FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.1'I0. 170 
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Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article XIV Section lof the Constitution provides that the State shall protect and promote the 
right of all citizens to quality education at all levels, and shall take appropriate steps to make 
such education accessible to all. However, recent data prove contrary to this policy. 
Out of the six million students who were able to enter high school, only 2.4 million or 60 percent 
entered college in 2002-2004. While graduation rate among high school students was pegged at 
90.62 percent in that year, cohort survival rate from I st year to 4th year college was only 63.88 
percent. Completion rate was even lower - only 58.62 percent. J Moreover, in June 2004, the 
Wallace report pegged college dropout rate at a staggering all-time high of 73 percent. The 
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) National 
Commission of the Philippines, on the other hand, reported a measly 22 percent overall student 
survival from I st to 4th year college.2 
The continuing increase in the cost oftertiary education, inadequate government expenditure on 
education, continuous surge in oil and food prices compounded by the looming economic 
recession will only seek to exacerbate this alarming statistics unless firm political will is 
exercised and appropriate state intervention is put in place. In this light, this measure seeks to 
provide scholastically deserving graduates of public and state-supported highschools the 
opportunity to enjoy their right to higher education and subsequently, a better quality oflife. It is 
hoped that the passage of this measure shall see more poor but deserving high school graduates, 
who view high school as a dead end, having access to higher education. 
In view ofthe foregoing, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought. 
=\~\~ 
A~I~ 
"SONNY" F. TRILLANES IV 
Senator 
I Information retrieved from: http://www.bulatlat.com/news/5-9/5-9-graduationprinter.htm\. Retrieved on 5 
FelJruary 2009. 
2 
Information retrieved from: 
http://www.gmanews.tv/storSrl99862/High-tuition-has-forced-many-to-abandon-
college-dreams. Retrieved on 5 February 2009. 
1 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. NO. 170 
" 
Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
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GRANTING COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP TO STUDENTS WHO GRADUATED AS 
VALEDICTORIANS 
AND 
SALUTATORIANS 
}<'ROM 
PUBLIC AND 
STATE-
SUPPORTED HlGHSCHOOLS IN THE PHILIPPINES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SEC. 1. Declaration oj Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to establish 
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and maintain a system of scholarship grants, student loan programs, subsidies, and other 
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incentives which shall be available to deserving students in public schools, especially to the 
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underprivileged. Toward this end, the State shall provide financial support or assistance to 
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qualified honor graduates from public and state-supported secondary schools in the country. 
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SEC. 2. Coverage. - All state colleges and universities under the governance of the 
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Commission on Higher Education (hereinafter referred to as CHED) are hereby mandated io 
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grant four or five-year college scholarship, depending on the degree program, to the top two 
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graduates or the graduates who garnered the top two highest overall grade average from the 
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public and private secondary day and night schools in the country. These graduates could be 
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honored as the valedictorian, salutatorian, or first, second as the case may be. 
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The qualified scholar shall be entitled to avail of a two (2) or three (3) year 
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TechnicalN ocational course or any four or five-year degree course in any educational institution 
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of his/her choice. 
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SEC. 3. Qualifications. - To qualify for the aforementioned scholarship program, 
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hereinafter referred to as the Program, the graduate must: 
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a. be citizens of the Philippines, whose parents (natural or adoptive)1 or legal guardians 
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are residents and registered voters of the country; and 
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b. have graduated from any public or state-supported secondary school of the country. 
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SEC. 4. Benefits. - The national government shall grant the qualified applicant the 
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fo 110 wing benefits: 
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a. 
Tuition and other fees. - The graduates who earned the highest and second 
highest grade average (Valedictorian, Salutatorian) of each of night and day classes are 
entitled to receive a scholarship equivalent to a full tuition and other fees; 
b. 
Food Allowance - The qualified applicants shall receive Five Hundred Pesos 
(PhP500.00) per month for 10 months in a year for food; 
c. 
Transportation allowance. - The qualified applicants shall receive an allowance 
of Five Hundred Pesos (PhP500.00) per month for 10 months in a year for transportation. 
d. 
Book Allowance - The qualified applicants shall receive Five Hundred Pesos 
(PhP500.00) per semester or One Thousand Pesos (PI,OOO.OO) per year of books; 
e. 
Clothing allowance - The qualified applicant shall receive Five Hundred Pesos 
(PhP500.00)/year for uniform allowance. 
SEC. 5. Rights of Scholars. -
Subject to the limitations prescribed by laws and 
regulations, the scholar shall enjoy the following rights: 
a. 
The right to freely choose their field of study subject to existing curricula and to 
continue their course therein up to graduation, except in cases of academic deficiency, or 
violation of disciplinary regulations; 
b. 
The right to shift to alternative field of study, provided, however, the government, 
will pay only the remaining years ofhis/her scholarship. 
c. 
The right to make decisions and selecting alternative scholarship programs other 
than that of the government, Provided, however, That the scholar should not enjoy two 
scho larships at one time. 
d. 
That if the beneficiary has availed of any government scholarship program other 
than the Program, s/he is only entitled to receive Food Allowance, Transportation 
Allowance, Book Allowance, and Clothing Allowance. 
SEC. 6. Render of Service - Whenever the State deems it necessary to employ the 
professional service of a graduate-beneficiary of the Program, he/she shall make him/herself 
available for the public service to perform a duty and discharge a function subject, however, to 
the following conditions: 
a. 
a. 
b. 
S/He shall be justifiably compensated in accordance with the law; 
The service to be rendered is related to his/her qualifications and skill; and 
In no way s/he can be required to render service for more than two (2) years 
without herlhis consent and approval. 
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SEC. 7. Funding. - The amount necessary for the effective implementation of this Act 
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shall be charged to the appropriations for the CHED under the current General Appropriations 
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Act (GAA). Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this 
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Act shall be included in the armual GAA. 
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SEC. 8. Implementing Rules. - The Commissioner of CHED shall issue the pertinent 
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rules with regard to this Act, including but not limited to the application for, termination of, 
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suspension and lifting of suspension ofthe Program. 
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SEC. 9. 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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SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, 
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letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent with, the 
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provisions ofthis Act, is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SEC. 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
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circulation. 
Approved, 
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