FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
.\ 0 JilL 20 
!l.11 :30 
SEN1lf59 
S.No. ___ _ 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Diploma mills or entities that sell fraudulent degrees, diplomas, or certifications, have 
proliferated in recent decades due to inconsistent law enforcement and technological advances 
such as the Internet and electronic mail; These diploma mills take many different forms but often 
share common characteristics, such as lack of accreditation or false claims of accreditation by 
agencies not recognized by the Commission on Higher Education. These institutions do not 
require previous academic records for admission. The tuition fee is charged based on the number 
of degrees purchased, rather than the number of credit hours or courses taken and the credits for 
degrees are offered based on life experience rather than academic work. In these institutions, 
students can receive degrees in far less' time than at legitimate, accredited institutions of higher 
education and their faculties do not have degrees or credentials from accredited institutions. 
More often than not, the names of these institutions are very similar to legitimate, accredited 
institutions of higher education. 
Rapidly growing commerce III fraudulent academic credentials imperils the national 
security of the Philippines. The safety of the Philippine public is particularly endangered by the 
sale of fraudulent medical, engineering, science, and education degrees. Some individuals who 
obtain degrees from diploma mills are conspirators in fraudulent behavior, but others are 
innocent consumers who have become victims of financial scams. 
However, efforts to shut down diploma mills have been weak and erratic due to 
variations in the laws and agency policies, insufficient enforcement mechanisms and political 
priorities. 
I 


The regulation of education in the country is, in general, a State responsibility, and the 
development and regulation of academic standards in higher education is the responsibility of 
institutions of higher education. The government should have uniform standards to determine the 
legitimacy of degrees, diplomas, certifications, and degree-granting institutions. 
Therefore, this Act is necessary to protect institutions of higher education, businesses and 
other employers, professional licensing boards, patients and clients of degree holders, taxpayers, 
and other individuals from any person claiming to possess a legitimate academic degree that in 
fact was issued by a fraudulent or nonexistent school, by a non-educational entity posing as a 
school, or by any entity in violation of state law. 1 
I This bill was originally filed in the Fourteenth Congress, Second Regular Session 
2 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
) 
) 
First Regular Session 
SEN.\Tll. 
'S'. No. 
~o59 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
1 
AN ACT 
10 
,IUL 20 All:.30' 
2 
REGULATING THE PROLIFERATION OF FRAUDULENT DEGREES, DIPLOMAS AND 
3 
CERTIFICATIONS ISSUED BY UNAUTHORIZED DEGREE GRANTING INSTITUTIONS 
4 
5 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
6 
Congress assembled: 
7 
8 
SECTION 1, Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "Diploma Integrity Protection 
9 
Act". 
10 
11 
SECTION 2, Declaration of Policy. The State shall give priority to education, science 
12 
and technology, arts, culture, and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social 
13 
progress, and promote total human liberation and development. 
14 
15 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. As used in this Act unless the context indicates 
16 
otherwise, the following definition of terms shall be adopted: 
17 
A. "Degree-Granting Institution" refers to any entity that offers or confers an academic, 
18 
professional, or occupational degree, diploma, or certificate, if such degree, diploma, or 
19 
certificate may be used to represent to the general public that the individual possessing 
20 
such degree, diploma, or certificate has completed a program of education or training 
21 
beyond secondary education. 
22 
B. "Diploma Mill" refers to any entity that: 
• 
23 
1. 
lacks valid accreditation by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as a valid 
24 
accrediting agency of institutions of higher education; and 
3 


I 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
2. 
offers degrees, diplomas, or certifications, for a fee, that may be used to represent to 
the general public that the individual possessing such a degree, diploma, or 
certification has completed a program of education or training beyond secondary 
education , but little or no education or course work is required to obtain such a 
degree, diploma, or certification. 
7 
SECTION 4. List of Recognized Accrediting Agencies and Institutions. The 
8 
Commissioner on Higher Education shall: 
9 
A. Make available in a regularly updated electronic format, a list of --
10 
1. 
accrediting agencies and associations, recognized by the CHED; 
11 
2. 
foreign degree-granting institutions that--
12 
a. have degree-granting authority, as granted by the appropriate agency in the home 
13 
country of such institution; 
14 
b. issue degrees that are accepted for professional licensure, public employment, and 
15 
admission into graduate programs of degree-granting institutions in the home 
16 
country; 
17 
c. are determined by the Commissioner on Higher Education to be academically 
18 
equivalent to an eligible institution, and 
19 
d. are located in a home country that is capable of performing an effective academic 
20 
evaluation of the degree-granting institutions to which it issues degree-granting 
21 
authority. 
22 
B. Modify and maintain the lists described in subsection (l) as necessary to ensure that the 
23 
lists and the information contained in the lists are accurate and up-to-date, based on the most 
24 
recent information available to the Commissioner. 
25 
26 
SECTION 5. Accrediting Agencies. No accrediting agency or association may be 
27 
considered to be a reliable authority as to the quality of education or training offered by a degree-
28 
granting institution for any purpose related to immigration, employment and hiring practices, or 
4 


1 
for any other purposes, unless the agency or association is on the list of accrediting agencies and 
2 
associations recognized by the Commissioner on Higher Education. 
3 
4 
SECTION 6. Civil Service Employment. For purposes of applying any civil service law, 
5 
rule, or regulation that requires or take& into consideration a degree from an institution of higher 
6 
education for purposes of appointment or promotion of, or improved pay for an employee, only a 
7 
degree from a degree-granting institution that is on the list of eligible institutions recognized by 
8 
the Commissioner on Higher Education and provided to the appropriate govermnent agency 
9 
under section 4 shall be acceptable. 
10 
11 
SECTION 7. Diploma Mill TaskForce. 
12 
A. Establishment of a Task Force - The Commissioner on Higher Education shall establish a 
13 
Diploma Mill Task Force (referred to in this Act as the 'Task Forcel 
14 
B. Membership - The Task Force shall, if practicable, be composed of the following 
15 
members: 
16 
1. The Assistant Commissioner for Higher Education. 
17 
2. A representative of the Department of Education with experience related to the 
18 
determination of the legitimacy and quality of degrees from foreign institutions of higher 
19 
education, selected by the Secretary of Education. 
20· 
3. A representative of the Department of Justice. 
21 
4. A representative of the Department of Labor and Employment, selected by the 
22 
Secretary of such agency. 
23 
5. A representative of the Professional Regulatory Commission. 
24 
6. A representative ofthe Civil Service Commission. 
25 
7. Two individuals from the academe with experience in higher education, the detection 
26 
of fraudulent degrees and degree-granting institutions, or law enforcement related to 
27 
credential fraud. 
28 
C. Criteria for Membership. - All members of the Task Force shall be persons who are 
29 
especially qualified to serve on the Task Force by virtue of their education, training, or 
5 


I 
experience, particularly in the fields of higher education, accreditation of institutions of 
2 
higher education, foreign higher education standards, government regulation of institutions of 
3 
higher education, immigration, civil service employment requirements and hiring practices, 
4 
or fraud prevention, detection, or enforcement. 
5 
D. Task Force Chair - At the first m.eeting of the Task Force, the members of the Task Force 
6 
shall elect a member of the Task Force to serve as Chair. 
7 
E. Task Force Guidelines - The Task Force shall develop guidelines, to be used for the 
8 
development of government legislation, to identify degree-granting institutions as legitimate 
9 
or fraudulent degree-granting institutions for government purposes. In developing such 
10 
guidelines, the Task Force shall consider the following: 
11 
l. Characteristics of degree-granting institutions that help determine the legitimacy of 
12 
the institution, such as whether an entity--
13 
a. offers or confers degrees, diplomas, or certificates--
14 
1. 
for little or no meaningful academic work; 
15 
11. without requiring an appropriate level of academic achievement for the 
16 
attainment of such degrees, diplomas, or certificates; or 
17 
iii. without imposing academic or other requirements for admittance into the 
18 
institutions or programs offering such degrees, diplomas, or certificates; 
19 
b. has fiscal and administrative structures and capacity appropriate to the specified 
20 
scale of educational operations; 
21 
c. has resources to support claims as a degree-granting institution, including 
22 
curricula, qualified faculty, facilities, equipment, and supplies, student support 
23 
services, objectives of the degrees or credentials offered, admissions practices, 
24 
academic calendars and catalogs, and a grading system; and 
25 
d. has degree-granting authority issued by CHED in which degrees, or instruction 
26 
leading to degrees, are offered, and is recognized by the Commission as an 
27 
approved institution of higher education; 
6 


1 
2. The feasibility of defining the term 'fraudulent degree-granting institution' (commonly 
2 
referred to as 'diploma mills'), and if feasible, shall define such term for use in 
• 
3 
government laws and regulations; 
4 
3. The issues related to: 
5 
a. the detection of new and existing fraudulent degree-granting institutions; 
6 
b.recognition and prevention of the practices used by such fraudulent degree-
7 
granting institutions to avoid detection; 
8 
c. the enforcement of laws and regulations prohibiting such fraudulent degree-
9 
granting institutions and practices and the use of fraudulent degrees; and 
10 
d.the prosecution of such fraudulent degree-granting institutions and practices and 
11 
the use of fraudulent degrees; 
12 
4. Difficulties in identifying fraudulent degree-granting institutions located in foreign 
13 
countries, or that claim recognition or degree-granting authority from foreign 
14 
countries; 
15 
5. Means to alert and educate the public about fraudulent degree-granting institutions 
16 
and the use of fraudulent degrees; 
17 
18 
6. Laws, regulations, and other means used to address fraudulent degree-granting 
19 
institutions and the use offraudulent degrees; 
20 
7. The potential need for coordination and cooperation among various government 
21 
agencies to investigate and prosecute suspected fraudulent degree-granting 
22 
institutions, and the detailed recommendations of the Task Force regarding such 
23 
coordination and cooperation; 
24 
8. The study and the report to the Task Force and the purposes for which various 
25 
agencies and educational institutions need to identify fraudulent degree-granting 
26 
institutions, and identify, prohibit, and prevent the use of degrees issued by such 
27 
fraudulent institutions, and the ability of such agencies to implement any guidelines 
28 
considered by the Task Force. 
29 
7 


I 
SECTION 8. Appropriation. - The amount of Five million pesos (P5,OOO,OOO.OO) is 
2 
hereby authorized to be appropriated for the Diploma Mill Task Force. Thereafter, the funds 
3 
necessary for the operation of the Task Force shall be included in the General Appropriations 
4 
Act. 
5 
6 
SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part thereof is held invalid or 
7 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
8 
valid and sUbsisting. 
9 
10 
SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
II 
orders, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule and regulation contrary to, or inconsistent 
12 
with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
13 
14 
SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following 
15 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
16 
Approved, 
17 
18 
8