Offis of the firy TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES AUG -5 P4:35 First Regular Session SENATE RECEIVED BY. S. No. _ Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada AN ACT GRANTING FREE TUITION FOR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ENROLLED IN GRADUATE EDUCATION MASTER'S PROGRAM IN STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES EXPLANATORY NOTE Article IX (B), Section 3 of the 1987 Constitution states that, "The Civil Service Commission, as the central personnel agency of the Government, shall establish a career service and adopt measures to promote morale, efficiency, integrity, responsiveness, progressiveness, and courtesy in the civil service. It shall strengthen the merit and rewards system, integrate all human resources development programs for all levels and ranks, and institutionalize a management climate conducive to public accountability. XXX" To achieve this Constitutional mandate, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) implements Competency-Based Recruitment and Qualification Standards to hire and retain the best employees to "lay the foundation for developing high performing, competent, and credible civil servants". It sets minimum qualification standards for eligibility, education, experience, training and competencies. In terms of education, higher positions in the government require the aspirants to have Master's Degree to ensure that the employee has the capacity and competence to deliver the 1 Competency-Based Recruitment and Qualifications Standards (csc.gov.ph)
responsibilities entrusted to him or her, to make sound and impartial decisions for the organization, and to be leaders and agents of change for the progress of the country. According to the Inventory of Government Human Resource (IGHR) of the CSC, there are a total of 2,037,456 career and non-career employees in the government as of June 2024. Majority of them aspire to move up the ladder and assume greater responsibilities. The cost of taking up Master's Degree varies from P800.00 to P1,500.00 per unit. This translates to a range of P19,200.00 to P50,000.00 tuition fee for twenty four (24) units to complete the degree. The said amount does not include other fees related to various activities for the completion of the degree. Several government agencies, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Presidential Communications Office (PCO) provide scholarship grants to their qualified employees who take up Master's Degree. However, there are many other employees in other branches of the government who intend to pursue higher education not only for their personal growth and career advancement, but more importantly, to serve the public more effectively. The "Government Employees Free MA Tuition in SUCs Act" seeks to grant free tuition to all career and non-career government employees for a maximum of two- year Master's Program in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) where they have successfully been admitted. In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is highly recommended. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA
Offer of t TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session ) 25 AUG -5 P4:35 SENATE RECEM DBY - - S. No. 971 Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada AN ACT GRANTING FREE TUITION FOR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ENROLLED IN GRADUATE EDUCATION MASTER'S PROGRAM IN STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES 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 "Government
Employees Free MA Tuition in SUCs Act".
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
promote the enhanced professionalization of the civil service to further improve on the efficient delivery of public services to the people. Further, the State shall likewise upgrade its human resources to cope with the rapidly evolving societal and administrative requirements of a fast-moving polity. Towards this end, government workers, being an important component of the State's human resources, shall be given education advancement opportunities through adequate funding and such other mechanisms to improve their education levels, for the eventual benefit of the state bureaucracy in particular, and the country, in general.
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:
(a) Government employees refer to those who are employed, whether classified as career or non-career service positions, by the National Government or any of its political subdivision, instrumentalities, and
agencies including government-owned and/or controlled corporations, state universities and colleges, and local government units; (b) Graduate Education refers to higher education programs leading to a Master's Degree, as may be authorized and recognized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED); (c) Master's Degree refers to an academic qualification granted at the graduate education level to individuals who have successfully undergone study demonstrating a high level of expertise in a specific field of study or area of professional practice; (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 trustees or regents; (e) Tuition fees refer to fees or school charges for subjects or course enrolled in by a graduate education student;
Sec. 4. Free Graduate Education for Government Employees in SUCS. - All
career and non-career service government employees are granted free tuition for a maximum of two-year Master's Program in any State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) where they have successfully been admitted: Provided, That non-career contractual government personnel must be employed for at least five (5) years at any time after the effectivity of this Act, to qualify for this program: Provided, further, That the government employees pass the entrance examination and other admission and retention requirements of the SUCs: Provided, finally, That the amount required to implement the free tuition fees in SUCs shall be determined by the respective governing boards of SUCs based on the projected number of enrollees for each academic years.
Sec. 5. Exceptions to the Grant of Free Graduate Education. - The following
students are ineligible to avail of the free graduate education leading to a Master's Degree: (1) Students who were already granted with any government-sponsored graduate education scholarship program in any higher education institution, whether public or private, in the country or abroad;
(2) Students who fail to comply with the admission and retention policies of the SUC; and, (3) Students who fail to complete their Master's Degree within a year after the period prescribed in their graduate education program.
Sec. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). - 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 rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act: Provided, 9 That the non-promulgation of the rules and regulations provided under this Section shall not prevent the immediate implementation of this Act upon effectivity.
Sec. 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or
unconstitutional, the other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.
Sec. 8. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, letters of
instructions, proclamations, rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act shall be deemed notified, amended, or repealed accordingly.
Sec. 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
complete publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,