, , 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
'15 
MAR -4 P ~ :25 
Senate Bill No. 2679 
HECEIVED BY:-&-_ 
(In substitution of SB Nos. 6, 58, 270, 283, 298, 508, 511, 563, 637, 662, 827, 862, 
1319,1458,1475,1613,1776,1960,1976,2025,2510, andr€f No. 388 taking into 
consideration HB No. 4591) 
rn 
Prepared Jointly by the Committees on Education, Arts and Culture; Social Justice, 
Welfare and Rural Development; Ways and Means; Youth; Women, Family Relations 
and Gender Equality; and Finance with Senators Loren B. Legarda, Francis "Chiz" 
Escudero, Juan Edgardo "Sonny" M. Angara, Ralph G. Recto, Ramon "Bong" B. Revilla, 
Jr., Cynthia A. Villar, Jinggoy Ejercito-Estrada, Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV, Joseph 
Victor G. Ejercito, Miriam Defensor Santiago, Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV, 
and Pia S. Cayetano as authors 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE AND UNIFIED STUDENT FINANCIAL 
ASSISTANCE SYSTEM FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION (UniFAST), THEREBY 
RATIONALIZING ACCESS THERETO, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress assembled: 
1 
ARTICLE I 
2 
Title, Policy, Objectives, Definitions of Terms, Scope and Coverage 
3 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the Unified Student 
4 
Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Act. 
5 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the declared policy of the State to promote 
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social justice and, pursuant thereto, provide all its citizens access to quality education. 
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Towards this end, the State shall provide adequate funding and such other mechanisms 
8 
to increase the participation rate among all socio-economic classes in tertiary education, 
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especially the poor, academically able, and highly motivated students. This policy 
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should enable them to successfully pursue and complete tertiary education programs in 
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1 
quality institutions, thereby promoting equitable and rationalized access by poor 
2 
Filipinos to quality tertiary education. 
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SEC. 3. Objectives - The objectives of this Act are as follows: 
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a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
f) 
To allocate and utilize properly all government resources intended for 
students through effective client~le-targeting; 
To ensure consistency, continuity, and efficient coordination of student 
financial assistance policies and programs; 
To ensure regional equity in the distribution of student financial assistance 
slots; 
To produce a pool of highly qualified graduates and technical experts who 
will contribute to the country's high-level manpower through merit and 
talent-based scholarship; 
To rationalize access to quality education through grants-in-aid for 
students belonging to marginalized sectors; and 
To assist students with liquidity issues through student loans. 
16 
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act: 
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23 
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a) 
b) 
c) 
"Cost of Tertiary Education" refers to (1) tuition, miscellaneous and other 
school fees, (2) educational expenses, and (3) the cost of living allowance; 
"Educational Expenses" refer to expenses related to the education of a 
student, such as books, school supplies, and electronic devices necessary 
for education, but excluding tuition and miscellaneous and other school 
fees; 
"Grantee" refers to the recipient of any modality of StuFAP, such as 
scholarship, grant-in-aid, or student loan; 
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d) 
e) 
f) 
g) 
h) 
i) 
j) 
k) 
"Grant-in-Aid' refers to a modality of free financial assistance to poor but 
~Iigible students which generally requires a minimum level of competence 
to complete tertiary education; 
"Higher Education" refers 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; 
"Higher Education Institution (or HE/)" refers to an institution of higher 
Ilearning, primarily offering bachelor and advanced degree programs; 
"Long-Term Student Loan" refers to a loan that is payable after a student 
borrower has completed his/her tertiary education within a period of ten 
(10) years; 
"Miscellaneous and Other School Fees" refer to those fees which cover 
other necessary costs supportive of instruction, including, but not limited 
to, medical and dental, athletic, library and laboratory fees; 
"Qualifying Examination System for Scoring Students" refers to the 
appropriate annual examination and assessment of potential grantees, 
which may be separately designed for undergraduate and graduate 
students and adopted by the Board for all prospective applicants for any 
one of the modalities of StuFAP, as referred to in Section 17 (h); 
"Rationalized Access" refers to improved efficiency in the implementation 
of UniFAST pursuant to the principles of increased participation of the 
economically disadvantaged and marginalized sectors, equity in the 
regional 
distribution 
of economic 
resources, 
congruence 
of the 
qualifications of tertiary education graduates and labor market needs, and 
relevance 
to 
the 
country's 
national 
development 
and 
global 
competitiveness, among others; 
"Registry of Programs and Institutions" refers to quality-assured academic 
and research programs and tertiary institutions which have been certified 
by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and/or the Technical 
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I) 
m) 
n) 
0) 
p) 
q) 
r) 
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) as complying with 
acceptable standards; 
"Scholar' refers to a student-recipient of a scholarship grant based on 
merit and/or talent; 
"Scholarship" refers to a modality of free financial assistance given to 
deserving students on the basis of merit and/or talent, such as laudable 
academic performance, and special technical proficiencies and skills. 
Scholarship also refers to the intellectual pursuits of a scholar that give 
rise to research and development, and innovations as well as other 
creative works; 
"Short-Term Student Loan" refers to a loan that is payable on a semestral, 
trimestral, or quarterly system basis; 
"Special Purpose Education Assistance" refers to financial assistance for 
the conduct of undergraduate and graduate research, scientific studies, 
including funding assistance for the writing and publication of books, 
manuscripts, theses, dissertations, scientific and technical journals, or for 
production, filming and digital technology documentation of research and 
studies or development of instructional and academic materials, and 
science prototypes, among others; 
"State Universities and Colleges (SUCs)" refer to public HEls established 
by national laws which are financed and maintained by the national 
government, and are governed by their respective independent boards of 
trustees or regents; 
"Student Financial Assistance Program (StuFAP)" refers to a system of 
scholarships, grants-in-aid, student loans, subsidies and other incentives 
which are or shall be made available to deserving students; 
"Student Loan" refers to a modality of stUdent financial assistance 
consisting of short-term or long-term loans which shall be extended to 
students facing liquidity problems, regardless of economic status which 
shall be paid by the student, his/her parents, guardians, or co-makers; 
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s) 
t) 
u) 
v) 
w) 
"Student-Borrower" refers to a student-beneficiary of the National Student 
Loan Program, as defined in Section 8; 
"Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET)" refers to the 
education or training process which involves, in addition to general 
education, the study of technical and related fields and the acquisition of 
practical skills relating to occupations in various sectors, comprising formal 
(organized programs as part of the school systems) and non-formal 
(organized classes outside the school system) approaches; 
"Technical-Vocational Institutes (TVls)" refer to learning institutions 
offering TVET; 
"Tertiary Education" refers to the stage of education following the 
secondary cycle which subsumes post-secondary non-degree diploma, 
TVET and higher education programs; and 
"Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education 
15 
(UniFAST)" refers to the harmonized, state-run and administered system 
16 
of higher education and technical-vocational scholarships, grants-in-aid, 
17 
stUdent loans, and other forms of modalities of StuFAP under this Act. 
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SEC. 5. Scope and Coverage of the UniFAST. - The UniFAST shall consist of 
19 
all existing modalities of StuFAPs for tertiary education in both public and private 
20 
institutions, including national scholarships, grants-in-aid, student loans, special 
21 
purpose education assistance, and government programs in partnership with other 
22 
stakeholders, among others, and which are nationally funded and/or implemented by 
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national and local government agencies, branches and instrumentalities. A student 
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enrolling in tertiary education, whether in public, private, national or local institutions, 
25 
can avail of anyone or more of the said modalities of StuFAP. 
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The UniFAST under this Act shall harmonize, reform, strengthen, expand, 
27 
rationalize, and re-focus all legislated or ongoing StuFAPs of the government for greater 
28 
efficiency, coherence, synchronization, effective funding, and improved coordination 
29 
among implementing entities in their specific jurisdiction: Provided, That nothing in this 
30 
Act shall prevent the continuation of effective programs implemented by other 
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1 
government agencies or of state-funded StuFAPs with specific and targeted 
2 
beneficiaries such as existing technical-vocational scholarship programs under the 
3 
TESDA, scholarships under the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA), the National 
4 
Agriculture and Fisheries Education System (NAFES), Agriculture Competitiveness 
5 
Enhancement Fund Scholarship (ACEFS), the Science and Technology Scholarship Act 
6 
of 1994, the Fast-Tracked S&T Scholarship Act of 2013, Student Grants-in-Aid Program 
7 
for Poverty Alleviation (SGP-PA) of the CHED and the Department of Social Welfare 
8 
and Development (DSWD) which may continue to be under the jurisdiction of the 
9 
agencies currently responsible for their design and implementation: Provided further, 
10 
That the clientele-targeting and standards for selection and retention and awards shall 
11 
be compliant with the overall policies on quality, sustainability, and efficiency set by the 
12 
Board. 
13 
The above provisions notwithstanding, all other requirements mentioned herein 
14 
shall be complied with upon the approval of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of 
15 
this Act. 
16 
ARTICLE II 
17 
Modalities of StuFAPs 
18 
SEC. 6. Scholarship. - A unified, improved, and expanded government-funded 
19 
scholarship program shall be instituted to promote an environment conducive for the 
\ 
20 
development of bright and talented students to serve the public good and enlarge the 
21 
pool of world-class Filipino researchers, artists, innovators, thinkers, and leaders. 
22 
The Board shall formulate and establish the policies and mechanisms for the 
23 
identification of grantees based on objective indicators derived from credible databases, 
24 
including students whose families are beneficiaries of the poverty alleviation programs 
25 
of the government. 
26 
The financial amount for scholarships shall be determined by the Board. It shall 
27 
cover at least the average cost of tertiary education of the top forty (40) public and 
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private colleges and universities listed in the Registry of Programs and Institutions. 
29 
SEC. 7. Grant-In-Aid. - To improve equity and facilitate democratic access to 
30 
quality education given income poverty and inequity, grants-in-aid shall be made 
31 
available to students belonging to poor families and marginalized sectors. 
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1 
The financial amount comprising grants-in-aid will be determined by the Board: 
2 
Provided, That it shall cover at least the average cost of tertiary education in the top 
3 
forty (40) of the public and private colleges and universities listed in the Registry of 
4 
Programs and Institutions. 
5 
The Board shall formulate and establish the policies and mechanisms for the 
6 
identification of grantees based on objective indicators derived from credible databases, 
7 
including students whose families are beneficiaries of the poverty alleviation programs 
8 
of the government. 
9 
SEC. 8. National Student Loan Program. - The Board shall study the feasibility 
10 
and sustainability of the National Student Loan Program as part of the UniFAST, which 
11 
shall provide short-term and long-term student loans to qualified beneficiaries. This plan 
12 
shall be based on a systematic evaluation of current and past student loan schemes, 
13 
both local and international. 
14 
The Board shall explore different processes, including systematic testing and 
15 
rigorous evaluation of methods to be undertaken to minimize the risk of non-repayment 
16 
of loans and collection costs. It shall also encourage private sector participation to 
17 
ensure the delivery of the best possible service suitable to the needs and objectives of 
18 
the National Student Loan Program. 
19 
The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and Social Security System 
20 
(SSS) shall study the feasibility of having an automatic system of salary deduction for 
21 
student loan repayments of members with unpaid student loans, pursuant to a 
22 
memorandum of agreement to be executed by the Board with the GSIS or SSS, 
23 
respectively, and in accordance with labor laws on deduction of payments. 
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25 
SEC. 9. Socialized Tuition Fees. - The Board shall establish a socialized tuition 
26 
fee scheme and the appropriate guidelines thereof, which shall be used as a guide by 
27 
sues and public TVls in implementing their own schemes. Private HEls and TVls are 
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encouraged to likewise use said guidelines. 
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The schemes of financial assistance shall establish afford ability brackets based 
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on information about the applicant's personal circumstances, family income, family 
31 
characteristics of the applicants, and the socio-economic characteristics of their 
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households. 
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SUCs and public TVls shall grant financial subsidy ranging from a forty percent 
2 
(40%) tuition discount up to one hundred percent (100%) entirely free tuition, and 
3 
miscellaneous and other school fees, in addition to a stipend as may be determined by 
4 
their respective governing boards. 
5 
The Board shall periodically monitor and evaluate the implementation of the 
6 
socialized tuition fee scheme for the purpose of modifying their criteria for acceptance, 
7 
resource allocation policy, and clientele-targeting. 
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SEC. 10. Other Forms of Modalities of StuFAPs. - Nothing in this Act shall 
9 
preclude the Board, the implementing SUCs, and public TVls from promulgating and 
10 
developing other forms of StuFAPs, such as private scholarship or sponsorship 
11 
programs and student or graduate assistance programs, the standards and guidelines 
12 
of which shall be determined by their respective governing boards. 
13 
ARTICLE III 
14 
Eligibility of Applicants and Terms of Availment 
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SEC. 11. Minimum Qualifications of Applicants. - The Board shall promUlgate 
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and periodically review the qualification criteria of applicants for student financial 
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assistance. An applicant must meet the following minimum qualifications: 
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a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
Filipino citizen; 
High School graduate or its equivalent from duly authorized institutions; 
Obtained at least the score required by the Board for the national exit 
examination that may be created under the K to 12 program or the 
Qualifying Examination System for Scoring Students, or some other 
means to measure their qualifications or suitability for StuFAP, as 
determined by the Board; 
Possesses good moral character with no criminal record: Provided, That 
this requirement shall be waived for programs which target juvenile 
delinquents and/or those who are undergoing or have undergone 
rehabilitation; 
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e) 
f) 
g) 
h) 
Admitted to the HEI or TVI included in the Registry of Programs and 
Institutions of the applicant's choice: Provided, That applicants may begin 
processing their applications within a reasonable time frame set by the 
Board to give the applicant sufficient time to enroll; 
In the case of an applicant in TVET programs, he/she shall, in addition to 
the criteria referred above, pass the TESDA screening/assessment 
procedure, trade test, or skills competency evaluation; 
Declare if he/she is already a recipient of any other student financial 
assistance, including government StuFAP: Provided, That if at the time of 
application of the scholarship, grant-in-aid, student loan, or other 
modalities of StuFAP under this Act, the amount of such other existing 
grant does not cover the full cost of tertiary education at the HEI or TVI 
where he/she has enrolled in, the applicant may still avail of the StuFAPs 
under this Act for the remaining portion; and 
Possesses such other qualifications as may be prescribed by the Board. 
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SEC. 12. Disqualifications and Limitations. -
The right of any student-
17 
beneficiary to avail of the benefits of the StuFAPs under this Act shall not apply if the 
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student fails to comply with the requirements for good academic standing and such 
19 
other conditions that may be formulated and imposed by the Board: Provided, That the 
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Board shall consider the supervening circumstances of each beneficiary that may have 
21 
an effect on his/her studies, such as death, lingering illness of a family member, or other 
22 
personal reasons. 
23 
The Board shall not unduly deprive deserving applicants of student financial 
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assistance: Provided, That the Board and/or implementing agency may reasonably 
25 
deny student financial assistance to applicants enrolled in oversubscribed courses. 
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Provided further, That said students may be directed by the Board and/or the 
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implementing agency to enroll in priority courses, as may be identified by CHED, based 
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on the national development plans and manpower demands, in order to avail of student 
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financial assistance. 
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SEC. 13. Terms of Availment of StuFAPs. -
The Board and/or the 
31 
implementing agency may, prior to the grant of scholarship, grant-in-aid, student loan, 
g 


1 
or other modalities of StuFAP, impose terms and conditions of availment such as, but 
2 
not limited to, the following: 
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a) 
b) 
Return of service obligation, or the rendering of a minimum number of 
years of service for the country or the implementing agency, and 
Prohibition from leaving the country until the required return of service 
obligation has been rendered in full or until the amount of student financial 
7 
assistance granted has been paid in full. 
8 
Provided, That the Board may grant exemptions as it deems reasonable to the 
9 
abovementioned limitations. 
10 
SEC. 14. Sanctions. - Any grantee who has availed of a scholarship, grant-in-
11 
aid, student loan, or other modalities of StuFAP and has been found to have grossly 
12 
violated any of the provisions of his/her contract with the implementing agency or the 
13 
Board shall be meted with the following sanctions: 
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a) 
b) 
c) 
Full payment of the amount equivalent to the student financial assistance 
given to the grantee; 
Cancellation of passport after due notice to grantee's last known place of 
residence and diligent efforts to locate the grantee, in case the grantee 
has left for abroad without notifying the Board and failing to comply with 
the return of service obligation; and 
Other sanctions as may be deemed necessary by the Board to ensure 
timely collection of and/or full payment of the amount of student financial 
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assistance in lieu of the return of service obligation. 
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ARTICLE IV 
25 
The UniFAST Board 
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SEC. 15. Creation of a UniFAST Board. - To carry out the purposes of this Act, 
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there is hereby created a UniFAST Board, hereinafter referred to as the Board, which 
28 
shall be attached to CHED, composed of the following: 
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a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
f) 
g) 
h) 
the CHED Chairperson as ex-officio Chairperson; 
the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) as 
ex-officio Co-Chairperson; 
the TESDA Director-General as ex-officio Co-Chairperson; 
the Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) as ex-officio 
member; 
a representative from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 
as ex-officio member; 
a representative from the National Economic and Development Authority 
(NEDA) as ex-officio member; 
a representative from the National Youth Commission (NYC) as ex-officio 
member; and 
one (1) representative each from: (i) the private sector who is an expert in 
the field of Higher Education, (ii) the private sector who is an expert in 
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TVET, (iii) the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges 
16 
(PASUC), (iv) the Association of Local Colleges and Universities (ALCU), 
17 
and (v) trade, business or industry groups. 
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SEC. 16. Term of Office. - The terms of office of the officers and members of 
19 
the Board shall follow the terms and tenure as heads of their respective agencies or 
20 
associations. Should the member of the Board fail to complete a term, a successor shall 
21 
be appointed by the Board from the same agency that the former represents, who shall 
22 
merely serve the unexpired term of office. Ex-officio members of the Board shall serve 
23 
co-terminously with their positions. Non ex-officio members of the Board shall serve for 
24 
a period of three (3) years, renewable for another term. 
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SEC. 17. Powers and Functions of the Board. - The Board shall exercise the 
26 
following powers and functions: 
11 


1 
a) Formulate and approve policies and strategies for UniFAST, and review 
2 
existing policies to ensure consistency with policy framework under this Act; 
3 
b) Coordinate with the implementing agencies of existing StuFAPs in the 
4 
formulation, approval and issuance of guidelines towards the development 
5 
and promotion of the UniFAST; 
6 
c) Provide necessary support to implementing agencies, technical or otherwise, 
7 
to ensure the effective implementation of this Act; 
8 
d) Prepare, approve and submit to the Department of Budget and Management 
9 
(DBM) its own budget proposal, in addition to the individual budget proposals 
10 
prepared by the various implementing agencies, including vetting and 
11 
integrating all requests for public funding of tertiary education StuFAPs; 
12 
e) Promulgate the minimum guidelines, rules, and regulations for determining 
13 
qualified beneficiaries of student financial assistance for tertiary education; 
14 
f) Provide general guidelines for the drawing up of contracts with the student 
15 
beneficiaries specifying the rights and obligations of the parties, that may 
16 
include a service clause or such other stipulations of cost recovery the Board 
17 
may deem in the best interest of the public and consistent with, or responsive 
18 
to, national social, economic, and human resources development plans, 
19 
subject to Section 13; 
20 
g) Monitor, assess, and make impact evaluation of StuFAPs and projects, with 
21 
the end in view of determining whether these programs shall be adopted, 
22 
continued, or terminated; 
23 
h) Determine the sufficiency of the national exit examination that may be created 
24 
under the K to 12 program and other complementary criteria for scoring and 
25 
ranking applicants for scholarships, grants-in-aid, student loans, or other 
26 
modalities of StuFAP and, if the said exit examination, for any reason, has not 
27 
been made available or is found insufficient, adopt a Qualifying Examination 
28 
System for Scoring Students for the same purpose; 
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1 
i) 
Provide and promote a supportive policy environment for the growth and 
2 
3 
development of private sector participation for scholarships, grants-in-aid, 
student loans or other modalities of StuFAP; 
4 
j) 
Establish and maintain, on the public websites of CHED and TESDA, a 
5 
database containing information on StuFAPs and accredited public and 
6 
private tertiary education programs and institutions; 
7 
k) Take all necessary actions to disseminate information on the database 
8 
established and maintained under this Act in order to encourage its use by 
9 
interested parties and to ensure that beneficiaries are able to maximize the 
10 
benefits from UniFAST through informed decision-making, allowing them 
11 
freedom of choice among accredited public and private tertiary education 
12 
programs and institutions; 
13 
I) Design a program of generating funds for the UniFAST; 
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m) Receive donations, legacies, gifts and other forms of contribution, whether in 
15 
cash or in kind, from both public and private sources and to receive and utilize 
16 
the services and assistance of experts: Provided, That such donations, 
17 
legacies, and contributions shall be exempt from donor's tax and shall be 
18 
allowable deductions for income tax purposes in accordance with Section 34-
19 
H of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended; 
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n) Appoint members of the UniFAST Secretariat, upon the recommendation of 
21 
the Executive Director; 
22 
23 
0) Set up, maintain and update an official registry of quality-assured academic 
24 
and research programs and tertiary education institutions in accordance with 
25 
Section 3 of this Act; 
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p) Approve the appropriate honorarium and per diem for the members of the 
27 
Board, in accordance with the relevant government rules and regulations; and 
28 
q) Perform such other powers and functions as may be deemed necessary and 
29 
incidental for the effective implementation of this Act. 
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1 
SEC. 18. Meetings. - The Board shall hold twelve (12) regular monthly meetings 
2. 
in a year. The Chairperson of the Board may call a special meeting when necessary: 
3 
Provided, That the members are notified in writing at least three (3) working days prior 
4 
to the meeting. 
s 
6 
In the absence of the Chairperson, the Co-Chairpersons shall preside over the 
7 
Board's meetings on a rotation basis. The members of the Board may also designate a 
8 
representative in his/her absence: Provided, That in the case of the Chairperson, Co-
9 
Chairpersons, 
and 
the 
Secretaries 
of DepEd 
and 
DOLE, 
their 
respective 
10 
representatives must be occupying the position of an Assistant Secretary, or its 
11 
equivalent, and higher. The proceedings of all meetings shall be recorded and the 
12. 
minutes thereof shall be attested to by a simple majority of all regular Board Members. 
13 
At least one meeting of the Board in every quarter must be attended by the 
14 
Chairperson and Co-Chairpersons and shall be devoted to a review of the performance 
15 
of the UniFAST in terms of the following: 
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2.0 
2.1 
2.2. 
2.3 
2.4 
2.5 
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a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
f) 
g) 
h) 
i) 
Total number of current beneficiaries; 
Number of dropouts from the program, voluntary or revoked, as well as 
the reasons behind such; 
Average academic performance by year of study; 
Breakdown of grantees by field of study; 
Breakdown of grantees by district and region of origin; 
Breakdown of grantees by place of study; 
Breakdown of grantees by gender; 
Breakdown of grantees by size of annual family income and family 
livelihood; 
Completion rates of grantees; 
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1 
j) 
Total amount of funds received; 
2 
k) 
Total repayments made; 
3 
I) 
Measures of success of financial assistance programs; 
4 
m) 
Current cash positions as against cash requirements for the quarter; and 
5 
n) 
Such other matters relating to any provision of this Act. 
6 
SEC. 19. Quorum. - The attendance of a simple majority of the Board Members 
7 
is necessary in order for the Board to have a quorum to transact business. 
8 
SEC. 20. Creation of a UniFAST Secretariat. -
There is hereby created a 
9 
Secretariat to be headed by an Executive Director to support the Board in carrying out 
10 
its functions. The Board shall provide for the institutional set-up, qualifications, and 
11 
compensation of employees composing the Secretariat in accordance with existing Civil 
12 
Service and Career Executive Service rules and regulations and consistent with the 
13 
provision of the Salary Standardization Law for government personnel, and determine 
14 
the size and composition of the Secretariat. 
15 
The Secretariat shall exercise the following functions: 
16 
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18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
Provide technical and administrative support services to the Board's 
policy-making and implementation functions; 
Review, evaluate, and assess programs, plans of action, and agenda of 
the Board, and concomitantly recommend the approval or cancellation of 
such programs, plans of action, and agenda of the Board; 
Review, evaluate, and assess programs, plans of action, and agenda of 
the implementing agencies, 
including proposals for funding, 
and 
recommend the approval or cancellation of such programs, plans of 
action, and agenda of the implementing agencies to the Board; 
Maintain and update a repository of data and information on all StuFAPs 
for tertiary education administered by any government agency, branch, or 
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1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
e) 
f) 
instrumentality and create and maintain a comprehensive database 
system on the government's StuFAPs accessible to the public, pursuant to 
the policy of transparency and good governance; 
Recommend, manage, and monitor the processes of contracting out the 
implementation of UniFAST activities which would be best accomplished 
by third party providers, as approved by the Board; and 
Perform such other powers and functions as may be determined by the 
8 
Board. 
9 
SEC. 21. The Executive Director. - There shall be an Executive Director who 
10 
shall be appointed by the Board and shall have the rank of an Assistant Secretary. The 
11 
Executive Director shall have a minimum of seven (7) years managerial experience, be 
12 
a holder of at least a Master's degree, and be Career Executive Service eligible. The 
13 
Executive Director shall perform the following functions: 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
f) 
g) 
Serve as the primary coordinator of StuFAPs for tertiary education 
students being implemented by various government agencies, branches, 
and instrumentalities; 
Manage relationships with partner agencies; 
Exercise leadership, supervisory, and administrative functions over the 
Secretariat; 
Ensure the provision of accurate and timely technical inputs and feedback 
to the Board to guide it in its policy-making functions; 
Ensure the proper dissemination and implementation of Board deCisions; 
Submit an annual report on the operations, status of programs funded, 
and financial conditions of the Secretariat, including recommendations for 
the budget in the ensuing year; and 
Perform such other duties and functions as may be delegated to him/her 
by the Board. 
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1 
ARTICLE V 
2 
Financial Management, Reporting, and Performance Evaluation 
3 
SEC. 22. Financial Management and Accountability. -
All public funds 
4 
allocated to the government StuFAPs for tertiary education shall be managed according 
5 
to standard government accounting and auditing rules and regulations. In addition, 
6 
specialized processes and procedures shall be developed to enhance transparency and 
7 
accountability suitable to the program or project for which the fund has been provided. 
8 
Other sources of funds such as grants, donations, and other forms of assistance 
9 
from local and foreign donor agencies, other public or private entities, and other private 
10 
domestic and international sources may be tapped and facilitated by the Board to 
11 
support the program, subject to regular auditing guidelines and procedures: Provided, 
12 
That in case of donations from foreign sources, acceptance thereof shall be subject to 
13 
existing government rules and regulations. 
14 
All donations, grants, endowments from various sources and other contributions 
15 
given to specific agencies for StuFAPs shall be retained by the identified donee agency 
16 
for that specific purpose, in accordance with government auditing rules and regulations. 
17 
Cost-sharing or counter-parting schemes among national government and LGUs 
18 
shall also be encouraged to support the implementation of the UniFAST. 
19 
SEC. 23. Accounting and Reporting of UniFAST StuFAP Funds. - A separate 
20 
book of accounts shall be kept in each implementing agency for the UniFAST StuFAP 
21 
Funds. It shall follow standard government rules and regulations for accounting. 
22 
Implementing agencies of the StuFAP Funds, however, may adopt additional measures 
23 
to ensure its safety particularly in authorizing payments and processing of 
24 
disbursements from the Funds: Provided, That such additional measures shall facilitate 
25 
a convenient and efficient means of delivering financial assistance to the grantees. 
26 
A mid-year and annual report shall be prepared by all implementing agencies. 
27 
The report shall have two parts: a financial statement and a report of operations 
28 
showing the accomplishments of the fund. 
These reports shall be submitted to 
29 
Congress and the DBM to inform and aid in decision making and shall be made 
30 
available to other interested parties for valid and acceptable reasons. 
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1 
SEC. 24. Responsibility of National Government Agencies Implementing 
2 
StuFAPs. - The agencies and instrumentalities implementing StuFAPs are required to 
3 
submit reports, make their selection process transparent to the public, and comply with 
4 
the requirements that the Board may impose to ensure that these programs are in line 
5 
with the national policy framework on student financial assistance. 
6 
SEC. 25. Performance Monitoring and Impact Assessment. - The UniFAST 
7 
shall be evaluqted rigorously by the Board in terms of its impact on desired results and 
8 
its progress towards achieving them shall be monitored regularly. The Board shall 
9 
clearly define those results and their target values. Impact evaluation shall be measured 
10 
against, among others: 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
a) 
b) 
c) 
Education outcomes such as enrolment in level IV-accredited HEls, as 
may be determined in the Implementing Rules and Regulations, and 
number of graduates (by type of study program); 
Economic indicators such as income and employment of grantees after 
graduation; and 
Indicators for contributions to community service and public good. 
17 
Performance and progress shall, in addition, be measured with regard to: (i) 
18 
number of students covered by scholarships, grants-in-aid, student loans, or other 
19 
modalities of StuFAP; (ii) type of study program, (iii) level of HEI enrolled in, and (iv) 
20 
initial economic status. Tracer studies and survey data for experimental and quasi-
21 
experimental analyses shall be undertaken to produce credible impact evaluation 
22 
studies, as may be determined by the Board: Provided, That major programs of the 
23 
Board are to be evaluated within five (5) years from the date of its implementation. 
24 
ARTICLE VI 
25 
Appropriations 
26 
SEC. 26. Appropriations. - There is hereby appropriated the sum of Eleven 
27 
Billion Pesos (P11 Billion), of which Six Billion Pesos (P6 Billion) shall come from 
28 
CHEO's existing budget for scholarship and another Five Billion Pesos (P5 Billion) from 
29 
funds in the National Treasury appropriated for scholarships. Thereafter, such sums as 
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1 
may be necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the 
2 
Annual General Appropriations Act. 
3 
ARTICLE VII 
4 
Implementation 
5 
SEC. 27. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Upon effectivity of this Act, 
6 
the Board shall constitute itself, in consultation with relevant stakeholders in tertiary 
7 
education, and promulgate the Implementing Rules and Regulations necessary for the 
8 
proper implementation of this Act within ninety (90) days. 
9 
ARTICLE VIII 
10 
Miscellaneous Provisions 
11 
SEC. 28. Separability Clause. - If for any reason, any provision of this Act is 
12 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, parts or provisions of this Act which are not affected 
13 
shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
14 
SEC. 29. Non-Impairment Clause. - Nothing in this Act shall be construed as to 
15 
diminish, impair, or repeal rights recognized, granted, or made available to 
16 
disadvantaged, marginalized, or specific sectors under existing laws. 
17 
SEC. 30. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, 
18 
implementing rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or 
19 
modified accordingly, including the provisions of RA No. 8545 on tertiary education. 
20 
SEC. 31. Effectivity. -
This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
21 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved, 
19