Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

i fe HOUSE BILL NO. 6086

i Introduced by: “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO-

i AN ACT
i ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE DEFENSE UNIVERSITY
SYSTEM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The 1987 Constitution states that the Government must give importance to the education of
the youth in order to nurture the knowledge, discipline and social development of the young
generation. It aims to inculcate patriotism and nationalism, foster love of humanity, respect for
human rights and teach them the rights and duties of being a citizen of the Philippines.

The Philippines’s national structure program relating to defense and security education is
not given priority despite the challenging national security issues, terrorism activities and
extremism among lawless groups. The State must create an enabling law that will promote the
development of the defense and security education, research and training being offered by various
defense and security academic institutions.

This bill intends to create a defense and security education that is responsive to the préSent
predicaments related to national defense and security.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
22

“KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO|y

Representative
First District of Bulacan



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BNO. 5988
Introduced by: “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE DEFENSE UNIVERSITY
SYSTEM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Title. - This act shall be known as the "Philippine Defense University
System of 2020",

SECTION 2. Policy. — It shall be the policy of the State to provide a continuing
advanced education in the field of defense and security to outstanding and qualified men
and women in the military service as well as to key officers in the government service and
private sector, The State shall likewise ensure that defense and security education is holistic,
integrated, comprehensive, and attuned to defense and security requirements of the country.

SECTION 3. Establishment of Philippine Defense University System. - In
furtherance of the policy enunciated in Section 2 of this Act, an educational institution
known as the Philippine Defense University System (PDUS) shall be established to be
located at Camp General Alejo S. Santos in Malolos, Bulacan.

SECTION 4. Objectives - The PDUS shall be established to serve as the over-all
administrative and operational educational institution in the field of defense and security
education in the country. It shall aim to promote, to the highest degree possible, the
enhancement and development of defense and security education, research and training in
the country

SECTION 5. Organization and Administration — The PDUS shall be organized as
a bureau of the Department of National Defense (DND).

a, The PDUS shall be headed by & University President who shall be appointed by

"the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the Secretary of
National Defense. The University President of the PDUS shall have the rank of a
Lieutenant General or a Department Undersecretary. The University President shall
serve as’ the chief executive officer, chief academic officer, and head of the
University Faculty of the PDUS. The University President shall likewise preside
over the meetings of the autonomous schools and colleges of the PDUS and exercise
powers specifically provided for in this Act, those determined by the Board of
Regents, and such other powers as may be provided by related laws and executive
issuances,

b. The' University President shall be assisted by an Executive Vice-President and
three (3) Vice-Presidents who shall be appointed in the same manner as the
University President. The Executive Vice President shall have the rank of a Major


_ General or a Department Assistant Secretary. The Executive Vice President shall act
as University President of the PDUS in the absence or incapacity of the University
President, and perform such other functions and duties as may be assigned by the
University President or the Secretary of National Defense.

} ¢. The PDUS Vice Presidents shall have the rank of a Department Director. The Vice

President for Administration shall be responsible for providing overall

administrative support to the activities of the PDUS; the Vice President for

Academic Affairs shall be responsible for the development, implementation,

- supervision, and evaluation of academic programs; and the Vice President for

Research shall be responsible for the conduct and supervision of research and special
studies and policy formulation and review for the DND.

d, The PDUS shall likewise have an Academic Council who shall assist the
University President in the discharge of the following functions:

1, Supervise the academic affairs of the University;

2. Recommend academic consultants, professors, lecturers, instructors, research
assistants and other resource persons of the University; and

3. Recommend the ‘courses of studies to be conducted by the University to
accomplish its objectives.

| The Academic Council shall be composed of the PDUS University President as
j Chair, the Vice President for Academic Affairs as Vice Chair, and the Heads of the PDUS
f constituent schools and colleges'as well as the Heads of their respective faculties as
t Members, subject to the approval of the Secretary of National Defense as recommended by
the PDUS University President,

" SECTION 6. Board of Regents ~The PDUS shall have a Board of Regents to be
composed of the following?!

a, Secretary of National Defense — Chairman

b. Director-General, National Security Council — Vice Chairman

¢, Director-General, National Economic Development Authority - Member
d. Chairman, House Committee on Defense and Security -Member

e. Chairman, Senate Committee on Defense and Security Member
f. Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines Member
g. Secretary of Interior and Local Government — Member
h, Secretary of Budget and Management — Member
i, Chairman, Commission on Higher Education - Member
j. Chancellor, PDUS = Member

SECTION 7. Powers and Functions of the Board of Regents. - The Board of
Regents shall act on all matters related to the conduct of defense and security education in
the country which shall!include but not limited to the following:

a. Toladopt and define the thrusts of thé PDUS and provide policy guidelines to ensure
their implementation;

b. To approve any proposal for revision, merger or abolition of any academic or
training programs or curriculum offered in its autonomous schools and colleges;

¢. To approve the graduation of students as recommended by their respective colleges
i and schools! and confer honorary degrees upon persons in recognition of their
; . Ht '~ outstanding contributions to defense and security of the country;


‘ d. To approve and promulgate rules on admission and discipline of students as
recommended by the Heads of the autonomous schools and colleges within the
PDUS;

e, To approve proposals for the creation, organization, abolition,’ merger or
"reorganization of training and research centers and institutes within the PDUS and
in each autonomous college and school;

4 f, To establish and maintain chairs in the autonomous schools and colleges and provide
t for fellowship’ and! scholarship programs to faculty, staff and students who
demonstrate exceptional merit and fitness;

g. To appoint heads of autonomous schools and colleges and other officials, to draw up
a position classification and compensation plan for its faculty and staff, and to fix
| and adjust salaries and benefits of the faculty members and other employees; to
* ’ determine their hours of service, and such other terms and conditions as it may deem
proper; and to

it h. To receive and ‘appropriate all sums as may be provided by law for the support of
& the PDUS to the ends specified by law, 'and all other'sums in the manner it may, in
its discretion, determine to carry out the purposes and functions of this Act;

i, To authorize the construction or repair of its buildings, machinery, equipment and
other 'facilities,’andithe purchase’ and acquisition of realand personal propertie.
including 'the necessary supplies, materials and equipment,

j. To receive in trust legacies, gifts and donations of real and personal property of all
kinds and ‘to administer and dispose the same when necessary for the benefit of the
PDUS and subject to the instructions of the donor, if any;

k. To propose, subject to the approval of the Secretary of National Defense, for the
__ inclusion of other AFP training and education institutions not covered by Section 8
’ of this Act, into the PDUS system;

1 To delegate any of its powers to the PDUS University President or any other officials
or officers as it may deem necessary; and

m, To prescribe rules for its own government and the discipline of the faculty and other
personnel and to enact for the government of the University such general policies,
rules and regulations, not gontrary to law, as are consistent with the purposes of this

oat ali\ . Br
of Rowen sh shall! have a regular meeting. A simple majority of all the
members of the Board of Regents holding office at the time the meeting is called shall
constitute a quorum.) |
pea

SECTION 8) The Constituent and Autonomous Schools and Colleges — The
following schools and colleges existing under the DND and Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) shall be reorganized and placed under the PDUS:

a. The National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP);
b, The Command and General Staff College (CGSC); and
¢. The Philippine Military Academy (PMA);



:
f

‘The aforementioned schools and colleges shall have an autonomous status and shall
be exempted from the standards, rules, and regulations prescribed by the Commission on
Higher Education.

SECTION 9. The National Defense College of the Philippines - The National
Defense College of the Philippines shall be the country's highest educational, research and
training institution in the field of defense and national security. For this purpose, it shall
maintain, establish and operate centers and ‘institutes for research, training and continuing
studies in the field of defense and national security in addition to the regular colirses it
currently undertakes,

SECTION 10. Academic Programs of the NDCP - Within two years after effectivity
of this Act, the Academic Board of the NDCP shall offer, subject to the approval of the
Board of Regents, the course curriculum and other requirements for the conduct of the
Doctor of National Security Affairs (DNSA). Upon the approval of the course curriculum
and other requirements by the Board of Regents, the NDCP shall immediately offer the
DNSA program, Provided that no person shall be admitted to the program unless he is more
than 40 years old at the time of admission, holder of a Master in National Security
Administration (MNSA) degree, and with a rank of Colonel or Naval Captain if from the
military or Assistant Secretary or its equivalent in the government service or Chairman,
President or CEO of a private industry or corporation vital to national security and interest
to be identified by the Board of Regents.

‘There shall be a regular review and enhancement of the courses and programs being
offered by NDCP to address the evolving defense and national security requirements of the
‘country remove them for cause as provided by law after due investigation and, proper
eeinge Heh is

SECTION 11. Promotion to General / Flag Rank. -The Master's in National
Security Administration (MNSA) or its equivalent in military career development course
shall be required for appointment or designation to key positions and promotion of AFP
officers to the grade of O-7 (Brigadier General/Commodore).

SECTION 12. Grant of Commission to Civilian Graduates. - Subject to existing
AEP regulations, civilian graduates of regular courses from NDCP may be commissioned
as officers in the Reserve Corps of the AFP with the initial rank of lieutenant colonel for
those who are holders of the MNSA degree. For those holding the degree of DNSA, the
rank of full colonel may be given provided that the candidate is at least forty (40) years old
and holds a rank equivalent to a Department Assistant Secretary

SECTION 13. The Command and General Staff College. - The Armed Forces of
the Philippines Command and General Staff College shall be placed under the operational
and administrative supervision of the PDUS, All academic programs, training programs,
modules currently conducted by the abovementioned colleges shall, upon
‘effectivity of this Act and subject to existing DND and AFP regulations, be reviewed,

evaluated and approved by the Board of Regents,

‘There shall be a regular review and enhancement of the courses and programs being offered
by CGSC to address the command and general staff academic requirements of AFP regular
and reserve officers.

SECTION 14. The Philippine Military Academy. - The operational and
administrative supervision over the Philippine Military Academy shall be transferred to the
PDUS, Alll academic programs, training programs, curricula, modules currently conducted
by the PMA shall, effectivity of this Act and subject to existing DND and AFP regulations,
be reviewed, evaluated and approved by the Board of Regents, There shall be a regular


review and enhancement of the courses and programs being offered by PMA to address the
military academic requirements of the AFP cadets.

SECTION 15. Faculty Members and Consultants. - The PDUS shall have a core
faculty composed of civilian and military professors, instructors and lecturers serving on a
F full-time basis. Upon the recommendation of the Academic Council, the Board of Regents
Is shall appoint Senior Military Officers, with the rank of Brigadier General or higher, as
members of the respective core faculty of the PDUS constituent academic institutions.
Consultants of the PDUS on serving on a part-time basis may be drawn from the military
and civilian branches of the national government, from business, and from public and
private educational institutions upon the approval of the PDUS Chancellor as recommended
"by the Academic Council. All instructors, professors and lecturers may be rotated and
assigned to other autonomous colleges and schools if the exigency of service so requires
All academic’ consultants, professors, instructors or lecturers, whether civilian or military
personnel, in addition to their regular salaries, shall be entitled to receive honorarium or
fees as may be approved by the Board of Regents.

SER:
55:

SECTION 16. Fiscal Autonomy, The PDUS shall enjoy fiscal autonomy. Pursuant
to each authority: to’ collect! various fees in all academic and training courses, it shall be
allowed to retain the proceeds of such collection and to appropriate the same for the regular
expenditure of PDUS subject to government accounting rules and regulations. The PDUS
may receive in trust legacies, devises, gifts,'donations of real and personal property of all
kinds and nature and to administer the same for the benefit of the PDUS in accordance with
, the instructions or directions of the donor or in'default thereof, as the law on donation may
( provide.

| SECTION 17. Personnel Details or Secondment.— Heads of bureaus and officers

of the national government are hereby authorized to loan or transfer such apparatus or

© supplies as may be needed by the PDUS and to assign employees on detail or secondment

~~ for duty’ therein. For the purpose of promotion or other personnel transactions, service in

the university either by uniformed or civilian personnel shall be counted as part of active
i; service in their mother units,
i id ti

SECTION 18. Promuilgation of Implementing Rules. - The Secretary of National

: Defense is hereby empowered to promulgate rules and regulations to effectively implement

the objectives and LaBLe ce of this Act.

i "© SECTION 19. Initial Appropriations. - The amount of Five Hundred Million Pesos
(P500,000,000.00) or such sum or sums as may be needed to carry out the provisions of this
‘Act shall be appropriated and shall be carried’ generally under the DND in the General
Appropriations Act.

i

‘SECTION 20. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, presidential
issuances, rules and regulations or part thereof contrary to or inconsistent with any of
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. If any part or provision
Of this Act is declared unconstitutional, the remaining proyisions which are not affected

" thereby shall continue to have the force and effect of law.

SECTION 21. Effectiyify. This Act shall take effect immediately upon approval

Approved,