FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
7 JJL -3 
[i 1: . i 6 
First Regular Session 
) 
S E N A T E  
f\E{,;;iy,;;<Ll fy{ :, . 
Senate Bill No. 6 27 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article 2 Section 17 of the Constitution provides that, "The State shall 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." 
The quality of education depends primarily on the quality of our teachers. 
Hence, the government must expend efforts to encourage talented 
individuals interested in teaching to maintain their interest. This can be done by 
raising the status of the teaching profession, through increased recognition and 
professional opportunities for teachers, so that the best teachers remain in the 
classroom and talented individuals are attracted to teaching. 
The purpose of this bill is to establish a teacher corps program to 
strengthen the teaching profession. 
Immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 


I , L  
. L  .~ 
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
7 
,j!J!. -:; 
;, , , ' 1: 
First Regular Session 
) 
S E N A T E  
Senate Bill No. 6 2 7 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
ESTABLtSHING 
A 
TEACHER 
CORPS 
PROGRAM IN 
ORDER 
TO 
STRENGTHEN THE TEACHING PROFESSION 
Be it enacted by the Senafe and House of Representatives of fhe Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "National 
Teachers' Act". 
SEC 2. Teacher Corps Programs Authorized. - 
(a) 
Program Authorized - The Commission on Higher Education, 
hereinafter referred to as "the Commission" shall make grants 
in accordance with the provisions of this Act, to state colleges 
and universities (SCUs) to conduct Teacher Corps activities; 
Designation - a scholarship awarded under this Act shall be 
referred to as a "Teacher Corps scholarship"; 
A recipient of a scholarship under this Act shall be referred to 
as a "Teacher Corps member". 
(b) 
(c) 
SEC 3. Use of Funds. - The Commission on Higher Education shall use 
(1) 
disseminate information nationally about the availability of 
scholarships; 
conduct activities which foster communication among and bring 
together members of the Teacher Corps including activities such as 
written communications, meetings or training session; 
provide technical assistance to education institutions in establishing 
and operating Teacher Corps programs; 
provide guidelines in the evaluation of applications for Teacher 
Corps membership and award scholarships to Teacher Corps 
members; 
funds provided pursuant to this Act to: 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 


make Teacher Corps awards to individuals in training to become a 
school psychologist, school social worker, or a school counselor; 
ensure that Teacher Corps members understand the obligation to 
repay such scholarships upon failure to comply with the conditions 
of the scholarship; 
assist in the employment placement of Teacher Corps members; 
and. 
establish, operate, and expand programs for new Teacher Corps 
members and other new teachers, including: 
(a) orientation; 
(b) using mentor teachers to work with new teachers; 
(c) curriculum guidance; and 
(d) increasing the preparedness of all classroom teachers for the 
participation of particular populations of students, such as 
disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, and students 
from diverse cultural backgrounds, in the classrooms of such 
teachers. 
In carrying out the provisions of subsection (a)(l), the Commission shall 
give priority in awarding grants to state colleges and universities with the greatest 
proportion of disadvantaged students. 
SEC 4. Teacher Corps. - 
(a) 
Selection - the respective state colleges and universities, in 
cooperation with the Commissioner on Higher Education, shall 
select Teacher Corps members; 
Criteria - the Commission shall establish criteria to select Teacher 
Corps members intended to attract highly qualified individuals to 
teaching, and to meet the needs of the country in addressing 
teacher shortages, including: 
in the case of students or recent graduates, strong 
academic promise, or in other cases contributions 
which can be made by individuals working in other 
careers; and, 
(b) 
(1) 
(2) 
a demonstrated interest in teaching, or skill or 
professional experience in substantive fields of 
expertise in which the country is experiencing teacher 
shortages. 
(c) 
Special consideration - the Commission shall give special 
consideration in the selection of Teacher Corps members to 
individuals who - ( 1 )  intend to teach or provide related services to 
students with disabilities; (2) intend to teach preschool age children; 


(d) 
Priority consideration - the Commission shall give priority 
consideration in the selection of Teacher Corps members to 
individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, including minorities 
and individuals with disabilities who are underrepresented in the 
teaching profession or in the curricular areas in which they are 
preparing to teach. 
SEC 5. Sfafe Application. - Each state college or university desiring a 
grant under this Act shall submit an application to the Commission at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as the Commission may 
reasonably require. Each application shall describe teacher shortages in the 
region including shortages in specific substantive fields of expertise and 
geographic areas, and shall describe steps to be taken to place Teacher Corps 
member in areas experiencing teacher shortages. 
SEC 6. Scholarship. - 
(A) 
Eligibility - 
(1) 
An individual is eligible to receive Teacher Corps scholarship 
for a maximum of four (4) years during enrollment in any 
program of study leading to a baccalaureate or post- 
baccalaureate degree; 
An individual pursuing a program of study leading to a post- 
baccalaureate degree is eligible to receive a Teacher Corps 
scholarship during any of the first four (4) years that such 
individual is employed as a teacher to defray the costs of 
pursuing such post-baccalaureate instruction; 
An individual in possession of a bachelor's degree, who 
wishes to enter teacher from another profession, is eligible to 
receive a Teachers Corps scholarship io enable such 
individual to receive the instruction necessary to enter the 
teaching profession, as determined by the state college or 
university in which the individual wishes to teach. Such 
instruction may be provided while the individual is employed 
as a provisional teacher, at the discretion of such state 
college of university. 
(2) 
(3) 
(B) 
Limitations on Amouirt and Duration - Subject to subsection (c), 
each Teacher Corps member shall receive a Twenty Five 
Thousand Pesos (P25,OOO.OO) scholarship for each academic year 
of post-secondary education, except that no individual shall receive 
scholarship assistance for more than four (4) years of post- 
secondary education (including post-baccalaureate), as determined 
by the Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education. 
Continued Eligibility - Each individual who receives a Teacher 
Corps scholarship shall continue to receive such scholarship 
payments only during such periods that the state college or 
university finds that s x h  individual is: 
(1) enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited post- 
(C) 
secondary Institution; and 


(2) maintaining satisfactory progress as defined by such 
state college or university. 
SEC 7. Scholarship Conditions, - 
(I) 
Scholarship Agreement - Each individual receiving a scholarship 
under this Act shall enter into a written agreement with the state 
college or university where such individual is enrolled, which shall 
provide assurances that each such individual will: 
(a) pursue a course of study which meets requirements for teacher 
preparation; 
(b) maintain satisfactory academic progress and participate in 
teaching-related activities while in undergraduate or post- 
baccalaureate programs; 
(c) work as a teacher upon completion of such individual's 
education for five (5) years in public educational institutions; 
(d) repay all or part of a Teacher Corps scholarship received , plus 
interest and, if applicable, reasonable collection fees, in the 
event that the conditions of this Section are not complied with; 
and, 
(e) will participate in an induction program for new teachers during 
the fifth (5'h) year of employment, by serving as a mentor to new 
Teacher Corps members, or to other new teachers, or by 
making some other contribution to the induction program. 
(2) Scholarship Repayment - Individuals found to be in non-compliance 
with the agreement entered into under the preceding section shall be 
required to repay to the state college or university from which such 
individual graduated a pro rata amount of the scholarship awards 
received, plus interest and where applicable, reasonable collection 
fees. 
(3) Each individual found by the State to be in non-compliance with the 
agreement entered into under the preceding Section shall be required 
to repay - 
(a) one hundred percent (100%) of the total amount of scholarships 
awarded under this Act if such individual does not teach 
pursuant to the agreement described in the preceding section 
or teaches pursuant to such agreement for less than one (1) 
year; 
(b) ninety percent (90%) of the total amount of scholarship 
awarded under :his Act if such individual teaches pursuant to 
such agreement for at least one (1) year but not less than two 
(2) years; 
(c) eighty percent (80%) of the total amount of scholarships 
awarded under this Act if such individual teaches pursuant to 
such agreement for at least two (2) years but less than three (3) 
years; 


(d) sixty percent (60%) of the total amount of scholarships awarded 
under this Act if such individual teaches pursuant to such 
agreement for at least three (3) years but less than four (4) 
years; and, 
(e) thirty percent (30%) of the total amount of scholarships 
awarded under this Act if such individual teaches pursuant to 
such agreement for at least four (4) years but less than five (5) 
years. 
(4) If a portion of a scholarship is repaid under this subsection in any year, 
the entire amount of interest on such portion of such scholarship which 
accrues for such year shall be repaid; 
(5) Any repayments of scholarship made to the appropriate state college 
or university pursuant to the provisions of this Section shall be used by 
such institutions to award additional scholarships in accordance with 
the provisions of this Act; 
Waiver - The Secretary of Education may provide for the partial or 
total waiver or suspension of any service obligation or repayment by 
an individual who received a Teacher Corps scholarship whenever 
compliance by such individual is impossible or would involve extreme 
hardship to such individual, or if enforcement of such obligation with 
respect to such individual would be unconscionable. 
SEC 8. Publication and Recruitment. - The Commission shall publicize 
the availability of, and procedure to apply for, Teacher Corps scholarships, 
particularly among students participating in teaching-related activities through 
summer teaching institutes, f u t w  teaching clubs, and other teaching-related 
activities, at institutions of higher ducation throughout the country. 
SEC 9. Aufhorization of Appropriations. - The amount necessary to 
effectively implement the provisions of this Act is hereby authorized to be 
appropriated from the National Treasury. 
SEC IO. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation 
contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, 
modified or amended accordiriyly 
SEC 11. Separability Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of inslruction, administrative order, rule or regulation 
contrary to or inconsistent wit11 the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, 
modified, or amended accordiriyly. 
SEC 12. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,