the State shall establish a legal
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scholarship and return service program to assist deserving students pursue legal
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education who shall eventually render legal services in government offices.
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Sec. 3. Legal Scholarship and Return Service Program. -There shall be
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established a Legal Scholarship and Return Service (LSRS) Program for deserving
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students who intend to pursue a Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws degree in state
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universities and colleges (SUCs) or in partner private higher education institutions
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(HEIs) in regions where there are no SUC offering Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws


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degree. The LSRS Program shall provide the following benefits to qualified legal
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education students:
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(a) Free tuition and other school fees, including but not limited to: student
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registration fees, library fees, and publication fees;
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(b) Allowance for prescribed books and supplies;
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(c) Allowance for review fees for government-mandated bar exams; and
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(d) Allowance for licensure fees.
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Sec. 4. Qualifications and Requirements. - In order to qualify for the grant of
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scholarship under the LSRS Program, a prospective or current legal education
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student must satisfy the following requirements:
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(a) Must be a Filipino Citizen residing in the Philippines;
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(b) Must not have completed a Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor degree from
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any FIEI offering legal education;
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(c) Must be a graduating student or a graduate of an undergraduate degree
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program; and
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(d) Must have passed the entrance examination and complied with other
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requirements for admission into the Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws degree
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program offered by the SUC or private HEI where the student intends to enroll.
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Sec. 5. Conditions for the Grant of Legal Scholarship. - Qualified students
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accepted into the LSRS Program shall be subject to the following conditions:
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(a) Must sign an agreement stating the terms and conditions of the
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scholarship which shall be prescribed by the Legal Education Board (LEB);
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(b) Must carry full load of subjects prescribed per semester by the SUC or
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private FIEI concerned, and shall not, under any circumstance, drop a course which
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would result in underloading;
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(c) Must finish the Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws degree program within
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the prescribed time frame of the SUC or private FIEI where the scholar is enrolled in,
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subject to the retention policies of the SUC or private FIEI concerned: Provided, That
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a scholar who is already enrolled, may be allowed, for valid and justifiable reasons,
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to file a leave of absence;


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(d) Must take the bar examination within a maximum period of one (1) year
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after completion of the Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws degree;
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(e) Must render return service as provided under Section 7 of this Act.
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Section 6. Disqualifications. - The scholarship grant shall terminate, and the
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recipient of legal scholarship shall repay the full cost of scholarship and related
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benefits received, including all the expenses incurred during the participation in the
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LSRS program, in case of the following circumstances:
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(a) If the scholar fails to meet the academic requirements or to complete
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the course within the prescribed period without valid cause as may be determined by
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the sue or private HEI concerned;
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(b) If the scholar commits gross misconduct in a manner that would bring
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significant damage to the SUC or private HEI concerned or to the community as a
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whole.
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Sec. 7. Mandatory Return Service. - Within five (5) years from admission to
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the practice of law, a scholar shall render mandatory return service for two (2) years
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in government agencies, including, but not limited to: the Public Attorney's Office,
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National Prosecution Service, Department of Education, Department of Environment
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and Natural Resources, Department of the Interior and Local Government,
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Department of Health, Department of Justice, Department of National Defense,
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Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Courts, or in government
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agencies and instrumentalities that provide legal services to: (i) poor and
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marginalized individuals and communities, and (ii) public school teachers, public
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health workers, and military and uniformed personnel involved in cases arising from
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or in connection with the performance of their duties and functions: Provided, That
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the mandatory return service shall be separate and distinct from the Clinical Legal
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Education Program as provided under Rule 138-A of the Rules of Court: Provided,
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further. That beneficiaries of LSRS Program appointed to piantiHa positions shall
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receive the appropriate salaries, benefits and other emoluments for services
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rendered under the mandatory return service; Provided, furthermore. That
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beneficiaries of LSRS Program who, after three (3) years from admission to the
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practice of law, fails to secure appointment in government shall have the option to:


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(i) pay the full cost of scholarship and related benefits received, including all the
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expenses incurred during the participation in the LSRS Program; or (ii) undertake
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alternative compliance program to be formulated by the LEB pursuant to the
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provisions of this Act and Republic Act (RA) No. 9999, otherwise known as the Free
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Legal Assistance Act of 2010: Provided, finally, That in the application of Republic
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Act No. 9999, the allowable deduction from the gross income shall be the amount
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that could have been collected from the actual free legal services rendered or up to
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twenty percent (20%) of the gross income derived from the actual performance of
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the legal profession, whichever is lower.
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Sec. 8. Number and Allocation of Students to be Admitted in the Program. -
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Prior to the implementation of this Act and every five (5) years thereafter, the LEB
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shall, in consultation with Philippine Association of Law Schools and participating
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HEIs and upon the assessment of the shortage of legal practitioners in the public
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sector, determine the appropriate number and geographic allocation of scholars to
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be admitted in the LSRS Program.
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Sec. 9. Harmonization with the Clinical Legal Education Program. - Pursuant
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to Article VIII, Section 5, subsection 5, of the Constitution, the Legal Education
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Board shall adopt the policy on the Revised Law Student Practice Rule, ensure that
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law students participate in the clinical legal education programs in all legal education
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institutions, define the scope of service to be rendered by law students in the said
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program, contribute to access to justice of the marginalized sectors, enhance
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learning opportunities of law students, instill among them social responsibility and
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awareness, and prepare them for the practice of law.
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Section 10. Sanctions. - Any lawyer who has availed of the benefits under the
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LSRS Program but fails or refuses to comply with the mandatory return service as
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provided under this Act shall be required to pay twice the amount of scholarship,
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including other benefits received by reason of participation in the LSRS Program:
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Provided, That the penalty imposed herein shall not apply to lawyers who fail to
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comply with the required return service by reason of force majeure or not due to
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their fault or negligence.


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Sec. 11. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation of
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this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
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Sec. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from
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the effectivity of this Act, the LEB shall, in consultation with the Philippine
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Association of Law Schools, Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges
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and Commission on Higher Education, promulgate the rules and regulations to
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effectively implement the provisions of this Act.
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Sec. 13. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
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unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall
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remain in full force and effect.
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Sec. 14. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
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rules and regulations, or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of
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this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
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Sec. 15. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect immediately following its
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,