FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.No. 1939 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 14, Section 1, provides that: 
The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality 
education at ali levels, and shall take appropriate steps to make such education 
accessible to all. 
With regard to public elementary and high school education, it provides in Article 14, 
Section 2 that: 
The State shall: 
(2) Establish and maintain a system of free public education in the 
elementary and high school levels. Without limiting the natural rights of parents to 
rear their children, elementary education is compulsory for all children of school 
age; 
Even though there is a constitutional declaration as regards free public elementary and high 
school education, there have been various reports that there are some public school teachers and 
principals who still refuse to admit students, release cards and other documents for clearance 
purposes in public schools for failure of the students to pay miscellaneous and other fees. 
Although the Department of Education has already issued various department orders reiterating 
such policy, it seems like some teachers are not afraid of the administrative consequences for 
violating the Department of Education's order. 
Therefore, in order to ensure that we have a truly free public elementary and high school 
education, there should be law which would effectively deter teachers and principals from 
refnsing to admit students, release cards and other documents for clearance purposes based on 
tlte sole ground of non-payment of miscellaneous and other fees. ! 
I This bill was originally filed in the Thirteenth Congress, Third Regular Session. 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SEN~'Jll 
S.N~. 
1~39 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
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PENALIZING REFUSAL TO ENROLL STUDENTS, RELEASE CARDS AND OTHER 
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DOCUMENTS FOR CLEARANCE PURPOSES, IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 
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FOR FAILURE TO PAY MISCELLANEOUS AND OTHER FEES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Anti-Student Extortion Act." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
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establish and maintain a system of free public education in the elementary and high school 
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levels. This Act aims to pursue this policy by penalizing teachers and principals who refuse to 
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admit students, release cards and other documents for clearance purposes for non-payment of 
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miscellaneous and other fees. 
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SECTION 3. Offense. - Any public school teacher, principal or agent of such public 
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teachers and principals who shall require for admission or for the release of report cards, and test 
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results, and for other clearance purposes, the payment of miscellaneous and other fees shall be 
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guilty of student extortion. 
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SECTION 4. Penalties. - Any person who commits the unlawful act enumerated in the 
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next preceding section shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than six (6) months and 
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not more than one (1) year or a fine of not less than five thousand (P5,000.00) pesos nor more 
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than ten thousand (PIO,OOO.OO) pesos or both, at the discretion of the court. 
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SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part thereof, is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent 
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with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
/ptmtD Ijuly20 1 0 
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