FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill NO.I$Y 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is the policy of the State to 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. It is further 
provided in Section 1, Article XIV of the Constitution that "the State shall protect and 
promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take 
appropriate steps to make education accessible to all." 
Pursuant to the aforecited State policy, this Bill proposes to establish Tuition 
Fee Rationalization Council, a multisectoral body that shall serve as the highest 
policy-making body on matters pertaining to tuition fee rates and other increases or 
adjustments in school fees. The bill aims to promote affordable access to quality 
education 'by rationalizing andlor reasonably regulating tuition fee rates and 
increases in all education institutions including other fees. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is hereby urged. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill N o . 1 8 2 7  
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
AN ACT 
RATIONALIZING AND REGULATING TUITION AND OTHER SCHOOL FEES 
IN ALL HIGHER AND BASIC EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, CREATING A 
TUITION FEE RATIONALIZING COUNCIL, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Tuition Fee 
Rationalization Act." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policies and Objectives. - Section 1, Article XIV 
of the 1987 Constitution mandates the protection and promotion of the right of all 
citizens to quality and affordable education at all levels and that the State shall take 
appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all. Section 13 Article II, 
further recognizes the role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and 
protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being. In view of 
these, the following are hereby declared the objectives of this Act: 
(a) To promote affordable access to quality education by rationalizing and/or 
reasonably regulating tuition fee rates and increases in all education 
institutions including other fees; 
(b) To provide all education institution with accredited programs greater 
flexibility and autonomy in tuition fee rate fixing and/or tuition fee increase 
adjustments; 
(c) To establish an Tuition Fee Rationalization Council which is envisioned to 
be an multisectoral body that shall serve as the highest policy-making 
body on matters pertaining to tuition fee rates and other increases or 
adjustments in school fees; and 
(d) To provide an effective and rational mechanism for fixing the tuition fee 
rate and adjustments in other school fees in all education institutions 
including those to be adopted by the boards of State universities and 
colleges that is acceptable to concerned stakeholders taking into account 
socioeconomic and other considerations and safety nets. 
SECTION 3. Coverage. - (a) Tuition fees - As a general rule, public and 
private academic and technical institutions shall be allowed to impose tuition fee 
increases and/or adjustments without prior consultations, on incoming freshmen 
students in the secondary and tertiary level, and in the first and fifth grade in the 
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all other year levels. 
elementary level only. There shall be no tuition fee increases and/or adjustments in 
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The tuition fee increases which may be allowed to be imposed shall not 
exceed fifteen percent (15%) of prevailing rates: Provided, however, That any 
proposed tuition fee increase andlor adjustment in excess of the stipulated 
percentage affecting not only the segment of students stated above by all other year 
levels including those to be imposed by the State universities and colleges shall be 
subject to the approval of the National Tuition Fee Rationalization Council and/or its 
regional council having jurisdiction and on a case-to-case basis. 
(b) Other school fees - The amount of other school fees to be collected from 
students in the freshmen level of the secondary and tertiary institutions, and from 
the first grade and fifth in the elementary level shall in no way be more than twenty 
five percent (25%) of the amount collected as tuition fee for the semester to which 
the student is currently enrolled: Provided, furfher, That an imposition of more than 
fifteen percent (15%) in tuition fees and twenty five percent (25%) in the case of 
miscellaneous fees may be allowed after the concerned schools shall have 
conducted thorough consultations and hearings, and after the examination of 
financial records and the determination of the distinct requirements and conditions 
of school shall have been assessed by the Council. 
(c) Exemptions - Schools and/or courses classified under Level 111 
Accreditation duly recognized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the 
Department of Education (DepEd) and the Technical Education and Skills 
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Development Authority (TESDA) as the case may be, and whose categorization 
standards are dulv affirmed bv the major association of Drivate and State institutions 
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shall enjoy autonomy in fixing the rates of their tuition fees andlor any rate increase 
or adjustment with respect to the accredited programslcourses only and subject to 
minimal and reasonable guidelines from the Council. 
SECTION 4. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms 
shall mean: 
(a) “Student” shall refer to any person enrolled in school in the elementary, 
secondary and tertiary levels including those enrolled in vocational and 
technical education. 
(b) “School” shall refer to any academic educational institution of learning, 
public or private, offering any or all courses in the above mentioned levels. 
(c) “Board shall refer to the governing board of the school, such as the board 
of directors, trustees or regents, which represents its highest policy- 
making body. 
(d) “Council” shall refer to the tuition Fee Rationalization Council which shall 
serve as the highest policy-making body on matters pertaining to tuition 
and other school fees and which shall have regional counterparts 
responsible for efficient rate fixing and determination. 
(e) “Tuition” shall refer to the fee representing direct costs of instruction, 
training and other related activities, and the use of school facilities. 
(9 “Other school fees” shall refer to fees which cover other necessary costs 
supportive of instruction, including but not limited to medical and dental, 
athletic, library, laboratory, and citizens military training (CMT) fees. 
(9) “Tertiary” shall refer to the higher learning level after high school which 
includes those offering baccalaureate degrees or four (4) to five @)-year 
courses andlor technical-vocational programs. 
(h) “Secondary” shall pertain to the middle segment in the educational system 
comprising a four-year program after attendance from elementary or 
grade school level. 
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(i) “Grade School” shall pertain to the level of education which constitutes the 
four (4) years of primary learning and two (2) or three (3) years of 
intermediate training usually for children with age levels of 6-13 years. 
(j) “Level 111 Accreditation” shall refer to the classification conferred to an 
institution and/or any of its programslcourses by a recognized accrediting 
body based on certain quality indicators and standards duly recognized by 
the DepEd, the CHED or the TESDA as the case may be, and prescribed 
by the national accrediting arm of the major association of private and 
State instructions. 
SECTION 5. 
Establishment of the National Tuition Fee Rationalization 
Council (NTFRAC) and its Regional Counterpart. -Within thirty (30) days after the 
effectivity of this Act, the NTFRAC shall be constituted by the following: the Chair of 
the CHED or the Secretary of the DepEd as co-chair, the Director-General of the 
TESDA as vice-chair, and with the following as members: representatives of the 
House of the Representatives’ Committee on Higher and Technical Education and 
the 
Committee on Basic Education and Culture, the Senate’s Committee on 
Education, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and the 
Philippine Association of the State Universities and Colleges; one (1) representative 
each from these sectors: parents, legitimately recognized students’ organizations 
leading associations of private higher and basic education institutions, major 
aggrupation of technical institutions, faculty associations as well as other sectors 
which may be deemed indispensable by the Council 
A Regional Tuition Fee Rationalization Council (RTFRAC) shall also be 
established in all the regions of the country and those membership shall include the 
DepEd, the CHED, the TESDA and NEDA regional directors, and representatives 
from the provincial school boards, faculty associations, student councils, parents- 
teachers association (PTA), from the association of private schools and from a 
recognized association of state institutions. 
The manner and procedure of selecting and appointing representatives 
and/or members of the Council from the different sectors other than those directly 
identified shall be made jointly by the Chairperson of the CHED, the Secretary of the 
DepEd, and the Director-General of the TESDA based on a criteria that shall be 
instituted for the purpose. 
SECTION 6. Office and Expenditure. - Every member of the Council shall 
serve in an ex-officio capacity without compensation from the government except for 
travel and other actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties and 
responsibilities. 
SECTION 7. Administration and Enforcement. - After due investigation and 
proper observance of due process, any person, natural or juridical, found willfully 
violating any provisions of this Act and its implementing rules, shall be subjected to 
the appropriate administrative sanctions, including the suspension or revocation of 
the school’s license to operate, disqualification from enjoying tuition fee rate 
increases or adjustment, and/or the imposition of reasonable penalties and 
administrative fines. 
SECTION 8. Penal Provisions. - Any person who shall willfully violate or 
commit any act intended to defeat any provision of this Act and its implementing 
rules, shall upon conviction, be punished by a fine not less than Fifty thousand 
pesos (P50,OOO.OO) nor more than One hundred thousand pesos (100,000.00) or 
imprisonment not less than one (1) year nor more than five (5) years, or both at the 
discretion of the court. 
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Any school found likewise to have violated the provisions of this Act and its 
implementing rules shall be fined the amount of not less than Five hundred 
thousand pesos (P500,OOO.OO) but not more than One million pesos 
(PI ,000,000.00). 
Pursuant thereto, the DepEd, the CHED, and the TESDA shall be 
empowered to investigate violations of this Act as well as the implementing rules 
and regulations and other issuances appurtenant thereto, and for this purpose shall 
have the power to issue summons, writs, orders, subpoena and subpoena duces 
tecum to secure the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents in 
connection with the charges presented. 
SECTION 9. lmplementing Rules and Regulations. - Upon the approval of 
this Act and within sixty (60) days after the Council have been constituted, the 
Council shall formulate the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) to implement 
the provisions of this Act. Public hearings and consultations may be conducted to 
facilitate the drafting of the IRR. 
SECTION 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act or any portion 
thereof is declared unconstitutional by a competent court, other provisions shall not 
be affected thereby. 
SECTION 11. 
Repealing Clause. - Any provision of laws, orders, 
agreements, rules or regulations, including the provisions of the various charters of 
State colleges and universities contrary to and inconsistent with this Act are hereby 
repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 12. €ffecfivity. -This Act shall take effect upon its approval. 
Approved, 
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