14'" CONGRESS OF THE 
1 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILTPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
4 
S.B. No. 
776 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) was instituted under 
Republic Act No. 7323 in early 1992 to help poor but deserving students in pursuing their 
education by encouraging their employment during summer and/or Christmas vacations. 
RA 7323 advances such program by enabling companies or businesses to employ 
students during the summer andor Christmas vacations and allowing them to pay only 
60% of the salaries and wages and the 40% through education vouchers to be paid by the 
government. Such vouchers are then applicable in the payment of the student's tuition 
fees and books in any educational institution for secondary, tertiary, vocational 
technological education. 
This bill proposes to strengthen the program by allowing the employment of 
students not only during the summer or Christmas vacations but for the whole year. Also, 
this amendatory measure encourages employers engaged in small and medium - scale 
enterprises to adopt the program and employ working students. 
This bill likewise penalizes any person or entity who refuses or dishonors the 
educational voucher paid by the government to the student-employee with imprisonment 
of, not less than 6 months to 1 year and a fine of not less than Ten thousand pesos. With 
the, improvement and expansion of the Special Program for Employment ofStudents, it is 
hoped that this will allow more Filipino youth to pursue their education. 
In view o f  the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 


1 
7 J[JL -3 
I> 1 120 
14‘h CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 776 
Introdnced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilia, Jr. 
AN ACT 
TO STRENGTHEN THE SPECIAL PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYMENT OF 
STUDENTS BY AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 
1323 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repvesentatives of the Philippines in Congress 
Assem bled: 
SECTION 1. Section 1 of Republic Act No. 7323 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
“Section 1. Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, any person or 
entity employing at least [fifty (50) TEN (10) persons may [during the summer 
and/or Christmas vacation] FOR THE WHOLE YEAR employ poor but 
deserving students fifteen (15) years of age but not more than twenty - five (25) 
years old, paying them a salary not lower than the minimum wage provided by 
law and other applicable labor rules and regulations. 
“For purposes of this Act, poor but deserving students refer to those whose 
parents’ combined incomes, together with their income, if any, do not exceed 
[Thirty six thousand pesos (P36,OOO) per annum] THE ANNUAL FAMILY 
INCOME OF SIX FOR THE PRECEDING YEAR AS MAY BE DETERMINED 
BY THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (NEDA). 
Employment should be at the Labor Exchange Center of the Department of Labor 
and Employment (DOLE).” 
SECTION 2. Section 4 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“Section 4. Any person or entity who shall make any fraudulent or 
fictitious claim under this Act, regardless of whether payment has been 
made, AND ANY PERSON OR ENTITY WHO REFUSES OR 
DISHONORS AN EDUCATIONAL VOUCHER, shall, upon conviction 
be punished with imprisonment of not less than six (6) months and not 
more than one (I) year and a fine of not less than Ten thousand pesos ’ 
(PlO,OOO), without prejudice to their prosecution and punishment for any 
other offense punishable under the Revised Penal Code or any other penal 
statute 
In case of partnerships or corporations, the managing partner, general 
manager, or chief executive officer, ’ as the case may be , shall be 
criminally liable.”, 
SECTION 3. Rules and Regulations, -Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity 
of this Act, the Department of .tabor and Employment, the Department of Education, the 
Commission on Higher Education, and the Department of Finance shall issue and publish 
the corresponding rules and regulations to carry out the purposes of this Act. 


SECTION 4. Appropriutions. An amount necessary to cany out the purposes of 
this, AmendatoIy Act charged against the appropriations of the budget of the Department 
of Labor and Employment. Thereafter, such sums as may be needed shall be included in 
the Annual General Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 5. Separabilzly Cluzcse, If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, such sections or parts not affected thereby shall remain in full 
force and effect. 
SECTION 6. Repealing C/ause, - All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, 
presidential proclamations, issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent 
with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 7. Efectivz@. - This Act shall take effect (15) days after its complete 
publication in the OMicial Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,