FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 11, Section 17 provides: 
The State shall give priority to education, science and 
technology, arts, culture and sports to foster patriotism and 
nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote total human 
liberation and development. 
Advances in science and mathematics depend on the quantity and quality of our country's 
mathematics and scientists; 
Specialized curriculum schools, such as the Philippine Science High School, have been 
very successful in producing leaders and scholars in the sciences. They promote excellence and 
have the potential to upgrade the quality of science programs within the broader school system. 
There is a need to put up more specialized curriculum schools, if we are to pursue 
advances in science and mathematics in an overwhelming task for educational institutions, 
without the collaboration of the private sector and incentives from government.* 
* This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 


5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING GRANTS TO BUSINESS AND EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS 
FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING AND OPERATING MODEL HIGH 
SCHOOLS OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Early Hearing Loss 
Detection, Diagnosis, and Intervention Act.” 
SECTION 2. Program Authorized. 
(A) In General. - The Secretary, in consultation with the Director, is authorized lo make 
not more than ten (10) grants to business and education partnerships as part of the government’s 
share of the costs of planning establishing and operating high schools of science and 
mathematics. 
(B) Procedures and Criteria. - The Secretary shall develop procedures and criteria for 
awarding grants under this part on a competitive merit basis. 
SECTION 3. Business and Education Partnership. -For the purpose of this Act, the term 
“business and education partnership” means representatives of local educational institutions or 
consortia of local institutions which have entered into agreements with local or regional business, 
associations, non-profit organizations, and any other appropriate groups or individuals to plan, 
fund, and provide ongoing support for, a science and mathematics high school. 
1 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
SECTION 4. Application. - 
(A) In General. - Each business and education partnership desiring a grant under this 
part shall submit an application t such time, in such manner, and accompanies by such 
information as the Secretary my reasonably require. 
(B) Contents. - Each application submitted pursuant to paragraph (A) shall describe 
(1) The activities and services for which assistance is sought; 
(2) The business and education partnership; 
(3) Where the school will he located, what areas will be served by the school, and 
a justification for selecting such areas; 
(4) The number of students who will attend the school; 
(5) The criteria for the selection of students; 
(6) The source of the non-government share the costs of establishing and 
operating the school; 
(7) The availability of qualified teachers or plans to provide appropriate in-service 
training for teachers; 
(8) The curriculum; 
(9) Plans for any specialized opportunities for students; and 
(10) Plans to provide enriched educational experiences for students who do not 
attend the school through summer programs and taped instructional 
material. 
(C) Approval. - The Secretary shall appoint one or more technical review panels, 
consisting of scientists and mathematics from universities, professional or scientific associations, 
government agencies, secondary school administrators and teachers familiar with science and 
mathematics training and issues, and representatives of business to: 
(1) Establish competitive selection criteria based on the application contents 
described in paragraph (B); 
(2) Select and approve applications under this part based this part based on the 
selection criteria established pursuant to subparagraph (1); and 
2 


10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
(3) Make recommendations to the Secretary regarding the awarding of grants 
under this part. 
(D) Special Rule. - The Secretary shall only award grants under this part to applicants 
that demonstrate in their application a commitment to continue the operation of the high school 
of science and mathematics after the termination of assistance provided under this part. 
(E) Equitable Distribution.- Each panel described in paragraph (C) shall make 
recommendation to the Secretary regarding the awarding of grants under this part that assure an 
equitable geographic distribution of high schools of science and mathematics throughout the 
Philippines. 
SECTION 5. Payments. - 
(A) Payments. - The Secretary shall pay to each business and education partnership 
having an application approved under Section 4 as part of the government’s share of the costs of 
the activities described in the application. 
(B) Government Share. -The government share 
(1) For the first four (4) years for which a business and education partnership 
receives a grant under this part shall be fifty percent (50%); and 
(2) For the fifth and sixth such years shall be 25 percent. 
(C) Non-Government Share. - The non-government share of payments under this part 
may be in cash or in kind fairly evaluated, including planned equipment or services, equipment 
loans or donations, cooperative use of laboratories, plants and other facilities, relevant work 
experience opportunities for students, or time donated for teaching or mentoring. 
SECTION 6. Evaluation. - 
(A) Data. -The Secretary shall specify data that shall be collected to the Secretary by 
each business and education partnership receiving a grant under this part over the period of the 
grant. Such data shall include a wide range of measures of student achievement, and comparisons 
of student achievement in the school assisted under this part with student achievement in the 
local area in the country. 
3 


8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
(B) Report. - The Secretary shall annually submit a report to the Congress on the 
effectiveness of the schools assisted under this Act. 
Each business and education partnership receiving a grant under this part shall submit a 
report to the Secretary within six (6) years of the date of enactment of this Act describing in 
detail the program assisted under this part, the history of such program’s development, and the 
costs for such program to serve as a blueprint for future high schools of science and 
mathematics. The Secretary shall distribute such report to all local educational institutions. 
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 9. Eflectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
4