FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )

First Regular Session )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
House Bill No. 2108

Introduced by Representative Catalina G. Leonen-Pizarro

Explanatory Note

Among the resources that should be tapped and much exploited, it is our
human resource with a population around ninety-five million that could combat
poverty and lead us to a significant economic growth. However, such a resource
remains to be unpolished being likened to a diamond on a rough and not
prepared to do battle versus our great nemesis which is poverty.

College Education then is the proper tool in building a competent,
competitive and dynamic human resource. Decades ago, public elementary and
high school educations have been afforded to our citizenry which continue to be
available today which are not enough to move our country forward. On the
contrary, tertiary education has been an elusive dream for the great majority of
our countrymen due to financial woes and constraints. We have to act swiftly and
it’s time to offer our people access to a free college education program.

This bill seeks to institutionalize the grant of financial assistance to the
underprivileged but deserving college students to defray expenses such as tuition
fees, books, school supplies, transportation and other related costs. The
immediate passage of this bill would be a realization of our longed and cherished
dream of having a college graduate/professional_in every Filipino Family,
especially the poorest among the poor.

CATALINA GYLBQINEN-PIZARRO


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )

First Regular Session )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
House Bill No. 2108

Introduced by Representative Catalina G. Leonen-Pizarro

AN ACT
TO INSTITUTIONALIZE A COLLEGE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO
UNDERPRIVILEGED BUT DESERVING TERTIARY STUDENTS , APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

Sec. 1. Short Title — This Act shall be known as the “College
Financial Assistance Program Act of 2010.”

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy — The State shall protect and promote
the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take
appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all, and establish and
maintain a system of scholarship grants, student loan programs, subsidies, and
other incentives which shall be available to deserving students in both public
and private schools, especially to the underprivileged.

Sec.3. The College Financial Assistance Program, referred
hereunto as “CFAP,” shall be institutionalized in the Commission on Higher
Education (CHED), provide monetary grants to underprivileged but deserving
tertiary students with preference from families belonging to the poorest of the
poor nationwide.

Sec. 4, The CHED shall administer the CFAP with strict adherence to
the primary objective of having a college graduate in every Filipino Family
amongst the poorest of the poor.


Sec. 5. Two hundred thousand (200,000) monetary grants shall be
made available in the first year of implementation amounting to twenty
thousand pesos (P 20,000.00) for each grant for the whole school year or ten
thousand pesos (P 10,000.00) per semester. The number of monetary grants
shall be increased by ten per cent (10 %) in every year thereafter.

Sec. 6. The total number of monetary grants of twenty thousand
pesos (P 20,000.00) each shall be distributed in all regions proportionately in
reference to the number of college enrollees nationwide.

Sec. 7. The CFAP shall embrace all college degree courses except
courses in Law, Medicine and Dental Medicine.

Sec. 8. The monetary grants shall be released directly by CHED to
the individual grantees for payment of tuition fees, books, school supplies,
transportation, uniforms and other related expenses.

Sec. 9. Appropriations - For the initial implementation of this Act,
the amount of Four Billion Pesos (P 4,000,000,000.00) shall be appropriated
out of the funds of the National Government as a consequence of re-
structuring of foreign and domestic debts and such other funds not otherwise
appropriated. Thereafter, the funds necessary to implement the provisions of
this Act plus the ten per cent yearly increase shall be included in the annual
General Appropriations Act .

Sec10. Implementing Rules and Regulations - The CHED in
consultation and coordination with the State Colleges and Universities and
other private and public colleges and universities nationwide shall promulgate
the necessary rules and regulations to effectively implement the provisions of
this Act: provided, that all other financial grants existing afforded to tertiary
students shall be incorporated under CFAP.

Sec.11. Yearly Status Report — Within one hundred twenty (120)
days after the end of every calendar year, the CHED shall render an annual
report regarding the implementation of CFAP to Congress and to the Office of
the President.

Sec.12.  Separability Clause — If any provision of this Act or the
application of such provision is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the



remainder of the Act shall not be affected by such declaration and shall
continue to be in full force and effect.

Sec 13. Repealing Clause — All laws, decrees and orders or parts
thereof inconsistent herewith, are deemed repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 14. Effectivity — This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days
following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national

newspapers of general circulation.

APPROVED