THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
1 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
. 
2,- 
* 
SENATE 
SI 
b. 
S.B. No. 
SI. 
lhtroduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The need for policy research and strategic studies could not be more compelling 
than at the present time. Domestic and iniernational, political, economic, and other 
developments of profound significance present tremendous challenges to the country. 
Major technological advances especially in communications, information and 
transportation have increased interdependence among nations. 
While large-scale military confrontation has become more unlikely, competition 
for resources is likely to develop more keenly. It is expected that the next arena of 
competition could very well be the Asia-Pacific region. 
In many parts of Asia, outstanding territorial conflicts may fuel many interstate 
tensions. Meanwhile, some states continue to build vast arsenals of weapons which 
may bring about another arms race. 
Contending claims over the Spratly portion of the South China Sea by several 
states, including the Philippines, may result in armed confrontation. 
Internally, the Philippines is beset by a continuing insurgency. 
The local 
communist movement remains a clear and present danger to national security, even as 
the Mor0 Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), together with terrorist organizations, like the 
Abu Sayyaf continues to disturb the palitical stability of the country. 
There is clearly an urgency in conducting scientific and continuing policy 
research and strategic studies as bases for addressing our fundamental and critical 
national concerns. 


Strategic studies work has to be done by a group of select scholar-members 
who, among other things, shall (I) 
conduct strategic research on national and 
international concerns, (2) formulate various policy options on various national 
concerns, and (3) recommend the appropriate actions to support such policies and 
strategies. 
The establishment of such an organization is the purpose of this bill. 
A 
Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF TH.E 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
S.B. No. 
~~ 
_ _ ~  
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Pstrada 
AN ACT 
CREATING AND ESTABLISHING THE INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES, AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Establishment of the Institute for Strategic Studies (ISS). - The 
Institute for Strategic Studies, hereinafter referred to as the Organization is hereby 
created and established as an institution to promote understanding of fundamental, 
current and emerging domestic and international issued and to assist the government in 
formulating policy and strategic perspectives on those issues. It shall conduct research 
on fundamental national concerns in response to or in anticipation of the needs of policy 
making, conduct studies on matters of domestic and international political, economic, 
military, socio-cultural and techno-scientific significance in an interdisciplinary and 
integrative manner; identify strategies to serve the ends of policy; design programs to 
effect coordinated and integrated work of other research institutes engaged in strategic 
studies, undertake commissioned research work in collaboration with outside 
entities/institutions consistent with its mandate; build and maintain a resource facility 
and data bank; and carry out such other activities and projects as shall enhance the 
mission of the organization. 
SECTION 2. Powers of the Organization. The Organization shall have the 
following powers: 
a) 
b) 
Adopt, alter and use a corporate seal; 
Take and hold by bequest, devise, gift, purchase or lease, either 
absolutely or in trust, for any of its purposes, any property, real or 
personal, without limitation as to amount or value, to convey such 


property and to invest and reinvest any principal of the said 
Organization in such manner as shall best promote its objectives; 
Collect, receive and maintain a fund or funds, and to apply the 
income and principal thereof to the promotion of its aims and 
purposes herein-before set out; 
Contact any obligation or enter into any agreement necessary or 
incidental to the proper management of its corporate powers; 
Engage in any activity, and exercise all the powers conferred by the 
laws upon private or government-owned or controlled corporations; 
and 
Exercise the general powers of a duly incorporated entity as set out 
in the corporate code. 
c) 
d) 
e) 
9 
SECTION 3. The Board of Trustees. - The Organization shall be organized 
functionally with the following components: 
I. 
There shall be a Board of Trustees composed of the Executive 
Secretary, Senate President, House of Representatives Speaker, 
Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Secretary of National Defense, Secretary 
of Science and Technology, President of the Philippine Chamber of 
Commerce and Industry, an eminent representative from the private 
sector to be appointed by the President of the Republic of the 
Philippines, and the President of the Organization. 
2. The Trustees shall elect from among themselves the Chairman and 
Vice Chairman of the Board. 
3. The Board of Trustees coming from the private sector may create an 
executive committee of five trustees including its chairperson, which 
shall have the authority to make decisions on behalf of the Board of 
Trustees in between the regular meetings of the said board. The Chair 
of the board shall head the executive committee. Decisions of the 
Executive Committee shall be reported to the board of trustees at its 
meeting. 
4. The Trustees shall receive per diem as may be authorized for every 
meeting actually attended, in addition to reasonable transportation and 
representation expenses. 
5. The Board shall provide guidance to the Policy Council on the thrusts, 
objectives, policies, research, agenda, programs and other activities of 
the organization. 


ouncil. There shall be a Policy Council, composed of a 
Executive Director and five others, as Members, all of whom shall be appointed by the 
President of the Republic of the Philippines from among the present members of the 
Strategic Studies Group of the National Defense College of the Philippines, as presently 
constituted, for a term of six years. The Council shall have the following authority; 
I. 
To formulate the thrusts, objectives, policies, research agenda, 
programs and other activities of the Organization; 
2. To oversee, monitor and evaluate all research work and studies; 
3. To designate Research Fellows with notable scholarship to do and/ or 
direct research work and strategic studies in the various functional/ 
area program of the organization that are relevant to their areas of 
expertise; 
4. To determine and fill up other positions in the Organization and fix the 
salaries, honoraria, allowances and other emoluments of all the 
Organization’s personnel-whether they 
are 
term, 
permanent, 
temporary or casual. 
5. The Executive Director of the Council shall concurrently serve as the 
President of the Organization. He/She shall be responsible for the 
leadership, management and operation and the day-to-day 
requirements of the organization. 
SECTION 5. Autonomy and Academic Freedom of the organization. - The 
Organization shall be an autonomous and self-governing institution governed by the 
principle of academic freedom; it shall neither be organic nor be part of any government 
instrumentality. It shall be attached to the Office of the President to facilitate its 
budgetary and other administrative requirements , and for the purpose of policy 
coordination. 
SECTION 6. Assistance from Government Departments and Agencies. - 
To assist in its functions, government departments, agencies, units or instrumentalities 
shall allow the Organization access to their official files, records, data and other 
documents, provided such access is consistent with the requirements of confidentiality. 
SECTION 7. Exemptions, Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary, 
appointments to the research and administrative staff of the Organization may be on a 
full-time basis, and shall be exempt from the requirements and restrictions of the Civil 
Service and retirement laws, other laws, rules and regulations on position-classification 
and salary standardization and Section Two Hundred Fifty-Nine of the Revised 


Administrative Code; provided , that any goverqment retiree employed in the 
Organization shall not be required to reimburse or refund any gratuity received from the 
government nor shall any pension or annuity to which he is entitled be suspended or 
reduced on account of his employment in the Organization. 
SECTION 8. Services of Outside Agencies and of Private Sector. The 
Organization may, for the purpose of research, field work, and other activities, obtain 
and pay for the services of the personnel of any agency of the Philippine Government 
and/or private sector to perform research of field work and such other activities as may 
be needed. 
SECTION 9. Endowment Fund. 
1. 
An 
Endowment Fund shall be created to provide for non-recurring 
expenditures of the Organization. 
For this purpose, the amount of 
500 million pesos (PhP 500,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated from 
any appropriated funds in the National Treasury. The Endowment Fund 
shall be administered as & trust with the Board of Trustees thereof, 
provided that the principal of said endowment shall not be subject to 
impairment, and provided further that the earnings thereof, shall constitute 
a trust fund available for non-recurring apd un programmed expenditures 
of the Organization. 
Any or all savings of the Organization shall form part of the trust funds 
provided in Section 9, above. 
2. 
SECTION I O .  Appropriation. There is hereby appropriated the amount of five 
hundred million pesos (Php 500,000,000.00) out of any un appropriated funds in the 
National Treasury for such initial requirements as capital outlay and infrastructures of 
the Organization. Thereafter, beginning January 2001, the Congress of the Philippines 
shall include as part of its budgetary appropriations the amount of at least fifty million 
(Php50,000,000.00) pesos to finance the recurring and operational expenditures of the 
0 rg a n izati on. 
Approved ,