Delate Office of the Secretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) MAY -5 P 3:41 First Regular Session SENATE RECEIVED BY 2099 S. No. — Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda AN ACT PROVIDING FREE TUITION FOR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES PURSUING MASTER'S DEGREES IN STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR EXPLANATORY NOTE The quality of public governance is inseparable from the quality of the civil service. Article IX-B, Section 3 of the 1987 Constitution mandates the Civil Service Commission to strengthen the merit and rewards system and integrate human resources development programs across all levels and ranks of the civil service. Investing in the continuing education of government personnel is, therefore, an investment in improved public service delivery. This proposed measure seeks to provide free tuition to qualified government employees who pursue a master's degree in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs). By supporting graduate education, the State enables civil servants to deepen their expertise, strengthen leadership and technical competencies, and adopt innovative approaches to policy design and program implementation. Enhanced professional capacity translates into more efficient public administration, improved service delivery, and stronger institutional performance across national agencies, local government units, government-owned and controlled corporations, and public higher education institutions. Through this initiative, the government affirms its commitment to building a modern, merit-based, and future-ready civil service. Empowering public servants with advanced education strengthens the foundations of accountability, innovation, and
excellence in governance, ultimately improving the quality of life of every Filipino. In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is respectfully and earnestly recommended. LOREN LEGARDA
Senate Office of the secretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES MAY -5 P3:41 First Regular Session ) SENATE RECEIVED BY S. No. _ 2099 Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda AN ACT PROVIDING FREE TUITION FOR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES PURSUING MASTER'S DEGREES IN STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES 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 "Government Employees
2 Free Master's Degree Tuition Act".
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
4 promote and advance the quality, efficiency, and professionalism of the civil service 5 as a cornerstone of effective, accountable, and responsive public governance. Towards this end, the State shall provide free tuition for graduate education at 7 the Master's Degree level to qualified government employees enrolled in State 8 Universities and Colleges (SUCs), thereby enabling them to render more effective, competent, and innovative public service
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:
(a) Government Employees refer to individuals employed in career or non- career service positions by the National Government or any of its political subdivisions, instrumentalities, and agencies, including government- owned and/or controlled corporations (GOCCS), state universities and colleges (SUCs), and local government units (LGUs);
(b) Graduate Education refers to formal higher education programs leading to a master's degree, as duly authorized and recognized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED); (c) Master's Degree refers to an academic qualification at the graduate education level conferred upon individuals who have successfully completed a prescribed course of study demonstrating advanced knowledge and high-level expertise in a specific field of study or area of professional practice, as determined by the awarding SUC and recognized by CHED; (d) State Universities and Colleges (SUCS) refer to public higher educational institutions established by the national government and are governed by their respective independent boards of regents; (e) Tuition Fees refer to the fees or school charges assessed by an SUC for academic units or subjects enrolled in by a graduate education student, as officially prescribed in the SUC's school fee schedule.
Sec. 4. Free Tuition for Government Employees Pursuing a Master's Degree in
SUCS. - All qualified career and non-career service government employees shall be granted free tuition for a maximum of two (2) academic years of enrollment in any master's degree program in any SUC where they have been duly admitted, subject to the following conditions: (a) Career government employees who are currently and continuously employed at the time of application shall be immediately eligible upon enactment of this Act, provided they meet the admission and retention requirements of the SUC; (b) Non-career contractual government personnel must have rendered at least five (5) years of continuous or cumulative government service to qualify for the free tuition benefit under this Act; (c) All applicants must pass the entrance examination and comply with other admission requirements prescribed by the SUC; (d) Grantees must maintain satisfactory academic standing and comply with all retention requirements of the SUC throughout the duration of the
benefit; and (e) The free tuition benefit under this Act shall cover only one (1) master's degree per government employee, and shall not be availed of concurrently with any other government-sponsored graduate scholarship or education grant.
Sec. 5. Exceptions to the Grant of Free Tuition. - The following government
7 employees shall be ineligible to avail of the free tuition benefit under this Act: (a) Those who have already been granted, or are currently receiving, any other Philippine government-sponsored graduate education scholarship or financial assistance in any higher education institution, whether public or private, whether in the Philippines or abroad; (b) Those who fail to comply with the admission, academic standing, and retention policies of the SUC in which they are enrolled; (c) Those who fail to complete their Master's Degree within one (1) year after the period prescribed under their graduate education program, unless the delay is due to a justifiable circumstance as determined by CHED; (d) Those who are on leave without pay, who have been dismissed or separated from government service, or whose employment has been terminated for cause, at the time of enrollment or during the period of availment; and (5) Those enrolled in programs not duly authorized and recognized by CHED as qualifying graduate education programs for purposes of this Act.
Sec. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days from
the effectivity of this Act, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), in coordination with the Civil Service Commission (CSC), shall promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations (IRR) to carry out the provisions of this Act: Provided, That the non-promulgation of the IRR within the period prescribed shall not operate to prevent the immediate implementation of this Act upon its effectivity.
Sec. 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act is declared
invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.
Sec. 8. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, letters of
2 instruction, proclamations, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, that are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby deemed modified, amended, or repealed accordingly.
Sec. 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
6 publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,