Republic of the Philippines

House of Representatives

Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill Number__5'733_

Introduced by Representative EDGARDO ‘ERM’ RAMA MASONGSONG

EXPLANATORY NOTE

AN ACT GRANTING SCHOLARSHIP AND GRANTS IN AID TO STUDENTS:
ENROLLED IN STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES FOR ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERING AND/OR UTILITY ECONOMICS COURSE, PARTICULARLY ON
ELECTRICITY, AND TO ALLOCATE FUNDS THEREFOR

This measure seeks to encourage the youth to take up Electrical Engineering and/or
Utility Economics Courses by providing for a scholarship and grants-in-aid program, as there
are only a few practitioners in the Philippines to date. This proposed bill aims to address the
depreciating statistics of Professional Electrical Engineers since a number are leaving the
country to look for greener pastures. The reorganization of the power industry would entail the
call for more practitioners in order to strengthen it.

The Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) is a 5-year degree program
which centers on the generation and utilization of electricity for industrial, commercial, and
residential purposes, Apart from the production of electricity, BS in Electrical Engineering also
deals with the development and reatlife applications of electrical circuitry, digital systems,
electrical equipment, and machine control. As of May 2014, a total of 28,606 Registered
Electrical Engineers (REEs) and Professional Electrical Engineers (PEE) are members of the
Integrated Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEE). However, 1,130 of these PEEs are working
abroad and only around 1,776 are employed in the country

Republic Act No, 7920 otherwise known as An Act Providing for a More Responsive
and Comprehensive Regulation for the Practice, Licensing, and Registration of Electrical
Engineers and Electricians, Section 33 essentially provides that every electrical, industrial
plant, factory, commercial establishment, institutional building, watercraft, electric locomotive
or in any other installations where persons and properties are exposed to electrical hazards
shall not have less than the complement of professional engineer, registered electrical
engineer, and registered master electricians. This implies the role and importance of Electrical
Practitioners in the country. With an estimated 21 million households all over the Philippines,
our PEEs need to cater to as many as 11,824 homes. In a demographic distribution of these
practitioners, it is projected that for every 169 square Kilometer of land area, there is only one


PEE practicing his profession. There are even provinces and regions which do not have a
PEE. Itis evident that there is scarcity of the profession.

Meanwhile, the Distribution Utilities (DUs) are mandated to ensure that their facilities
have the capacity and capability to distribute and supply electricity to its customers. The
reconstruction of the power industry provides opportunities and challenges to the DUs.
Consequently, the necessity to produce engineers and other technical personnel who are
responsible in planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, rate making, and
management of the distribution system cannot be over-emphasized.

The Constitution mandates that the State shall give priority to education and science
and technology, to the poor and underprivileged in particular. It is thus geared towards
establishing and making a pool of trained manpower essential for national development and
progress. Thus, there is a need to provide the country with a pool of qualified electrical
engineers who are able to carry out creative and challenging work in research, development,
high-level design, industry, and who are capable of using existing and emerging technologies.

Overall, this proposed measure aims to motivate students to consider Electrical
Engineering and/or Utilities Economics courses by providing support and assistance to those
who are willing and aspiring but are not capable financially to study the course, Ultimately, it
will also contribute in the efforts to ensure the stability and security of the power industry in the
Philippines.

In view of the foregoing reasons, | respectfully urge our colleagues in this August
Chamber for the expeditious approval of this measure

we

EDGARDO ‘ERM’ RAMA MASONGSONG


Republic of the Philippines

House of Representatives

Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill Number__5733

Introduced by Representative EDGARDO ‘ERM’ RAMA MASONGSONG

AN ACT GRANTING SCHOLARSHIP AND GRANTS IN AID TO STUDENTS ENROLLED:
IN STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING AND/OR
UTILITY ECONOMICS COURSE, PARTICULARLY ON ELECTRICITY, AND TO
ALLOCATE FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Electrical Engineering and Utility
Economics Course Scholarship Act of 2015".

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the declared policy of the State to promote social
justice and pursuant thereto, to provide all its citizen access to quality education. It is also
declared a policy of the State to give priority education to science and technology essential for
national development and progress.

Towards this end, the State shall provide adequate funding and such other mechanisms
to increase participation rate among all socioeconomic classes in higher and technical
education, especially the poor but academically able and/or highly motivated students. This
policy should enable deserving students to successfully pursue and complete higher and
technical programs in State Universities and Colleges, by providing for scholarships, grants-in-
aid, or other forms of incentives and thereby promoting equitable access by poor Filipinos to
quality higher education.

‘SEC. 3. Statement of Objectives. — The objectives of this Act are as follows:

(2) To promote academic excellence among students aspiring to take up Electrical
Engineering or undergo Utility Economics courses regardless of economic
status;

(b) To facilitate access to quality education through grants-in-aid for students
belonging to marginalized sectors, taking into account the special needs and the
circumstances of certain disadvantaged groups; and


(c) To produce a pool of highly qualified Electrical Engineering and Utility Economics
students who will contribute to the country's high-level manpower;

(d) To allocate and utilize funds for aspiring Electrical Engineering and Utility
Economics students

SEC. 4. Electrical Engineering and Utility Economics Scholarship Fund. - There is
hereby created an Electrical Engineering and Utility Economics Course Fund, herein referred to
as the Fund, to be administered by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

SEC. 5. Coverage. - The grant of any scholarship award from the Fund shall only be
given to aspiring Electrical Engineering and/or Utility Economics students in State Universities
and Colleges.

SEC. 6. Minimum Qualifications of Applicants. — The CHED shall promulgate and
periodically review the qualification criteria for applicants for any of the two modalities of financial
assistance provided for in Sections 7 & 8 of this Act. An applicant must meet the following
minimum qualifications:

Filipino citizen;
‘Age must not be beyond 30 years old;

High school graduate or its equivalent from duly authorized institutions;
Obtained passing scores in all subjects;

Possess good moral character and must have no criminal record;
Possess such other qualifications as may be prescribed by the CHED.

peace

Provided that, priority shall be given to students whose families and beneficiaries of the poverty
alleviation programs of the government.

SEC. 7. Scholarships. — A scholarship program shall be instituted to promote to the
youth to take up Electrical Engineering and/or Utility Economics Course and enlarge a pool of
world class Filipino Electrical Engineers and Utility Economics graduate.

The financial amount shall also be determined by CHED. It shall cover at least one
hundred percent (100%) of the average cost of Electrical Engineering and/or Utility Economics
education. It shall also include the average cost of books and other educational materials
required.

SEC. 8. Grants-In-Aid (GIA). — To improve equity and facilitate democratic access to
quality education given to persistent income poverty and inequity, GIA shall be made available to
students belonging to poor families and marginalized sectors aspiring to study Electrical
Engineering Course and/or Utility Economics Training. The financial amount comprising the GIA
will be determined by CHED.

The grant shall cover at least one hundred percent (100%) of the average cost of
Electrical Engineering and/or Utility Economics education. It shall also include an amount for
basic living expenses that will enable the grantee to focus on completing their course

CHED shall likewise formulate and establish the policies and mechanisms for the
identification of grantees based on objective indicators derived from credible databases.


SEC. 9. Service Obligation. - immediately upon completion of a Bachelor of Science
in Electrical Engineering and/or a Training and Certification Program of Utility Economics, a
scholar shall serve the country on full-time basis only along his field of training for a minimum
equivalent to the length of time a scholar enjoyed the scholarship by rendering service to his
region, province or municipality related to Electrical Engineering or Utility Economics, and, for
this purpose, requiring the execution of a contract between the Government and the scholar
incorporating the details of the said service obligation.

Any recipient of the program who has not completed his course shall render service to
the country equivalent to the number of years he enjoyed the scholarship.

Any scholar who violates the service obligation imposed under this section shall be
liable to reimburse the Government of the fund assistance received under this Act in full or pro
tanto as the case may be.

SEC. 10. Post Scholarship Incentives. - In order to encourage graduates of the
scholarship program under this Act to serve in fulfillment of their service obligation and entice
them to continue to stay and serve in the country even beyond their service obligation, they shall
be entitled to the following incentives:

a. a priority for job placement in the Government or in the private sector in positions
appropriate to his course or training;

b. access to credit with liberal terms from government banks and financial institutions;

c. payment of hazard allowance;

d. travel and accident insurance coverage.

SEC. 11. Advisory Committee. - There is hereby created a committee composed of
the following:

a. The Secretary or Head of the Department of Energy, as ex officio Chair;

b. CHED Chairperson, ex officio Co-Chair,

c. The Secretary or Head of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), as
ex officio Co-Chair;

d. Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines, Inc. (IIEE) National

President, as ex officio member;

A representative from the National Electrification (NEA) as member;

A representative from the Association of Electric Cooperatives, Inc. as member;

‘A representative from the Association of Electric Consumers (National League of

Electric Cooperatives Member-Consumer-Owners, Inc.) as member;

A representative from the National Youth Commission (NYC) as member;

1 (one) representative each from the national associations of state colleges and

universities, local colleges and universities offering an Electrical Engineering course

or Utilities Economics training, as member.

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To ensure the effective coordination of the program, the body shall act in an advisory capacity in
its implementation.

SEC. 12. Financial Assistance and Donations. - The Fund may accept donations of
any form from individuals and organizations to be used for the sole purpose of providing grants-
in-aid and scholarships: Provided that, such donations and financial assistance are accounted
for and distributed in a transparent manner.

SEC. 13. Implementing Body. - The scholarship program herein provided shall be
directly implemented by CHED.


SEC. 14, Rules and Regulations. — Within thirty (30) days from the approval of this Act,
CHED shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of
the provisions thereof.

SEC. 15. Transitory Provisions. — Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act,
existing State Universities and Colleges with Electrical Engineering course and Utility Economics
training shall ipso facto be deemed accredited.

SEC. 16. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any provision of this Act, or the
application thereof to any person or circumstances, is held invalid or unconstitutional, the
remaining provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in force and effect

SEC. 17. Repealing Clause. — All other laws, decrees, executive orders, or rules and
regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act or its
purposes are hereby amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 18. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after the completion of

its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general
circulation.

Approved,