Presidential Merit Scholarship Program Act

Sendie Office of the serretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 26 MAR -9 P4:33 First Regular Session ) RECEIVED BY: SENATE S. No. 1954 Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PRESIDENTIAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 1, Article XIV, of the 1987 Constitution mandates the State to protect

and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels. A nation's development is carried forward by the quality of its professionals. The Filipino students who graduate at the top of their classes represent the country's highest academic achievers and its most prepared candidates for careers in medicine, engineering, education, agriculture, technology, and other fields where the Philippines must build lasting capacity. When these students receive full support to pursue the most rigorous and nationally relevant programs, the return to the country in the form of skilled professionals, public servants, researchers, and entrepreneurs is substantial and generational. This bill institutionalizes the Presidential Merit Scholarship Program, a scholarship for top-performing Senior High School graduates from financially constrained households who qualify for priority degree programs identified by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), aligned with the National Education and Workforce Development Plan and updated every three (3) years to reflect the country's evolving needs. Scholars receive tuition coverage, a living stipend, and education-related allowances, with benefit amounts reviewed periodically to account for inflation and

the true cost of tertiary education. The bill also establishes a return service obligation grounded in the spirit of bayanihan and nationalism. Every PMSP scholar shall render service in the Philippines, in government or in the private sector in a capacity that contributes to national development, for a period equal to the years of scholarship support received. CHED, in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment, shall establish a job- matching mechanism to support graduates in fulfilling this commitment. The Philippines has no shortage of talent. When the State nurtures its most exceptional students and gives them every condition to succeed, they build their careers, raise their families, and contribute their expertise here, in the country that believed in them. This bill ensures that opportunity is extended to those who have earned it. In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is earnestly sought. LOREN LEGARDA

Sentale Office of the sardinar? TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 26 MAR -9 P4:33 First Regular Session ) SENATE RECEIVED BY: 1954 S. No. _ Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PRESIDENTIAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

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

2 Scholarship Program Act".

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy, - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to

protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and to take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all. In furtherance of this mandate, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is authorized to develop equitable educational assistance programs to enable deserving yet financially 8 constrained Filipino students to complete a college degree. Towards this end, the State shall institutionalize a Presidential Merit Scholarship Program (PMSP) for top-performing Filipino Senior High School graduates pursuing priority fields of study aligned with national development goals, critical workforce requirements, and emerging sectors, with the aim of producing globally competitive Filipino professionals.

Sec. 3. Objectives. - The Presidential Merit Scholarship Program shall have the

following objectives: (a) To provide educational support to academically talented Senior High

School graduates from families with demonstrated financial need; (b) To build a highly skilled and competitive workforce that addresses critical and hard-to-fill occupational needs; and (c) To complement existing government scholarship programs by covering academically exceptional students.

Sec. 4. Institutionalization of the Presidential Merit Scholarship Program. -

7 There is hereby institutionalized the Presidential Merit Scholarship Program, hereinafter referred to as the "PMSP," which shall be administered by the Commission 9 on Higher Education (CHED). The existing Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program (BPMSP) of CHED is hereby subsumed under the PMSP. No existing BPMSP scholar shall be displaced or otherwise disadvantaged by this transition.

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

applicants who meet all of the following criteria: (a) Filipino citizens, or dual citizens who are residing in the Philippines and who shall take an oath of allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines upon reaching the age of majority; (b) Top-performing Senior High School graduates from public or private schools who (i) Belong to the top one percent (1%) of their graduating cohort, as certified by the Department of Education (DepEd), or (ii) Have attained a General Weighted Average (GWA) of ninety-five percent (95%) or above, or its equivalent under the applicable grading system; (c) Admitted to a CHED-identified priority program in a state university or college (SUC) or local university or college (LUC) with Certificate of Program Compliance (COPC), or a private higher education institution (PHEI) with Government Recognition: Provided, That priority shall be given to applicants admitted to CHED-identified priority programs offered by Level 3 or 4 SUC/LUC or PHEI with autonomous or deregulated status;

(d) From a household with a combined total household income not exceeding Two Million Pesos (Php 2,000,000.00): Provided, That CHED, in coordination with relevant government agencies and as reflected in its implementing guidelines, shall have the authority to periodically review and adjust this income threshold to account for inflation and changes in the normative cost of education; and (e) Such other eligibility requirements as CHED may prescribe in its implementing guidelines; Provided, That such requirements are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act. The list of priority programs eligible under the PMSP shall be determined by CHED in coordination with the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), taking into account the National Education and Workforce Development Plan and prevailing national development priorities; Provided, That such list shall be reviewed and updated every three (3) years, or as often as necessary, to reflect emerging workforce requirements and sectoral needs. In implementing the PMSP, CHED may apply contextualized evaluation measures, including but not limited to: (a) Ranking of applicants within their respective school cohorts; (b) Adjustment factors based on school-level performance data or institutional accreditation status; (c) Geographic disadvantage indicators; and (d) Socioeconomic vulnerability indices. Such contextualization shall not lower the minimum academic standards required under this Act, but may be used to prioritize applicants who demonstrate exceptional achievement under conditions of disadvantage.

Sec. 6. Grounds for Disqualification. - An applicant shall be disqualified from

the PMSP on any of the following grounds: (a) Submission of false, fraudulent, or falsified documents in connection with the application; (b) Failure to meet one or more of the minimum eligibility requirements under Section 5; or

(c) Non-compliance with such other eligibility requirements as may be determined by CHED.

Sec. 7. Scholarship Benefits. - Every PMSP scholar shall be entitled to the

following benefits: (a) Tuition subsidy: Provided, That for scholars enrolled in SUCs and LUCs, those covered under the Free Higher Education of Republic Act No. 10931, otherwise known as the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, as may be amended, shall apply; (b) Living stipend to cover basic living expenses; (c) Education-related allowances to cover costs directly incidental to study, including but not limited to books, supplies, and other academic requirements; and (d) Certificate of Presidential Recognition, signed by the President of the Republic of the Philippines, attesting to the scholar's exemplary academic achievement. CHED, in coordination with DBM, shall determine the specific amounts for benefits under (a), (b), and (c) and shall review and adjust the same periodically to account for inflation and changes in the normative cost of education, subject to the availability of funds.

Sec. 8. Retention and Academic Standards. - To retain PMSP scholarship

benefits, a scholar shall: (a) Maintain the minimum grade point average prescribed by CHED; and (b) Complete the program within the prescribed period by the curriculum.

Sec. 9. Grounds for Termination of Scholarship. - The PMSP scholarship shall

be terminated on any of the following grounds: (a) Concurrent receipt of PMSP benefits and any other national government scholarship grant or award that duplicate the same specific benefit components: Provided, That scholars shall not be disqualified from receiving supplementary grants or financial aid from private entities, local government units, or their respective higher education institutions; Provided, further, That such supplementary assistance is reported to

CHED and the combined total benefits do not exceed the scholar's documented total cost of education and reasonable living expenses; (b) Failure to maintain the academic performance required under Section 8, including, but not limited to, going on absence without official leave (AWOL), abandonment of studies, dropping out, shifting to a different program, or transfer to another SUC/LUC or PHEI; (c) Commission of gross misconduct that causes or is likely to cause significant reputational or material harm to the scholar's institution or to the community at large; or (d) Such other grounds as CHED may prescribe, consistent with the provisions of this Act. A scholar whose scholarship is terminated for reasons other than force majeure or other circumstances beyond the scholar's control, as determined by CHED, shall be required to reimburse the full value of educational benefits received, either in full or 15 through staggered payments, in accordance with a schedule to be established by 16 CHED.

Sec. 10. Extension Service. - To cultivate civic responsibility and a culture of

service, PMSP Scholars are encouraged to actively engage in the extension service programs of their respective institutions for the duration of their scholarship.

Sec. 11. Return Service Obligation. - Every PMSP scholar shall fulfill a return

service obligation equal to the number of years of PMSP scholarship received, by rendering return service in the Philippines commencing within one (1) year from completion of the program. Such return service shall be rendered through: (a) Employment in any national government agency, government-owned or -controlled corporation, or local government unit; or (b) Employment in the private sector in a capacity that directly contributes to national development, community welfare, or the advancement of the scholar's field of study in the Philippines, as determined by CHED in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

To support scholars in fulfilling this obligation, CHED, in coordination with DOLE and relevant stakeholders, shall establish a job-matching and placement assistance mechanism for PMSP graduates.

Sec. 12. Administration and Monitoring. - CHED shall establish a Presidential

Merit Scholarship Secretariat, hereinafter referred to as the "Secretariat," responsible for the administration, monitoring, and evaluation of the PMSP. The Secretariat shall: (a) Maintain a national registry of PMSP scholars; (b) Ensure the timely and accurate disbursement of scholarship benefits; and (c) Submit an annual report on the implementation, performance, and impact of the program to the Office of the President and to Congress. Dedicated plantilla items shall be created within CHED to staff the Secretariat and ensure the sustainable implementation of the PMSP.

Sec. 13. Transparency and Accountability. - CHED shall publish annually on its

16 official website, in anonymized and aggregated form, data on the number of applicants and awardees, disaggregated by region, field of study, sex, and income quintile, as well as completion and retention rates, in accordance with applicable data privacy laws. The same shall be included in the annual report to the Office of the President and to Congress. An independent impact evaluation of the PMSP shall be conducted at least once every five (5) years to assess program completion rates, workforce alignment, 23 graduate employment outcomes, and economic returns, to inform policy and program decisions.

Sec. 14. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the initial

implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations 27 of the CHED. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 15. Transitory Provisions. - Upon the effectivity of this Act, the Bagong

Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program (BPMSP) shall transition to and be absorbed by the PMSP. All existing BPMSP scholars shall automatically continue to receive their

benefits until completion of their degree programs, subject to the prevailing rules and regulations in force at the time of their original award: Provided, That: (a) No existing BPMSP scholar shall be displaced or otherwise disadvantaged by this transition; and (b) Applications pending under the BPMSP as of the effectivity of this Act shall be evaluated and processed under the PMSP.

Sec. 16. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from

the effectivity of this Act, CHED shall, in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd), the DBM, the DOLE, the Bureau of Immigration (Bl), and such other relevant government agencies as may be necessary, promulgate the rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act: Provided, That the absence or delay of the implementing rules and regulations shall not affect the effectivity of this Act nor the entitlement of qualified scholars to benefits thereunder.

Sec. 17. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared

15 unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall 16 remain in force and effect.

Sec. 18. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive

order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 19. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following

21 its complete publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,