EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
II n il
of ll;c i'rc rrtflip
'19 
AUG 27 
P 5 « 2
S. No.
S E N A T E
967
R E C L / . C  o . :
h
-
In tro d u ce d  by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
CREATING AND 
ESTABLISHING THE 
INSTITUTE 
FOR STRATEGIC 
STUDIES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Asia Pacific is in a trajectory of imploring economic dynamism, 
integration, and competitiveness worldwide. Major economies like China and India 
are constantly on the rise, and growing markets like Singapore, South Korea, 
Taiwan are also rapidly growing economically. Southeast Asian countries are also 
joining forces for economic integration.
Tensions in the South China Sea are starting to escalate. Tracing decades- 
long conflict amongst states in the East Asian region, this conflict represents 
myriad of strategic interests competing in the region. Such interests have grown 
from the mere national interest of states in defending their sovereignty claims to 
securing an economic future through access to energy resources and trade routes. 
The problem has become even more complex with the rebalance of the United 
States in Asia in the light of a growing Chinese power.
Domestically, the Philippines is beset by continuing insurgencies. These 
threaten peace and political stability of the country.


To promote understanding of fundamental, current and emerging domestic 
and international issues, this bill seeks to create and establish the Institute for 
Strategic Studies. The creation of this organization will assist the government in 
formulating policy and strategic perspectives and shall conduct research on 
pressing issues on national and international concerns.
In view of the foregoing considerations, early passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought.
RAMOTjKBONG REVILLA, 3R.


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S. No.
S E N A T E
967
v 
oC tiK » i  t r f t a r r
•19 
AUG 27 
P 5 « 2
RECci < - D E.
In tro d u ce d  by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
CREATING AND ESTABLISHING THE INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House o f Representative o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. -  This Act shall be known as the "Institute for Strategic
2 
Stud ies Act of 2019."
3 
Sec. 2. Establishment o f the Institute for Strategic Studies (ISS). -  The Institute
4 
for Strategic Studies, hereinafter referred to as the Organization is hereby created and
5 
established as an institution to promote understanding of fundamental, current and
6 
emerging domestic and international issues and to assist the government in
7 
formulating policy and strategic perspectives on those issues. It shall conduct research
8 
on fundamental national concerns in response to or in anticipation of the needs of
9 
policy-making, conduct studies on matters of domestic and international political,
10 
economic, 
military, 
socio-cultural 
and 
techno-scientific 
significance 
in 
an
11 
interdisciplinary and integrative manner; identify strategies to serve the ends of policy,
12 
design programs to effect coordinated and integrated work of other research institutes
13 
engaged in strategic studies, undertake commissioned research work in collaboration
14 
with outside entities/ institutions consistent with its mandate; build and maintain a
15 
resource facility and data bank; and carry out such other activities and projects as
16 
shall enhance the mission of the organization.


1 
Sec. 3. Powers o f the Organization. -  The Organization shall have the following
2 
powers:
3 
a) Adopt, alter and use a corporate seal;
4 
b) Take and hold by bequest, devise, gift, purchase or lease, either and
5 
absolutely or in trust, for any of its purposes, any property, real or personal,
6 
without limitation as to amount or value, to convey such property and to
7 
invest and reinvest any principal of the said Organization in such manner as
8 
shall best promote its objectives;
9 
c) Collect, receive and maintain a fund or funds and to apply the income and
10 
principal thereof to the promotion of its aims and purposes hereinbefore set
11 
out;
12 
d) Contact any obligation or enter into any agreement necessary or incidental
13 
to the proper management of its corporate powers;
14 
e) Engage in any activity, and exercise all the powers conferred by the laws
15 
upon private or government-owned and controlled corporations; and
16 
f) Exercise the general powers of a duly incorporated entity as set out in the
17 
corporate code.
18 
Sec. 4. The Board o f Trustees. -  The Organization shall be organized
19 
functionally with the following components:
20 
1. There shall be a Board of Trustees composed of the Executive Secretary,
21 
Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Secretary of
22 
Foreign Affairs, Secretary of National Defense, Secretary of Science and
23 
Technology, President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
24 
an eminent representative form the private sector to be appointed by the
25 
President of the Republic of the Philippines and the President of the
26 
Organization;
27 
2. The Trustees shall elect from among themselves the Chairman and Vice
28 
Chairman of the Board;
29 
3. The Board of Trustees coming from the private sector may create an
30 
executive committee of five trustees including its Chairperson, which shall
31 
have the authority to make decisions on behalf of the Board of Trustees in


1 
between the regular meetings of the said board. The Chair of the Board
2 
shall head the executive committee. Decisions of the Executive Committee
3 
shall be reported to the Board of Trustees at its meeting.
4 
4. The trustees shall receive a per diem as may be authorized for every
5 
meeting actually attended, in addition to reasonable transportation and
6 
representation expenses.
7 
5. The Board shall provide guidance to the Policy Council on the thrusts,
8 
objectives, policies, research, agenda, programs and other activities of the
9 
organization.
10 
Sec. 5. PoHq ' Council. -  There shall be a Policy Council, composed of an
11 
Executive Director and five others as Members, all of v\/hom shall be appointed by the
12 
President of Republic of the Philippines from among the present members of the
13 
Strategic Studies Group of the National Defense College of the Philippines, as presently
14 
constituted, for a term of six (6) years. The Council shall have the following authority:
15 
1. To formulate the thrusts, objectives, policies, research agenda, programs
16 
and other activities;
17 
2. To oversee, monitor and evaluate all research work and studies;
18 
3. To designate Research Fellows with notable scholarship to do and/or direct
19 
research work and strategic studies in various functional area program of
20 
the organization that are relevant to their areas of expertise;
21 
4. To determine and fill up other positions in the Organization and fix the
22 
salaries, honoraria, allowance, and other emoluments of all organizations
23 
Sec. 6. Autonomy and Academic Freedom o f the Organization. -  The
24 
Organization shall be an autonomous and self-governing institution governed by the
25 
principle of academic freedom; it shall neither be organic nor be part of any
26 
government instrumentality. It shall be attached to the Office of the President to
27 
facilitate its budgetary and other administrative requirements and for the purpose of
28 
policy coordination.
29 
Sec. 7. Assistance from Government Departments and Agencies. -  To assist
30 
in its functions, government departments, agencies, units or instrumentalities shall


1 
allow the Organization access to their official files, records, data and other documents,
2 
provided such access is consistent with the requirements of confidentiality.
3 
Sec. 8. Exemptions. -  Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary,
4 
appointments to the research and administrative staff of the Organization may be on
5 
a full-time basis and shall be exempt from the requirements and restrictions of the
6 
Civil Service and retirement laws, other laws, rules and regulations on position-
7 
classification and salary standardization and Section Two Hundred Fifty Nine (259) of
8 
the Revised Administrative Code; Provided, that any government retiree employed in
9 
the Organization shall not be required to reimburse or refund any gratuity received
10 
from the government nor shall any pension or annuity to which he is entitled be
11 
suspended or reduced on account of his employment in the Organization.
12 
Sec. 9. Services o f Outside Agencies and o f Private Sector- The Organization
13 
may, for the purpose of research, field work and other activities, obtain and pay for
14 
the services of the personnel of any agency of the Philippine Government and/or
15 
private sector to perform research of field work and such other activities as may be
16 
needed.
17 
Sec. 10. Endowment Fund. -
18 
1. An Endowment Fund shall be created to provide for non-recurring
19 
expenditures of the Organization. For this purpose, the amount of Five
20 
Hundred Million Pesos (P500,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated form any
21 
funds in the National Treasury. The Endowment Fund shall be administered
22 
as a trust fund with the Board of Trustees thereof, provided that the
23 
principal of said endowment shall not be subject to impairment and
24 
provided further that the earnings thereof, shall constitute a trust fund
25 
available for non-recurring and unprogrammed expenditures of the
26 
Organization.
27 
2. Any or all savings of the Organization shall form part of the trust funds
28 
provided in Section 9, above.
29 
Sec. 11. Appropriation -  There is hereby appropriated the amount of five
30 
hundred million pesos (P500,000,000.00) out of any unappropriated funds in the


1 
National Treasury for such initial requirements as capital outlay and infrastructure of
2 
the Organization. Thereafter, the Congress of the Philippines shall include as part of
3 
its 
budgetary 
appropriations 
the 
amount 
of 
at 
least 
fifty 
million 
pesos
4 
(P50,000,000.00) to finance the recurring and operational expenditures of the
5 
Organization.
6 
Sec. 12. Repealing Clause. -  All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
7 
proclamations, rules and regulations which are inconsistent with the provisions of this
8 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
9 
Sec. 13. Separability Clause. -  If, for any reason, any section or provision of
10 
this Act shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, the other section or provision, not
11 
otherwise affected shall remain valid.
12 
Sec. 14. Effectivity Clause. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from
13 
its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
14 
circulation.
15
16
Approved,