Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
1 Regular Session

2806

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative DANTE GARCIA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU) was created by virtue of
Presidential Decree No. 1778, which was signed by President Ferdinand E. Marcos on
January 15, 1981. It is the lone state university in La Union that offers quality and

accessible world-class education to the residents of La Union and nearby provinces.

‘The DMMMSU College of Fisheries located in the municipality of Sto. Tomas, in La
Union. For the past several years, the college has produced topnotchers in national board
examinations in the field of Fisheries. However, even with its laurels, the college needs
to be improved and updated to keep up with modern developments in the field and
teach these updates to students.

This bill secks to strengthen the College of Fisheries at the Don Mariano Marcos
Memorial State University - South La Union Campus in the municipality of Sto. Tomas,
La Union. This shall provide an opportunity for the College of Fisheries to re-capacitate
and modernize, and provide better instruction to students by giving them the modern
tools in the experiential study of fisheries. It will also allow the college to expand and

offer more courses to students.

In view/gf the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
f

iii

DAI GARCIA
2nd iot, La Union


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES .
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
1° Regular Session
2806

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative DANTE GARCIA

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE DON MARIANO MARCOS MEMORIAL STATE
UNIVERSITY - SOUTH LA UNION CAMPUS COLLEGE OF FISHERIES, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. General Mandate. The Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State
University (DMMMSU) - South La Union Campus (SLUC) College of Fisheries, shall
primarily provide advance education, instruction and professional training in fisheries
and other related fields of study. It shall also undertake research, extension services, and
production activities in support of the socio-economic development of the Province of La
Union and provide progressive leadership in its areas of specialization in the Province of
La Union and in Region I.

SEC. 2 Curricular Offerings. The College shall offer short-term technical-
vocational, undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate courses within its areas of
competency and specialization in the field of fisheries and other degree courses, as the
DMMMSU Board of Regents, hereinafter referred to as the “Board”, may deem necessary
to carry out its objectives, and those which respond to meet the human resource
development needs of the Province of La Union and Region I.

SEC. 3. Governance. Being an institution within the DMMMSU System, the
governance of the College shall continue to be vested in the Board, whose powers are
defined under Presidential Decree No. 1778, otherwise known as “Establishing the Don
Mariano Marcos Memorial State University by Merging the Don Mariano Marcos
Memorial State College; the Southern Iocos Polytechnic State College, the La Union
School of Arts and Trades and the La Union Community College and likewise
Integrating the Sapilang Elementary School into the State University: Providing a
Chapter for this Purpose and Appropriating Funds Thereof’, and other applicable laws
and regulations, unless otherwise provided or amended elsewhere in this Act.



SEC. 4. Administration. The administration of the College shall continue to be
vested in the Chancellor of DMMMSU-SLUC insofar authorized by the Board and the
President of the University.

SEC. 5. The College Dean. The College shall be headed by a Dean who shall be
appointed by the Board, subject to its guidelines on qualifications and standards, and
based on the recommendation by the University President, following a process of
consultation with the constituents of the College. The Dean shall render full-time service,
serve a term of three (3) years, and may be reappointed to another term.

The powers and duties of the Dean of the College, in addition to those specifically
provided for in this Act, shall include those usually pertaining to the Office of the Dean
of similar state universities and colleges and those delegated by the President and the
Chancellor.

The salary of the Dean of the College shall be in accordance with Republic Act No.
11466 or the “Salary Standardization Law of 2019”, and such other laws amendatory
thereto, which may hereinafter be enacted, and shall be comparable to that being
received by the Deans of similar educational institutions.

In case of a vacancy in the Office of the Dean by reason of death, compulsory
retirement, resignation, removal for cause, or incapacity of the Dean to perform the
functions of the office, the Board, upon the recommendation of the President, shall
designate an Officer-in-Charge of the College, pending the appointment of a new Dean:
Provided, That the Officer-in-Charge shall serve only during the unexpired portion of the
term.

The Dean of the College shall be assisted by a College Secretary, who shall be
appointed by the Board.

SEC. 6. The Faculty. The Board shall appoint, upon the recommendation of the
Chancellor and the nomination of the President of the University, the faculty members of
the College: Provided, That no political belief, gender preference, cultural or community
affiliation or ethnic origin, nor religious opinion or affiliation shall be a matter of inquiry
in the appointment of faculty members of the College: Provided, further, That said
appointment shall be subject to the guidelines, qualifications, and standards set by the
Board: Provided, finally, That no member of the faculty shall teach for or against any
particular church or religious sect.

SEC. 7. Scholarship Programs and Admission. The College shall provide
scholarships and other affirmative action programs to assist poor but deserving students
who qualify for admission to the College.

No student shall be denied admission to the College by reason of gender, religion,
cultural or community affiliation, physical disability, or ethnic origin.


SEC. 8. Academic Freedom and Institutional Autonomy. The College shall enjoy
academic freedom and institutional autonomy, pursuant to paragraph 2, Section 5 of
Article XIV of the Constitution.

SEC. 9. Authority to Loan or Transfer Apparatus, Equipment or Supplies and
Detail of Personnel. Upon the recommendation of the Chancellor and the request of the
Board, through the President of DMMMSU, the heads of the bureaus and offices of the
national government may loan or transfer to the College such apparatus, equipment or
supplies as may be needed by it, and detail employees for duty therein when, in the
judgment of the head of bureau or office, the apparatus, equipment, supplies or services
of such employees can be spared without serious detriment to public service.

The employees so detailed shall perform such duties as required of them by the
Dean of the College, and the time so served shall be counted as part of their regular
service.

SEC. 10. Assets, Liabilities and Personnel. All existing appropriations, assets,
both real and personal, personnel, and records of the College, as its liabilities or
obligations, shall continue to be titled or named after DMMMSU: Provided, That the
positions, rights, and security of tenure of faculty members and personnel therein
employed under existing laws prior to the enactment of this Act shall be respected:
Provided, further, That the employees currently holding the said positions shall remain in
the same status until otherwise provided by the Board: Provided, finally, That the College
shall upgrade or increase its human resource component as may be deemed appropriate
by the Board.

All parcels of land belonging the government occupied by the College shalll be the
property of DMMMSU, and shall be titled under its name: Provided, That should the
College cease to exist or be abolished or should such aforementioned parcels of land be
no longer needed by DMMMSU, the same shall revert to the concerned local
government unit or to the Republic of the Philippines, as the case may be.

SEC. 11. Duty and Tax Exemptions. The importation by the College of books or
publications, equipment or instruments which are for educational, laboratory or
scientific purposes shall, upon certification by the Commission on Higher Education
(CHED), be exempt from customs duties in accordance with the provisions of Republic
Act No. 10863, otherwise known as the “Customs Modernization and Tariff Act
(CMTA)’.

All grants, bequests, endowments, donations, and contributions made to and used
actually, directly and exclusively for educational purposes by the College, shall be
exempt from donor's tax and the same shall be considered as allowable deduction from
gross income for purposes of computing the taxable income of the donor in accordance
with the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.

SEC. 12. Suppletory Application. The provisions of Republic Act No. 8292,
otherwise known as the “Higher Education Modernization Act of 1997”, shall form part
of this Act.


SEC. 13. Parity Clause. All other powers, functions, and privileges,
responsibilities, and limitations under existing laws shall be deemed granted to or
imposed upon the College and its officials, whenever appropriate.

SEC. 14. Appropriations. The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this
Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 15, Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within sixty (60) days from the
approval of this Act, the Board shall, in consultation with the CHED, issue the rules and
regulations to fully implement the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 16. Separability Clause. If, for any reason, any part or provision of this Act
is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected are
in full force and effect.

SEC. 17. Repealing Clause. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, and
rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
amended, repealed, or modified accordingly.

SEC. 18, Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,