Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

; 1501

H. B. No.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The 1987 Constitution mandates the State “to protect and promote the right of all citizens to
quality education at all levels and to take appropriate steps to make ‘‘ducation accessible to all.” (Art
XIV Sec 1)

However, considering the rising cost of education, especialy college education, more and
more high school graduates find it impossible to pursue or continue « college degree because of their
limited financial capacity. é

Data from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shows that enrollees in higher
education institutions (HEIs) from 2001 to the present have reache.! 2.56 million, but the dropout
rate reached an alarming 83.7 percent. This means that the country is producing 2.13-million college
dropouts annually.

CHED records also showed that enrollment in tertiary eduction has not been encouraging
as it slowed down from 1999 to 2002, and then dropped graduaily starting 2002 to 2003, with
negative 0.8 percent growth in 2004-2005 for both public and private schools: Except for the big jump
in 1998-1999, enrollment has been sliding down, thereafter, Moreove:, tertiary education enrollment
even in state universities and colleges shows a decelerating trend, weakening to negative 1.2 percent
growth in 2004-2005, despite the lower cost of public education. In the case of private schools, the
decline started as early as 200

Based on the Commission's 2008 data, out of 100 Grade 1 pupils, only 66 finish Grade 6 and
only 58 of them enroll in first year high school, Of the 58, only 43 firjish high school. However, only
23 of the 43 who finished high school enroll in college and only 14 of the 23 eventually graduate
from college.

The National Statistics and Coordination Board (NSCB) dala on the ratio of graduates to
enrollment for tertiary education shows that its at 16 to less than 18 percent from 1994 to 2005, In the
past 10 years, the NSCB reported that the total number of college gr:'duates increased by an average
of only 2.9 percent. The number of graduates also incteased to only 181,862 in Academic Year 2009-
2010 from 363,640 in AY 2000-2001, '

Considering that more than 26.5 percent or 3.8 million Filipi,.o families are living below fhe
poverty line, as reported by the NSCB 2009 Poverty Statistics and r, leased in February 2011, ace:
to tertiary education for bright and deserving children of these fami] es would be almost impossible,
especially if they do not have the means to pay even for an entrance »xamination, which is the initial
step towards admission to any college degree program.



Thus, this bill aims to ensure that poor but deserving high school graduates are given equal
opportunities in applying for college admission to higher education institutions by removing the
first hindrance at the entry level, such as the prohibitive cost of entrarice examinations.

In view of the foregoing reasons, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought.

BEI Hind NGARK ebro
sentat

Representétive
Lone District, Aurora Province


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES)
First Regular Session )

H.B. No._2501

AN ACT |
GRANTING FREE COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS,, TO GRADUATING. HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENTS, HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES, COLLE¢ ENTRANTS OR
TRANSFEREES APPLYING FOR ADMISSION IN ALL PUBL(C HIGHER EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS (EXCLUDING THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES) ‘AND TO
UNDERPRIVILEGED PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BELONGING TO THE TOP TEN
PERCENT (10%) OF THE GRADUATING CLASS APPLYING FOR ADMISSION IN PRIVATE
HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

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 “Freé College Entrance Exam Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the State to expand and
further democratize access to quality education at the college level by instituting mechanisms that
protect the rights of underprivileged but bright and deserving high school graduates.

The exemption from the imposition of entrance examination /ees is one such mechanism that
will ensure that underprivileged, but bright and deserving high school graduates, are given
adequate assistance and equal opportunity to pursue their dreams of obtaining a college education.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. For Purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean:

a) College Entrance Examinations ~ shall refer to examinations, required by higher education
institutions on graduating high school students or high schoo! graduates as one of the criteria
for determining admission to a four-year or five-year callers degree program in the said
educational institutions;

b) Underprivileged Public High School Graduates’ shall refer to pu Ublig high echodlshidental who
belong to the top ten percent (10%) of the graduating class and whose parents live below the
poverty line or belong to the poorest of the poor, as determined by the National Economic
and Development Authority (NEDA), the National Statistics Office (NSO), and the National
Household Targeting System of the Department of Social Weifare and Development, who are
the qualified beneficiaries of this Act;

©) Higher Education Institution (HEI) ~ shall refer to an educational institution that is legally
authorized to offer a program of education leading to the con‘erment of a degree.

SEC. 4. Coverage. All state universities and colleges (SUCs) excluding the University of the
Philippines, and local colleges and universities (ICUs) offering slegree-granting programs, are
hereby required to provide free college entrance examinations to graduating high school students,
high school graduates, college entrants and transferees who are appl’ ing for college admission.

All private colleges, universities or institutions of higher education or degree-granting,
programs are hereby required to provide free entrance examinations to underprivileged public high
school students belonging to the top 10 percent of the graduating \ lass and who are applying for
college admission. | \

SEC. 5. Qualification Requirements of Free College Entrance Examination Beneficiaries in
SUCs and LCUs. A student beneficiary eligible under this Act shall have the following entry
requirements:


a) Must be a natural-born Filipino citizen; and

b) Must be a graduating high school student or high school graduate, college entrant or
transferee and intends to enrolll in any public HEI.

SEC. 6, Qualification Requirements of Free College Entrance Examination Beneficiaries in
Private HEIs:

a) Must be a natural-born Filipino citizen;
b) Must be enrolled in a public high school;

¢) Must belong to the top 10 percent of the graduating class as certified by the public school
and the Department of Education (DepED); and

4) Must have parents or guarclians living below the poverty line as determined by the NEDA,
NSO and DSWD,

SEC. 7. Penalties. Any HEI official or employee and other concerned individuals found
guilty of violating the provisions of this Act shall suffer the penalty of prision correccional ot
imprisonment from six (6) months and. one (1) day to six (6) years and a fine of Seven Hundred Fifty
‘Thousand Pesos (P750,000.00).

In addition, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) may impose disciplinary
sanctions against any HEl official or employee violating the provisions of this Act pursuant to
Section 13 of Republic Act No. 7722, otherwise known as the Higher Education Modernization Act
of 1994.

SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations, The CHED, in coordination with the Dey
Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC}, the Coordinating Council of
Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA), and the Association of Local Colleges and
Universities (ALCU), shall jssue the necessary rules and regulations jor the effective implementation
of this Act. | :

SEC. 9, Separability Clause, If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional or
invalid, the other sections or provisions not otherwise affected shall continue to be in’ full force and

effect,

SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. All laws, executive orders, decrees, instructions, rules and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with any provision of this Act are hereby amended, repealed
or modified accordingly.

SEC. 11. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,