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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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of tl)f 5^1 n ftiap
23 FEB-9 P 4 ‘11
RECEIVED BY.
SENATE BILL NO. 1864
Prepared and submitted by the Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational 
Education with Senators Lapid and Escudero as authors thereof
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AN ACT
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PROVIDING FOR A MORATORIUM ON THE PAYMENT OF STUDENT LOANS
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DURING DISASTERS AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Student Loan 
Payment Moratorium During Disasters and Emergencies Act'.
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and to 
ensure that such education is accessible to all. In line with this declared policy, and 
in cognizance of the need to provide adequate relief and protection to Filipinos in 
crisis situations, the State shall authorize the deferral of student loan collection for a 
reasonable period during and after the onset of disasters and other emergencies.
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - For the purposes of this Act:
(a) Disaster shall refer to the following: (i) a serious disruption of the 
functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, 
material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds 
the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own 
resources; (ii) the result of the combination of: the exposure to a 
hazard, the conditions of vulnerability that are present, and insufficient 
capacity or measures to reduce or cope with the potential negative


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consequences; and (iii) an event that causes loss of life, injury, disease 
and other negative effects on human, physical, mental and social well­
being, together with damage to property, destruction of assets, loss of 
services, social and economic disruption and environmental degradation;
(b) 
Emergency s\\^W refer to an unforeseen or sudden occurrence, especially 
danger, demanding immediate action;
(c) 
Higher Education shall refer to the stage of formal education, or its 
equivalent, requiring completion of secondary education and covering 
programs of study leading to bachelor and advanced degrees, including 
associate degrees;
(d) 
Higher Education Institution (HEI) shall refer to an education institution 
authorized and recognized by the Commission on Higher Education 
(CHED) to offer bachelor's degrees or graduate courses;
(e) 
Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) shall refer to duly accredited 
public HEIs established by local government units (LCDs) through an 
enabling ordinance, financially supported by the LGU concerned, and 
compliant with the policies, standards and guidelines of CHED;
(f) 
Private Higher Education Institutions shall refer to HEIs duly recognized 
by CHED which are owned or operated by private individuals and 
entities;
(g) 
State of Calamity shall refer to a condition involving mass casualty 
and/or major damages to property, disruption of means of livelihoods, 
roads and normal way of life of people in the affected areas as a result 
of the occurrence of natural or human-induced hazards;
(h) 
State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) shall refer to public HEIs 
established by law and are managed by their respective independent and 
separate governing boards;
(i) 
Student Loan shall refer to a sum of money or other forms of 
accommodation exclusively intended for the payment of all fees, 
charges, and costs to SUCs, LUCs, private HEIs, and public and private 
TVIs extended to students in exchange for repayment in the future as


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evidenced by a loan agreement in writing and duly executed for the 
purpose;
(j) Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) shall refer to 
postsecondary education or training process involving general education, 
the study of technologies and related sciences, acquisition of practical 
skills relating to occupations in various sectors of economic and social 
life, and comprising formal (organized programs as part of the school 
system) and nonformal (organized classes outside the school system) 
approaches; and
(k) Technical-Vocational Institutions (TVIs) shall refer to learning 
institutions offering TVET programs.
Sec. 4. Coverage. - This Act shall cover students enrolled in SUCs, LUCs, 
private HEIs, and public and private TVIs whose residence is located in barangays, 
municipalities, cities, provinces, or regions under a State of Calamity or State of 
Emergency as may be declared by the President of the Philippines or the local 
sanggunian concerned, in accordance with Republic Act No. 10121, otherwise known 
as the "Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010"; Republic 
Act No. 11332, otherwise known as the "Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases 
and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act"; and other relevant laws, rules and 
regulations.
Sec. 5. Moratorium on Payment of Student Loans. - There shall be a 
moratorium on the enforcement of payment of all fees, charges, and costs relating 
to the student loans incurred for Higher Education and TVET programs, whether 
administered by the HEIs or TVIs themselves or by the Unified Student Financial 
Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Board, the CHED or any other 
government agency or instrumentality, for the duration of the State of Calamity or 
Emergency as provided in Section 4 of this Act and for thirty (30) days after the 
lifting of such State of Calamity or Emergency: Provided, That the availment of the 
moratorium shall not adversely affect the status of the students concerned with 
regard to their eligibility for re-enrollment on the succeeding semesters or terms, or 
their eligibility for graduation: Provided, further. That no penalties or interests shall


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be collected on the deferred payments made pursuant to this Act: Provided, finally, 
That nothing in this Act shall be construed to prevent public or private HEIs or TVIs 
from implementing more favorable forms of payment relief or assistance to their 
students, prohibiting students from voluntarily waiving the benefit of the moratorium 
on student loan payments, or availing assistance or subsidies from the government 
as provided by law, rules and regulations.
Sec. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from 
the effectivity of this Act, CHED and the Technical Education And Skills Development 
Authority shall, in consultation with the Philippine Association of State Universities 
and Colleges, the Association of Local Colleges and Universities, and the 
Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines, or their 
equivalent institutions, and other non-government stakeholders, promulgate the 
rules and regulations to effectively implement the provision of this Act.
Sec. 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision or part not otherwise 
affected shall remain valid and subsisting.
Sec. 8. Repealing Clause. -All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
rules and regulations, or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of 
this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
Sec. 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,


Salient Features of the Proposed Committee Report on
Student Loan Payment Moratorium During Disasters and Emergencies
The proposed measure seeks to impose a moratorium on the payment of student loans 
incurred by qualified students enrolled in higher or technical-vocational education program, 
subject to the following conditions:
' 
• The residence of the student concerned is located in an area under a declared State
of Calamity or State of Emergency;
• 
The moratorium shall be effective for the duration of the State of 
Calamity or
Emergency and for thirty (30) days after the lifting of such State of Calamity or
Emergency:
• 
The availment of the payment moratorium shall not adversely affect the status of the 
students concerned with regard to their eligibility for re-enrollment or graduation;
• 
No penalty or interest shall be collected on the deferred payments; and
• 
The imposition of student loan payment moratorium shall not prevent public or
private higher education institutions (HEIs) or technical-vocational institutions (TVIs) 
concerned from implementing more favorable forms of payment relief or assistance 
to their respective students;
• 
The imposition of student loan payment moratorium shall not prohibit students from 
voluntarily waiving the benefit of the moratorium on student loan payments; and
• 
The imposition of student loan payment moratorium shall not prohibit an HEI, TVI, or 
student from availing assistance or subsidies from the government as may be 
provided by law, rules and regulations.