NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
s. No. 524
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*22 JUL 13 P3:00
RlXEivED
Introduced by SENATOR CYNTHIA A. VILLAR
AN ACT
PENALIZING THE IMPOSITION OF A "NO PERMIT, NO EXAM" POLICY OR 
ANY SUCH POLiCY THAT PROHIBITS STUDENTS OF POST-SECONDARY 
AND HIGHER EDUCATION FROM TAKING THEIR MIDTERM OR FINAL 
EXAMINATIONS, OR OTHER SIMILAR ASSESSMENTS DUE TO UNPAID 
TUITION AND OTHER SCHOOL FEES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
To most Filipino parents, education is the most precious inheritance they can 
pass on to their children. They consider it important to send their children to school, 
and this comes with hope that the educated children can help in improving their 
quality of life to a level that is more comfortable. In the Philippine setting, it is not 
peculiar that families mortgage a piece of their lands or homes, and even sell a few 
of their possessions in order that their children could pursue college or tertiary 
education. In short, it is typical for Filipino parents to sacrifice so much so that their 
children could get quality educahon.
It is a good thing that Republic Act No. 10931 or the Universal Access to 
Quality Tertiary Education Act, which institutionalizes free tuition and exemption 
from other fees in state universities and colleges (SUCs), and local universities and 
colleges (LUCs) in the Philippines was enacted. The law was passed to give 
underprivileged Filipino students a better chance to earn quality higher education.


However, not all children get to attend public schools, universities and 
colleges (SUCs). Some modest families send their children to private schools. And 
at times, these schools can be quite exacting when it comes to tuition, and this 
becomes more apparent during examinations. While families understand that tuition 
and other fees are necessary for schools to provide the service required of them, 
they encounter unavoidable circumstances at times when they could not meet the 
obligation to pay the tuition fee on time. And while CHED has issued a 
Memorandum Order requiring colleges and universities to provide a Student Affairs 
and Services (SAS) office that will provide its students a package of services, 
including guidance and counseling, career and job placement, economic enterprise 
development and scholarship and financial assistance, it does not categorically 
prohibit the "no permit, no exam policy" and so tliis does not effectively stop schools 
from practicing it.
Sometime in 2013, we were quite distressed when we heard about a 
promising student in a premier state university who allegedly committed suicide 
because she was not allowed tc take her college examination due to her inability to 
pay the school fees. To my mind, this could have been avoided, if only we have in 
place a more considerate policy towards students undergoing financial difficulties.
The proposed legislation seeks to prohibit public/private higher education 
institutions (HEis) and technical-vocational schools from enforcing the "No Permit, 
No Exam" policy which essentially denies students the right to take examinations 
unless tuition fee payments are updated. Parents and students, who are facing 
financial difficulties, time and again suffer emotional stress under this seemingly 
unfair practice.
It is therefore recommended that the foregoing bill be approved.
CYNTHIA A. VILLAR


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
■ of tlje ?>c-r?t;n-p
72 JUL 13 P3 ;00
SENATE
S. No. 524
UlXtii'tL liY;
Introduced by SENATOR CYNTHIA A. VILLAR
AN ACT
PENALIZING THE IMPOSITION OF A "NO PERMIT, NO EXAM" POLICY OR 
ANY SUCH POLICY THAT PROHIBITS STUDENTS OF POST SECONDARY 
AND HIGHER EDUCATION FROM TAKING THEIR MIDTERM OR FINAL 
EXAMINATIONS, OR OTHER SIMILAR ASSESSMENTS DUE TO UNPAID 
TUITION AND OTHER SCHOOL FEES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Anti-'No Permit, No
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Exam' Act of 2022".
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared unlawful for any
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educational institution, including primary, secondary, higher education institution
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(HEI) or technical-vocational institute (TVI), whether public or private, to disallow
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any student from taking any midterm or final examination due to non-payment of
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tuition and other school fees under the established terms of pavment prescribed by
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the concerned educational institution and approved by the Department of Education
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(DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Technical Education and
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Skills Development Authority (TESDA), respectively.
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Sec. 3. Coverage. - This Act shall cover all public and private educational
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institutions including primary, secondary and post-secondary HEIs and TVIs.


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Sec. 4. Right of Students. - Students shall have the right to take the midterm
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or final examinations notwithstanding the existence of unpaid financial obligations to
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the school.
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Sec. 5. Obligation of Students. - The students and/or their parents, unless
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waived by the school authorities concerned, shall be obligated to pay an interest for
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the unpaid tuition and other school fees, which shall not be more than six percent
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(6%) per annum, computed from the date of the examination taken by the students
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until the date when the overdue and unpaid tuition and other schooi fees are fully
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liquidated.
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Sec. 6. Rights of Schools. - The school authorities shall have the following
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rights against students with financial obligations, which remain due and unsettled to
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their schools:
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a) 
To withhold the release of the grades of a student with delinquent
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account until the unpaid tuition and other school fees, plus interest
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charges, are fully paid;
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b) 
To 
deny admission or enrolment of any student having unsettled
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tuition or other school fees at the next succeeding semester classes, in
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the case of higher education, or at the next succeeding short-term
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course, in the case of post-secondary technical-vocational education,
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as the case may be, until the previous delinquencies are fully paid; and
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c) 
To 
refuse issuance of school clearance to students with financial
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obligations to the school until all previous delinquencies are fully paid.
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Sec. 7. Unlawful Acts. - In recognition of the students' right to take their
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midterm and final examinations, the following acts by educational institutions shall
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be considered unlawful:
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a) 
Disallowing students with due and unpaid tuition and other school fees
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from taking the midterm or final examination;


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b) 
Requiring the students to secure a permit to take the midterm or final 
examination from the school authorities prior to the administration of 
midterm periodic or final examination; and
c) 
Compelling the students to pay upon enrollment a down payment or 
first installment equivalent to more than thirty percent (30%) of the 
total amount of tuition and other school fees for the entire semester or 
duration of the course.
Sec. 8. Penalties. - Any school official, including deans, coordinators, 
advisers, professors, instructors and other concerned individuals found guilty of 
violating any of the unlawful acts enumerated in Section 7 of this Act shall be 
punished by a fine of not less than Twenty Thousand pesos (P20,000.00) but not 
more than Fifty Thousand pesos (P50,000.00).
Sec. 9. Implementing Guidelines. - Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity 
of this Act, the DepEd, CHED and TESDA shall promulgate the implementing 
guidelines necessary to enforce the objectives of this Act.
Sec. 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the other sections or provisions hereof shall not be 
affected thereby and shall remain in force and effect.
Sec. 11. Repeaiina Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orderry 
proclamations, issuances, administrative orders, rules and regulations contrary to or 
inconsistent with any provision of this Act are hereby amended, repealed or modified 
accordingly.
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Sec. 12. Effectivity.~J\\\s Act shall take effect aft^^r fifteen (15) days following
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its complete publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,