Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Philippines

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 6128

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ALFRED VARGAS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The life of a soldier or a police officer is one of uncertainty. These
uniformed and law enforcement personnel put their lives on the line not only to
provide for the needs of their loved ones but more importantly, to fulfill their
sworn duty to protect the Filipino people and uphold peace in the country. But in
the event of their death, who takes care of their family?

Thus, to honor the sacrifices of our uniformed personnel, the State must
ensure to secure a bright future for the families they left behind.

This bill seeks to extend full scholarship to the children and other
dependents of any personnel of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of
the Philippines, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and
Penology, Philippine Coast Guard, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of
Corrections, and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency killed or permanently
incapacitated while in the line of duty.

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

LFRED VARGAS:


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Philippines

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 6128

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT

GRANTING EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS TO THE DEPENDENTS OF
ALL MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES (AFP), PHILIPPINE
NATIONAL POLICE (PNP), BUREAU OF FIRE PROTECTION (BFP), BUREAU OF
JAIL MANAGEMENT AND PENOLOGY (BJMP), NATIONAL BUREAU OF
INVESTIGATION (NBI), PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY (PDEA),
PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD (PCG) AND BUREAU OF CORRECTION (BUCOR) WHO
ARE KILLED OR PERMANENTLY INCAPACITATED WHILE IN THE PERFORMANCE
OF THEIR DUTY OR BY REASON OF THEIR OFFICE OR POSITION

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Uniformed and Law
Enforcement Personnel Educational Assistance and Benefits Act of 2017”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared policy of the State
to recognize the vital role of the members of the Armed force of the Philippines (AFP),
Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail
Management and Penology (BJMP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine
Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Bureau of
Corrections (BUCOR) in the maintenance of peace and public order in our country and
to ensure that the dependents of those who are killed in action or are permanently
incapacitated while in the performance of their duty or by reason of their office or
position are provided with educational assistance and benefits.

SECTION 3. Permanent incapacity Definition. - Permanent Incapacity shall
refer to physical or mental ill-health or infirmity which is: (i) permanent, (ii) prevents
amember from pursuing his or her normal employment, and (iii) seriously impairs his
or her earning capacity.

SECTION 4. Grant of Educational Assistance and Benefits. - All the
surviving children of the members of the AFP, PNP, BFP, BJMP, NBI, PDEA, PCG and
BUCOR who are killed or permanently incapacitated while in the performance of their
duty or by reason of their office or position shall automatically and without
qualification be extended full scholarship from kindergarten to tertiary level whether
baccalaureate, formal or non-formal education or training program in a non-exclusive
school or institution; Provided, that the surviving spouse if he or she so desires may
also avail of the benefit; Provided further, that, if the deceased or disabled personnel
is single, his or her qualified dependent siblings may also avail of this benefit. The



scholarship privilege shall include, but shall not be limited to, payment of tuition and
miscellaneous fees, allowance for books and school supplies and allowance for food
and transportation.

SECTION 5. Uniformed and Law Enforcement Personnel Scholarship
Board. - The scholarship funds collected hereunder shall be managed and
administered in accordance with the policies formulated by an inter-agency
scholarship board to be known as the Uniformed and Law Enforcement Personnel
Scholarship Board, which shall be created and formally organized within thirty (30)
days from the effectivity of this Act. The Board shall be composed of the Secretary of
the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Secretary of Justice, the
Secretary of Transportation and Secretary of the Department of National Defense, or
their alternatives, as Co-chairmen and one (1) member each to represent the AFP, PNP,
BFP, BJMP, NBI, PDEA, PCG and BUCOR.

The Board shall serve as the policy making body vested with the authority to
come-up with the mechanics, scope and limitations, and requirements for scholarship
program pursuant to the objectives of this Act. The Board shall, however, delegate the
responsibility to implement the screening, admission, qualification, disqualification
and other scholarship-related availment processes to the respective scholarship
bodies of the AFP, PNP, BFP, BJMP, NBI, PDEA, PCG and BUCOR, in accordance with the
guidelines to be prescribed by the Board. If the agency concerned does not have an
existing scholarship board or body, the head of agency is authorized to create such
board or body or to delegate its function to an existing bureau, division or office which
could concurrently perform such functions.

SECTION 6. Authority to accept donations: Tax Exemption. - The
Uniformed and Law Enforcement Scholarship Board and the respective board or
bodies of the concerned agencies shall have the authority to accept donations,
contributions, grants in cash or in kind, from appropriate sources, domestic or foreign.
Said donations shall be used exclusively to complement the funding requirements of
the scholarship program subject to the existing government accounting and auditing
rules and regulations; Provided, That: any donation contribution or financial aid which
may be made to the Board and to respective board of bodies of the concerned agencies
shall be exempt from taxes of any kind and shall constitute allowable deductions in full
from the income of the donors, contributors or givers for income tax purposes.
Furthermore, the Board and to the respective board or bodies of the concerned
agencies are authorized to invest so much of the idle funds as may be necessary for the
purpose of generating additional revenue for the benefit of the scholarship program
subject to the guidelines as may be prescribed by the board.

SECTION 7. Funding of Educational Assistance and Benefits. - The amounts
necessary to fund the educational assistance and benefits for the surviving children of
the deceased or permanently incapacitated Uniformed and Law Enforcement
Personnel provided under this Act shall be separately sourced and utilized, as follows:

A. For PNP, license fees collected from the PNP firearms, and explosive office;

B. For AFP, prevailing funds exclusively allocated for scholarship including
applicable grants and donations and other service income;

C. For BFP, subsidy income from the National Government;

D. For PCG, collection from permits and licenses fees, fines and penalties,
service income, and other general income; and


E. For NBI, income from government services, particularly new clearance
fees, including miscellaneous income.

For PDEA, BJMP and BUCOR, the amounts necessary for the educational
assistance and benefits shall be included in their respective budgets under the annual
General Appropriation Act.

The concerned agencies may also determine or generate additional sources of
funds for the continuity of their scholarship assistance programs under this Act.

SECTION 8. Appropriations. - Any shortfall in the amount necessary to fund
the educational assistance and benefits specified above shall be included in the
respective annual budgets of the AFP, PNP, BFP, NBI, and PCG to be enacted as part of
the annual General Appropriations Act; Provided, That any deficiencies in the financial
requirements may likewise be taken from savings on the personal services of the AFP,
PNP, BFP, BJMP, NBI, PDEA, PCG and BUCOR and the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefit
Funds (MPBF); Provided, further, That the Uniformed Personnel Scholarship Board
may, consistent with Sec. 5 of this Act, identify, develop and/or generate additional
sources of funds to further support this scholarship program.

SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Uniformed and Law
Enforcement Personnel Scholarship Board herein created shall promulgate, formulate
and issue, within sixty (60) days from its creation, the necessary implementing rules
and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part this Act is held
illegal, invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provisions not
otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. - Presidential Decree No. 577, RA 6963, and
all other laws, presidential decrees or issuances, executive orders, letters or
instruction, administrative orders, rules and regulation or parts thereof which are
contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed,
modified or amended accordingly.

SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days

after its complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation in
the country or in the Official Gazette, whichever comes first.

Approved,