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9.9 MAY 201
ONE:
THE:
Republic of the Philippines 9B —
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES &
Quezon City F amey ©

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

Ae Be
House Bill No. U126

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
CREATING AND ESTABLISHING THE INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC
STUDIES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The present turn of events in the international scene has made it even
more imperative the conduct of policy research and strategic studies. Such
events range from domestic and international, political, economic and others of
profound significance which have raised numerous and remarkable challenges
for the Philippines. Coupled with advances in the technical field especially in
communications, information and transportation, this has emphasized the reality
of the times which is the interdependence of nations.

This brings to fore the fact that there will be intense competition for scarce
resources even though massive military confrontations against nations have
become unlikely. It has been predicted that the Asia-Pacific region will be an
area of concer in this regard.

In many parts of Asia, continued territorial conflicts may spark many
interstate tensions. As a result, some states continue to discreetly build vast
arsenals of weapons in preparation of another arms race and more importantly,
to secure the safety of their territories.



The contending claims of several states over a portion of the Spratly
islands by the South China Sea the Philippines included may result in armed
confrontation if not addressed diplomatically.

In the country, we are beset by a continuing insurgency problem. The
local communist movement remains a clear and present danger to national
security. On the other side, we find the Moro Islamic Liperation Front (MILF),
together with terrorist organizations, like the break-away bandit group, Abu
Sayyaf, whose activities continue to shake the country’s political stability.

With all these concerns, there is clearly an urgent need to conduct
scientific and continued policy research and strategic studies to come up with
concrete and sustainable courses of action to address the country’s fundamental
and critical national concerns.

The proposed bill mandates the conduct of strategic study work which
includes, among other things, the:

(1) conduct of strategic research on national and international concerns;
(2) formulation of various policy options on various national concerns; and

(3) recommendation of appropriate actions to support such policies and
strategies.

The bill also specifies that a selected expert/scholar-members group shall
be mandated to be the lead in the conduct of such strategic study work.

Given the importance of this measure, we therefore enjoin our colleagues
to support such measure and ensure its immediate passage into law.

PAGAL ARROYO GLO! MACAPAGAL ARROYO
Second District, Camarines Sur Sécond District, Pampanga


Republic of the Philippi
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No,__ O12

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
CREATING AND ESTABLISHING THE INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC
STUDIES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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 “Institute for
Strategic Studies Act of 2011.”

SECTION 2. Establishment of the Institute for Strategic Studies (ISS). —
The Institute for Strategic Studies, hereinafter referred to as the Organization is
hereby created and established as an institution to promote understanding of
fundamental, current and emerging domestic and international issues and to
assist the government in formulating policy and strategic perspectives on those
issues. It shall conduct research on fundamental national concerns in response
to or in anticipation of the needs of policy-making, conduct studies on matters of
domestic and international political, economic, military, socio-cultural and techno-
scientific significance in an interdisciplinary and integrative manner; identify
strategies to serve the ends of policy, design programs to effect coordinated and
integrated work of other research institutes engaged in strategic studies,
undertake commissioned research work in collaboration with outside
entities/institutions consistent with its mandate; build and maintain a resource
facility and data bank; and carry out such other activities and projects as shall
enhance the mission of the organization.

SECTION 3. Powers of the Organization. - The Organization shall have
the following powers:


a) Adopt, alter and use a corporate seal;

b) Take and hold by bequest, devise, gift, purchase or lease, either and
absolutely or in trust, for any of its purposes, any property, real or
personal, without limitation as to amount or value, to convey such property
and to invest and reinvest: any principal of the said Organization in such
manner as shall best promote its objectives;

©) Collect, receive and maintain a fund or funds and to apply the income
and principal thereof to the promotion of its aims and purposes
hereinbefore set out;

d) Contact any obligation or enter into any agreement necessary or
incidental to the proper management of its corporate powers;

e) Engage in any activity, and exercise all the powers conferred by the
laws upon private or government-owned and controlled corporations; and

f) Exercise the general powers of a duly incorporated entity as set out in
the corporate code.

SECTION 4. The Board of Trustees. - The Organization shall be
organized functionally with the following components:

1. There shall be a Board of Trustees composed of the Executive
Secretary, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Secretary of National Defense, Secretary of
Science and Technology, President of the Philippine Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, an eminent representative from the private
sector to be appointed by the President of the Republic of Philippines and
the President of the Organization;

2. The Trustees shall elect from among themselves the Chairman and
Vice-Chairman of the Board;

3. The Board of Trustees coming from the private sector may create an
executive committee of five trustees including its Chairperson, which shall
have the authority to make decisions on behalf of the Board of Trustees in
between the regular meetings of the said board. The Chair of the Board
shall head the executive committee. Decisions of the Executive
Committee shall be reported to the Board of Trustees at its meeting,

4, The trustees shall receive a per diem as may be authorized for every
meeting actually attended, in addition to reasonable transportation and
representation expenses.


5. The Board shall provide guidance to the policy Council on the thrusts,
objectives, policies, research, agenda, programs and other activities of the
organization

SECTION 5. Policy Council. - There shall be a Policy Council, composed
of an Executive Director and five others as Members, all of whom shall be
appointed by the President of Republic of the Philippines from among the present
members of the Strategic Studies Group of the National Defense College of the
Philippines, as presently constituted, for a term of six (6) years. The Council
shall have the following authority:

1. To formulate the thrusts, objectives, policies, research agenda,
programs and other activities;

2. To oversee, monitor and evaluate all research work and studies;

3. To designate Research Fellows with notable scholarship to do and
or/direct research work and strategic studies in various functional/area
program of the organization that are relevant to their areas of expertise;

4. To determine and fill up other positions in the Organization and fix the
salaries, honoraria, allowance and other emoluments of all Organizations

SECTION 6. Autonomy and Academic Freedom of the Organization. -
The Organization shall be an autonomous and_ self-governing institution
governed by the principle of academic freedom; it shall neither be organic nor be
part of any government instrumentality. It shall be attached to the Office of the
President to facilitate its budgetary and other administrative requirements and for
the purpose of policy coordination.

SECTION 7. Assistance from Government Departments and Agencies. —
To assist in its functions, government departments, agencies, units or
instrumentalities shall allow the Organization access to their official files, records,
data and other documents, provided such access is consistent with the
requirements of confidentiality.

SECTION 8. Exemptions. — Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the
contrary, appointments to the research and administrative staff of the
Organization may be on a fulltime basis and shall be exempt from the
requirements and restrictions of the Civil Service and retirement laws, other laws,
Tules and regulations on position-classification and salary standardization and
Section Two Hundred Fifty Nine (259) of the Revised Administrative Code;
Provided, That any government retiree employed in the Organization shall not be
fequired to reimburse or refund any gratuity received from the government nor


shall any pension or annuity to which he is entitled be suspended or reduced on
account of his employment in the Organization.

SECTION 9. Services of Outside Agencies and of Private Sector. - The
Organization may, for the purpose of research, field work and other activities,
obtain and pay for the services of the personnel of any agency of the Philippine
Government and/or private sector to perform research of field work and such
other activities as may be needed.

SECTION 10. Endowment Fund. -

1. An Endowment Fund shall be created to provide for nonrecurring
expenditures of the Organization For this purpose, the amount of Five
Hundred Million Pesos (P500,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated from any
funds in the National Treasury. The Endowment Fund shall be
administered as a trust funds with the Board of Trustees thereof, provided
that the principal of said endowment shall not be subject to impairment
and provided further that the earings thereof, shall constitute a trust fund

available for non-recurring and unprogrammed expenditures of the
Organization.

2. Any or alll savings of the Organization shall form part of the trust funds
provided in Section 9, above.

SECTION 11. Appropriation. — There is hereby appropriated the amount of
Five Hundred Million Pesos (P500,000,000.00) out of any unappropriated funds
in the National Treasury for such initial requirements as capital outlay and
infrastructures of the Organization. Thereafter, the Congress of the Philippines
shall include as part of its budgetary appropriations the amount of at least Fifty
Million Pesos (PS50,000,000.00) to finance the recurring and operational
expenditures of the Organization.

SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees,
executive orders, proclamations, rules and regulations which are inconsistent
with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 13. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason, any section or
provision of this Act shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, the other section or
provision, not otherwise affected shall remain valid.

SECTION 14. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days from its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers
of general circulation.

Approved,