Presidential Merit Scholarship Act

CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES VENTIETH CONGRE rst Regular Sessi HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H. No. 8477 HERNANDEZ (F.), CRUZADO, LOPEZ, UY (D.C.), GARIN, ORTEGA, KHONGHUN, DEFENSOR, BARONDA, DIONISIO, PANALIGAN, GONZALES (A.M.), GUINTU, ACOSTA, TEVES, GUTIERREZ, DAGOOC, BONDOC, TAN (K.M.), LAGDAMEO (M.Y.M.), MOMO, ALVAREZ (J.), ALVAREZ (M.) RODRIGUEZ (R.), TAN (J.), CORVERA, HERNANDEZ (C.A.), DIMAPORO (I.), GONZALES (A) PANCHO, ORDANES, ARROGANCIA, YAP (C.), MATUGAS, AQUINO-MAGSAYSAY, BAUTISTA-LIM, BELTRAN, CRUZ (R.), LAGDAMEO (J.M.), ODUCADO, VALERIANO, CENIZA, YU (J.K.), GONZALES (R.), TUAN, LARADLABAD, YAP (A.), GONZALES (C.S.), DIOKNO, MARCOLETA, INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PRESIDENTIAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, INTEGRATING THE BAGONG PILIPINAS MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM INTO A NATIONAL FRAMEWORK TO SUPPORT TOP PERFORMING STUDENTS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Presidential

Merit Scholarship Act".

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - it is the declared policy of the State to protect

and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is also mandated to develop accessible and equitable educational assistance programs for deserving yet financially challenged Filipino students in order to complete and ear a college degree. To this end, the State shall establish a Presidential Merit Scholarship Program that will support top-performing Filipino Senior High School graduates who qualified and enrolled in CHED-identified priority programs to earn a college degree and contribute to the country's workforce and national development.

SEC. 3. Objectives. - The Presidential Merit Scholarship Program shall have

the following objectives: (a) Tra quavida cou cared is port to anandical alented Senior High School (b) To produce a highly competitive and skilled workforce that will address hard-to- fill occupations; and c) To complement existing government scholarship programs by coverin cademicaly excepional student

SEC. 4. Institutionallzation of the Presidential Merit Scholarship Program.

- The Presidential Merit Scholarship Program is hereby institutionalized, hereinafter referred to as the PMSP, to be implemented by the CHED.

SEC. 5. Coverage and Eligibility of the PMSP. - The PMSP shall be open to:

(a) Filipino citizens or dual citizens residing in the Philippines who will take an oath of allegiance to the Philippines upon the age of majority; (b) Top-performing senior high school graduates from public and private schools who belong to the top one percent (1%) of their class; (c) Top-performing senior high school graduates who passed the admission requirements to a CHED-identified priority program offered by State Universities and Colleges (SUC) or Local University and Colleges (LUC) with Certificate of Program Compliance or Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEI) with Government Recognition: Provided, That priority will be given to applicants who obtained admission to CHED-identified priority programs offered by Level 3 or 4 SUC, LUC or PHEI with autonomous or deregulated status; (d) Top-performing senior high school graduates belonging to a family with a combined total annual household income of not more than PhP2,000,000.00: Provided, That the CHED, in coordination with relevant government agencies and as reflected in its issued guidelines, will have the authority to periodically adjust the household income limit in consideration of the normative cost of education and inflation;

The CHED may determine other eligibility requirements as provided in its guidelines: Provided, That these will not be in contradiction with any of the existing provisions of the Act. be disquari. Pr e pic in uto the for ingelicants, - An applicant shal (a) Submission of false or fraudulent docurnents during the application process; (b) Failure to meet the minimum eligibility requirements; and (c) Other eligibility requirements as determined by CHED.

SEC. 7. Scholarship Benefits. - The educational assistance for the PMSP

scholar, which shall be administered by the CHED, shall cover any of the following: (a) Tuition subsidy: Provided, That for SUC and LUC, tuition and other school fees and 13 identified miscellaneous fees will be covered under Republic Act No. 10931 or the "Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act"; (b) Stipend; (c) Other education-related allowances, subject to availability of funds; (d) Certificate of Presidential Recognition signed by the President of the Republic of the Philippines, attesting to the scholar's exemplary academic achievement. The CHED is authorized to determine the amount for education assistance based on its issued guidelines: Provided, That the amount shall be adjusted periodically by the CHED and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to account for the normative cost of education and inflation.

SEC. 8. Retention and Accountability. - The PMSP scholars shall:

(a) Maintain a minimum grade point average as prescribed by CHED; and (b) Complete the program within the prescribed timeframe.

SEC. 9. Grounds for the Termination of Scholarship. - The following are

grounds for termination of scholarship: (a) Obtaining multiple scholarship or grants, whether public or private, and concurrently receiving the full benefits of multiple scholarships or grants; (b) Failure to maintain academic performance required by the CHED, including Absence Without Official Leave, abandonment, dropping out or shifting from another degree program or transfer to another delivering higher education institution; (c) Gross misconduct in a manner that would bring significant damage to the SUC, LUC, or PHEI concerned or to the community as a whole; and (d) Other grounds determined by the CHED.

PMSP scholars who are terminated for reasons outside of force majeure, or as determined by the CHED, shall be required to retum the educational benefits received from the scholarship in full or staggered payment.

SEC. 10. Extension Service. - In order to cultivate civic responsibility and

nation-building, PMSP scholars shall be encouraged to engage and participate in extension service of its university for the duration of scholarship.

SEC. 11. Advocating for Bayanihan and Nationalism. - To fulfill the intent of

this Act, PMSP scholars shall not be eligible for foreign employment until fulfillment of in-country employment proportional to the years of educational support received from the government.

SEC. 12. Administration and Monitoring. - The CHED shall create a

Presidential Merit Scholarship Unit under the Oilice of Student Development and services responsible for program administration, monitonng, and evaluation. The Secretariat shall maintain a national registry of scholars, ensure timely disbursement of benefits, and submit an annual report to the Office of the President and to Congress on the implementation, performance, and impact of the program.

SEC. 13. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the initial

implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of CHED. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 14. Transitory Provision. - Upon the effectivity of this Act, current

scholars under the Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program (BPMSP) of the CHED shall be deemed eligible to avail of the benefits under this Act and shall continue to enjoy their scholarship benefits until completion of degree, subject to the prevailing rules, regulations, and guidelines in force at the time of the grant of the scholarship: Provided, That no beneficiary shall receive duplicative scholarship benefit under both programs for the same period.

SEC. 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days

from the effectivity of this Act, the CHED shall, in coordination with relevant government agencies including the Department of Education, DBM, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Immigration, and Department of Labor and Employment, issue rules and regulations to fully implement the provisions of this Act: Provided, That the absence of the implementing rules and regulations shall not affect the effectivity of this Act and the grant of benefits provided therein.

SEC. 16. Separability Clause. - If any part or provisions of this Act is declared

invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect.

SEC. 17. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders,

prociamations, and rules and regulations, or any parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act shall be revoked, repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. Approved,