Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasang Pambansa, Quezon City

Fifteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO.___ 667

AUTHORED BY HON. JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Yearly, high school graduates join the mass of the ever growing out-
of-school youth who find themselves incapable to pursue higher studies.
Abject poverty has barred them to pursue their college education and set
foot in institutions of higher learning.

Rizal’s vision that youth is the hope of the fatherland continues to be
an empty saying unless the state starts to seriously implement a feasible
program on free education that can assure our deserving and qualified youth
to pursue college education.

Thus, the bill seeks to address the persistent problem of high school

graduates who find themselves deprived of that opportunity to get a college
education.

Free college education on courses leading to degrees in agriculture,
engineering, education, veterinary medicine, nursing, computer science or
mass communication must be made available to all the deserving students in
sixteen (16) region of the country.

To achieve the program, the office of the Regional Subsidized College
Education Program (ORSCEP) under the Department of Education headed by
the Undersecretary in created.

Though the program involves providing higher education, however, it
is made an adjunct of the Department of Education rather than CHED,
because the former has complete facilities, resources and manpower in all
the sixteen (16) regions to assist in the successful implementation of the
program, contrasting the latter whose primary objective is to accredit and
exercise long-term supervision on the institutions engaged in collegiate
education and does not have offices in all 16 regions.

The program is envisioned to answer for the books, tuition and other
expenses covering the cost of education of deserving students.

Constant financial assistance in the form of subsidies, clothing
allowances and transportation will be assured for the students because it is
inadequate that they are provided with financial help for their studies but


they likewise need assistance for their sustenance and other basic needs
including the medical assistance.

Upon graduation, the fortunate recipients must remain in the country
and work here for even a half decade before venturing for better work
opportunities in other land. Undeniably, there is an increasing brain drain
today because of growing dissatisfaction and discontent for many reasons.
With an assured crop of college graduates under the program, we can
provide suitable replacements to fill in the void.

In view of the abovementioned considerations, early passage of this
bill is earnestly sought.
‘

oS

JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO


Republic of the Philippines
. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasang Pambansa, Quezon City

Fifteenth Congress
First Regular Session

House BILLNo. 66’?

AUTHORED BY HON. JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR FREE COLLEGE EDUCATION OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS THE “REGIONAL SUBSIDIZED COLLEGE
EDUCATION PROGRAM OF 2010” AND PROVIDING FUNDS
THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policies. - (a) It is the policy of the
State to promote a just and dynamic social order that will free the people
from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, a rising

standard of living and an improved quality of life for all (Sec 9, Art II,
Constitution).

(b) It is the policy of the State to give priority to education, science
and technology, arts, culture and sports to foster patriotism, nationalism,
accelerate social progress and promote total human liberation and
development (Sec 17, Art II)

(c) It is the policy of the State to provide subsidized education to the
poor and financially handicapped high school graduates or those who had
finished their secondary courses but are unable to pursue college education
or those who had commenced college studies but had to stop for the same
reason.

SEC. 2. Regional Subsidized College Education Program ~ There
is hereby established a Regional Subsidized College Education Program
(RSCEP) in each of sixteen (16) regions in the country which shall comprise
the following:

(a) Free tuition and all expenses in any four (4) year college
course leading to degrees in agriculture, engineering,
education, veterinary medicine, nursing, computer
science or mass communications;

(b) Sustained provision for books, subsistence, clothing and
transportation allowances; and


(c) Contingent provision for medical or hospitalization
expenses.

SEC. 3. Office of the Regional Subsidized College Education
Program - There is hereby created the Office of the Regional Subsidized
College Education Program (ORSCEP) under the Department of Education
which shall be headed by the Undersecretary for Regional Subsidized College
Education with the same qualification, rank and emolument of the
Undersecretary of Education, who shall be appointed by the president to
serve for a term not exceeding (6) years and shall have the powers and
duties:

(a) To formulate, administer, manage and implement the
subsidized college program envisioned in this Act with the
end in view of providing free college education to poor
students;

(b) To determine and designate private colleges or universities
in every region which may qualify to participate in the
programs as well as the number of student beneficiaries
who may be enrolled in such institutions;

(c) To prepare and submit the budgetary requirements under
the program based on the preceding fiscal year with
upward adjustment not exceeding ten (10%) percent,
Provided however, upon the initial implementation of the
Program, the budget shall be based on the amount
allocated herein;

(d) To tap, deputize enlist the services of the regular
personnel of the Department of Education, in every region
as may be necessary to implement the program and
enforce such rules and regulations as he/she may
determine;

(e) To submit monthly operational reports to the Secretary of
Education and the Oversight Committee of Congress on
the performance of the beneficiaries, their expenses and
matters as may aid in ascertaining the affectivity and
viability of the program;

(f) To appoint additional personnel as may be necessary to
effectively carry out the objectives of the program in all the
regions; provided, however, that they are civil service
eligible and with adequate educational background or
training;

(9) To promulgate such rules and regulations to implement the
provisions of this Act


SEC. 4. Program Management and Sectors Involved. - The
program shall be managed and administered by the Undersecretary for
Regional Subsidized College Education and shall involve private colleges and
Universities in every region as duly accredited under the program:

(a) Any private college and university submitting the lowest bid
on the cost to be incurred for a four (4) year course
covered by the program shall be accredited;

(b) Upon accreditation, the school shall allocate 20% of its total
enrolment for each year for admission of qualified student
beneficiaries;

(c) Students may be qualified as beneficiaries provided they
have passed the admission test; they or their parents do not
own any real property; they and their parents do not have a
combined total gross income of One Hundred Thousand
Pesos (P100,000.00) per annum, and they shall undertake
not to leave the country within five (5) years after
graduation or passing the government examination,
whichever is later;

(d) | The regional office shall, upon admission to the beneficiary
students, compute and determine the school fees, cost of
text books, allowances, Transportation and other expenses
which must be submitted to the central office and upon
approval, distribute or disburse them when due; Provided
that allowances and transportation shall be disbursed at
monthly intervals.

SEC. 5. Funding and Appropriation. - The Amount of Three Billion
Pesos (P3,000,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated to carry out the purposes
of this Act to be taken from funds not otherwise appropriated but included in
the proposed 2011 General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 6. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect upon approval.

tse

JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO

Approved,