CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. No. 4860

BY

REPRESENTATIVES ROMULO, ESCUDERO, TEVES, LOBREGAT,

BELMONTE (J.), CAYETANO, GULLAS, VARGAS, ALVAREZ (F.), VILLAR,
ABAYA, ALIPING, PIAMONTE, CORTUNA, DELOSO-MONTALLA, PAQUIZ,
CAMINERO, TEJADA, BIAZON, TINIO, MAGSAYSAY, OAMINAL, LAGMAN,
UNGAB, ALMARIO, CUA, BATAOIL, ANTONINO-NADRES, TING,
RODRIGUEZ (M.), DEL ROSARIO (A.G.), ILAGAN, ABUEG, HICAP,
TAN (A.), GUTIERREZ, ABAYON AND PRIMICIAS-AGABAS, PER
COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 382

AN ACT PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS TO TOP GRADUATES

OF ALL PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS ENROLLING FOR THEIR
FIRST YEAR IN STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES 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 Iskolar ng
Bayan 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 and accessible
education at all levels and to establish and maintain a financial assistance
system that shall be available to deserving students, especially the
underprivileged.
For this purpose, the government shall democratize access to higher
education by institutionalizing a college scholarship program to be named the

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Iskolar ng Bayan Program for top graduates of public high schools in the
country, subject to the academic standards, application and admission policies
and such other reasonable rules and regulations of state universities and
colleges (SUCs).
SEC. 3. Coverage. The academic scholarships provided under the
Iskolar ng Bayan Program, hereinafter referred to as the Program, shall
cover all public high school students belonging to the top ten (10) of the
graduating class, based on the guidelines and criteria set by the Department of
Education (DepED), who will enroll in SUCs as freshmen: Provided, That they
meet the admission requirements of the SUCs where they intend to enroll in.
A public high school with more than one thousand (1,000) graduates
shall be entitled to one (1) additional scholarship slot in SUCs for every five
hundred (500) graduates. The additional slots shall be given to graduates
whose ranks immediately follow the top ten (10) students and who will enroll
in SUCs after meeting the admission requirements for freshmen.
SEC. 4. Limitations of the Program. The scholarship grant provided
under this Act shall be limited to the full amount of tuition and miscellaneous
fees for the first year of college. It shall exclude monthly living allowances,
book allowances, board and lodging, and other allowances.
The full scholarship shall be given only during the entire freshman year
of the student beneficiary covering the full semesters of the academic year
enrolled in. Thereafter, the student beneficiary shall be covered by the regular
student financial assistance programs of the Commission on Higher Education
(CHED), if qualified.
SEC. 5. Admission in SUCs. Any public high school student who
belongs to the top ten (10) bracket of the graduating class shall be entitled to
the scholarship grant provided under this Act in any SUC of choice upon
compliance with the following conditions:

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(a) The student has graduated from any public high school in the
country within two (2) years prior to the academic year being applied for in the
SUC;
(b) The student has complied with the application requirements of the
SUC;
(c) The students rank is reported by the public high school principal or
administrator in a certificate bearing the name of the school and its location,
the number of students, the rank of the student applicant in the graduating
class, and other relevant information; and
(d) After taking the entrance examination in the chosen SUC, the
student has obtained a rating which has been designated by the SUC as the
minimum rating for a student to be able to qualify for the scholarship program.
SEC. 6. Limitation in the Acceptance of Top Public High School
Graduates by SUCs. All SUCs shall provide scholarships to qualified
public high school graduates under this Act: Provided, That the applicants
have successfully passed the entrance examination and have complied with the
admission requirements of the SUCs.
The SUC, however, may limit the number of students to be admitted
under this Act if the number of applicants eligible and applying for admission
exceeds by more than five percent (5%) the average number of first-time
freshmen admitted to the SUCs during the first two (2) academic years
preceding the entry of the applicant.
All SUCs must have a uniform selection criteria. The guidelines should
be established by the CHED, to be observed and complied with by all SUCs.
SEC. 7. Support to the Program. The following government
agencies/entities shall provide support for the effective implementation of the
Program:
(a) CHED

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(1) Conduct a review of the number of graduating public high school
students in each province to ensure that the SUCs therein have the capacity to
absorb the Iskolars ng Bayan;
(2) Together with the SUCs, develop a system, including the
appointment of advisers, which shall provide assistance and guidance to the
scholars in the determination of the appropriate course and the SUC which will
best suit their aspirations and strengths; and
(3) Ensure the SUCs compliance with the law.
(b) DepED
(1) Disseminate information to all public high schools on the
implementation of the Program and the availability of scholarship slots;
(2) Conduct a census of the number of graduating public high school
students in each province for submission to the CHED;
(3) Identify the top ten (10) graduates in each public high school, as
well as the additional top graduates in case the public high school has more
than five hundred (500) graduates;
(4) Provide timely reminders about the Program to all public high
schools towards the second half of the school year in order to give the
prospective top graduates ample preparation time to apply for the Program;
and
(5) Ensure compliance by all public high schools.
(c) SUCs
(1) Provide information to the faculty, administrative officials and staff,
and parents about the Program;
(2) Inform the CHED of their capacity to absorb the students applying
under the Program; and
(3) Ensure that full assistance is granted to the scholars to enable them
to avail of the Program.

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(d) Local Government Units (LGUs)
Assist qualified graduates in their localities on the procedure for
availing themselves of the benefits under the Program.
SEC. 8. Reportorial Requirements of SUCs. Each SUC shall report
annually to the CHED on or before a date set by the Commission. The report
shall include the number of students admitted under the Program, the courses
they are enrolled in, their academic standing, and other relevant information
that will help improve the Program.
SEC. 9. Appropriations. The amount necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act shall be included in the budget of the CHED or the
concerned SUCs in the annual General Appropriations Act.
SEC. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The CHED and the
DepED, in consultation with relevant stakeholders in higher education, shall
issue within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act, the rules and
regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
SEC. 11. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act or any
part hereof shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions,
as far as they are separable, shall remain in force and effect.
SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and
regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this
Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
SEC. 13. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,