National Scholarship Commission Act

Bilitr of the TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session AUG -5 P2:03 SENATE RECEIVED B) S. No. _ Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada AN ACT PROVIDING A UNIFIED SYSTEM OF EXTENDING AND PROCESSING SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS, STUDENT LOAN PROGRAMS, SUBSIDIES, BURSARIES AND OTHER FINANCIAL SUPPORT WINDOWS FOR THE FILIPINO YOUTH, THEREBY ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP COMMISSION, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES EXPLANATORY NOTE Access to quality education is one of the most powerful tools for uplifting families from poverty and fostering inclusive national development. Yet, despite existing government programs, many Filipino students still struggle with fragmented, inconsistent, and insufficient access to financial aid. Overlapping bureaucracies, uneven distribution of resources, and lack of transparency often deter the very youth such programs are meant to empower. This measure seeks to address these issues by establishing a National Scholarship Commission, a centralized body tasked with harmonizing and overseeing all government scholarship grants, student loans, subsidies, bursaries, and other financial support mechanisms. This unified approach will streamline application processes, reduce redundancy, promote equitable distribution, and ensure that financial aid reaches deserving students more efficiently-especially those from underprivileged backgrounds.

Filed by Senator Grace Poe in the 19th Congress, this measure is a great equalizer. The proposal champions a future where no Filipino youth is denied opportunity due to economic hardship or bureaucratic barriers. By creating a coordinated and accountable system of student support, this legislation ensures that government education resources are maximized, better targeted, and more transparently managed. It also represents a concrete step toward building a skilled and educated workforce prepared to meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving global economy. In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA

Satan? TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session AUG -5 P2:03 SENATE S. No.. Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada AN ACT PROVIDING A UNIFIED SYSTEM OF EXTENDING AND PROCESSING SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS, STUDENT LOAN PROGRAMS, SUBSIDIES, BURSARIES AND OTHER FINANCIAL SUPPORT WINDOWS FOR THE FILIPINO YOUTH, THEREBY ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP COMMISSION, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 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 "National Scholarship

2 Commission Act".

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall protect and promote the right of

4 all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make 5 such education accessible to all. The State shall also establish and maintain a system of scholarship grants, student loan programs, subsidies, bursaries, and other incentives which shall be available to deserving students and individuals in both public and private schools, especially to the underprivileged. It is the goal of the State to substantially bring down the number of out of school youth and encourage them to continue seeking formal education, with the goal of expanding their horizons with additional opportunities in the future, thereby fully maximizing their full potential.

Sec. 3. Duties and Functions of the National Scholarship Commission. - The

following shall be the duties and functions of the National Scholarship Commission (the "Commission"): a) Generate, safe-keep and update a comprehensive database of out of school children and youth (OSCY) and other qualified individuals nationwide, including pertinent data and/or circumstances of said OSCY; b) Identify and pinpoint the reasons, issues and/or controversies that are keeping children and youth out of schools and formal education, as well as the needs of OSCY; c) Reach out to the OSCY and other qualified individuals and gather information and/or data that could help them get back to formal education; d) Proactively and effectively disseminate information regarding existing regular and/or special scholarships, educational grants and the like to OSCY and qualified individuals; e) Proactively and effectively generate and/or solicit scholarships, educational grants and the like for OSCY and qualified individuals; and, f) Assist OSCY and qualified individuals who opt to avail of scholarships, educational grants and the like and facilitate with the necessary procedures and/or processes.

Sec. 4. Composition of the National Scholarship Commission. - The Commission

shall be composed and governed by the following: a) The Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), or his/her duly authorized representative, as a co-chairperson of the Commission; b) The Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), or his/her duly authorized representative, as a co-chairperson of the Commission; c) The Secretary of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), or his/her duly authorized representative, as a co-chairperson of the Commission; d) The Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), or his/her duly authorized representative, as member of the Commission;

e) The Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), or his/her duly authorized representative, as a member of the Commission; f) The Chairperson of the National Youth Commission (NYC) as a member of the Commission; and g) A representative from the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK), who shall be elected by all SK Provincial Federation Presidents, as a member of the commission.

Sec. 5. Staffing and the National Scholarship Commission's Secretariat. - The

9 Commission's staff, secretariat and personnel shall be appointed by the Commission. 10 The Commission shall convene immediately upon the effectivity of this Act to organize and come up with internal rules and procedures necessary for its daily operations and the carrying out of its duties and functions as spelled out in this Act.

Sec. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Commission shall likewise

promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act.

Sec. 7. Appropriation. - The funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this

17 Act shall be included In the General Appropriations Act of the year following the enactment of this Act. In the meantime, the initial funding, prior to the inclusion in the regular budget, shall be provided from the existing budgets of the DepEd, CHED and TESDA.

Sec. 8. Repealing Clause. - All laws, orders, issuances rules and regulations or

parts thereof inconsistent with any provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

Sec. 9. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared

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

Sec. 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following

the completion of its publication either in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines. Approved,