DEMOCRATIZING ACCESS TO EDUCATION

 PD 577- Military Personnel Scholarship

 PD 932 – Educational Assistance Act of 1976
 RA 7323- Special Program for the Employment of Students

PD 577- Military Personnel Scholarship

EXEMPTING DEPENDENTS OF MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO DIE OR BECOME

INCAPACITATED IN LINE OF DUTY FROM THE PAYMENT OF TUITION AND
MATRICULATION FEES IN PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES,
COLLEGES, AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

 The members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, more than any other body of
government personnel, have been called upon to carry the great share of the grave burden
of suppressing the activities of groups of men engaged in criminal conspiracy to seize
state power in the Philippines and of people causing widespread lawlessness, disorder
and wanton destruction of lives and property, endangering the political and economic
stability of the country.
 The members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines are sacrificing at the risk of their
lives and that of their families in order to achieve the preservation of peace and order.
 The dependents of the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines equally share the
burden of the sacrifices of these military personnel by being left on their own resources
most of the time; and
 It is necessary to enhance and keep at a high level the morale of this military personnel
while engaged in the serious and delicate task of safeguarding the security of the country
and additional task of social and economic development.

Through this decree, the bona fide dependents of members of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines to include trainees and draftees who have died or are incapacitated and those who
shall die or may be incapacitated in line of duty shall be exempt from the payment of tuition and
matriculation fees in public or in private schools, universities, colleges and other educational
institutions

Scope and Limitations

a. The benefit shall be extended to any one dependent of military personnel in the active
service who have died or were incapacitated in line of duty since September 21, 1972 and those
who shall die and may be incapacitated in line of duty hereafter.

b. This benefit may be enjoyed for a maximum of ten (10) school years.

c. This benefit is transferable to any of the dependents of the military personnel, at the option
of the next of kin, provided it will not exceed ten (10) school years.
 d. This benefit is without prejudice to other educational benefits previously being enjoyed by
the military personnel or his dependents.

Prerequisites and Standards

a. Admission of grantees to any school shall be in accordance with existing laws and the
admission policies of the school.

b. Except for grantees who are graduating from any school level, or except for meritorious
reasons, grantees shall not be allowed to transfer from school where they were enrolled prior to
the grant of this benefit to another school.

c. As long as the grantee satisfactorily passes the course of instruction based on the approved
standards of the schools, he shall continue to enjoy the benefit. In case of failure in any subject or
in a school year, the benefit shall be suspended and the grantee, at his option, may retake the
subjects failed, or repeat the entire school year, at his own expense.

d. The benefit shall be terminated in case the grantee is expelled from the school, or is convicted
by any court for any crime involving moral turpitude.

PD 932 – Educational Assistance Act of 1976

FURTHER DEMOCRATIZING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES PROMOTING THE

"STUDY NOW PAY LATER PLAN" AND SPECIFYING VARIOUS SCHEMES FOR ITS
IMPLEMENTATION

• It is of common knowledge that many deserving students are unable to pursue their
studies due to financial difficulties;
• Is a declared national policy to democratize access to education by providing
opportunities to deserving citizens to pursue higher education and training in the fields
of study vital to the development of the national economy;
• The limited scope and coverage of existing state scholarship programs should be
supplemented by schemes whereby the state can expand its commitment of financial
assistance to deserving students;
• The establishment of an educational assistance program more commonly known as the
"study now pay later plan" has been enunciated as a major measure to promote such
democratization of educational opportunities.
• It is of common knowledge that many deserving students are unable to pursue their
studies due to financial difficulties;
• Is a declared national policy to democratize access to education by providing
opportunities to deserving citizens to pursue higher education and training in the fields
of study vital to the development of the national economy;
• The limited scope and coverage of existing state scholarship programs should be
supplemented by schemes whereby the state can expand its commitment of financial
assistance to deserving students;
• The establishment of an educational assistance program more commonly known as the
"study now pay later plan" has been enunciated as a major measure to promote such
democratization of educational opportunities.

Section 1. This decree shall hereinafter be referred to as the "Educational Assistance Act of
1976".

Section 2. Under such guidelines issued by the Educational Assistance Policy Council
hereinafter created, poor but deserving students may avail of educational assistance from
loanable funds as established below:
1. Educational Loan Funds (ELF)
(a) A loan fund initially constituted at fifty million (P50,000,000.00) pesos shall be earmarked,
set up and administered independently at the SSS and GSIS which shall allocate twenty five
million (P25,000,000.00) pesos each from their investible funds spread in a yearly contribution
of five million (P5,000,000.00) pesos starting calendar year 1976-77. This fund shall be used to
service the financial needs of eligible students regardless of whether or not their parents or
any of them are members of the SSS and GSIS. The fund shall be in addition to the current
educational loan program of the SSS and the scholarship program of the GSIS.
(b) The PNB, DBP and the Land Bank shall set aside five million (P5,000,000.00) pesos each of
their annual investment portfolio for the purpose. These institutions shall submit to the
Council the procedural guidelines for their participation taking into account their own charter
objectives.
(c) All private banking institutions and Amanah Bank shall also earmark a certain percentage
of their investible funds for the purpose.
(d) The amount of loan that may be granted each student shall be determined by the Council
considering the number of years to complete his studies and the amount needed for such
expenditures as tuition and other school fees, board and lodging, pocket money, books and
supplies and other miscellaneous expenses.
(e) All loans under this schemes shall be covered by a guaranty funds which is hereby created,
under such conditions as may be imposed by the Council.

2. Educational Loan Guarantee Funds (ELGF)

(a) The sum of one million (P1,000,000.00) pesos in hereby authorized to be appropriated out
of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated to constitute the initial
Educational Loan Guarantee Fund. Earnings guarantee charges and other credits arising
from the operations of this loan fund shall accrue to the Educational Guarantee Fund.
(b) The guarantee fund shall be administered by the Council.

Section 3. The Council may accept donations legacies, grants-in-aid and other contributions
to form part of the loan and/or Guarantee Funds.

Section 4. The payment of all loans granted to any student-borrowers under the schemes
enumerated shall be made immediately upon employment under such payroll checkoff-
system as may be established by the Council.
Section 5. A policy making council to oversee this program is hereby created to be composed
of the Secretary of Education and Culture as Chairman, the Secretary of Labor as Vice-
Chairman, and the Director-General of the NEDA, Secretary of Finance, Secretary of Social
Welfare, Budget Commissioner, Presidential Assistant on Youth and Sports Development,
Governor of the Central Bank, Administrator of the SSS and General Manager of the GSIS or
their alternatives as members.

It shall be the function of the Council to:

(a) Determine and issue the appropriate policies, measures, rules and regulations necessary
to implement, maintain and enhance this program.
(b) Issue guidelines to govern existing and future educational assistance programs of other
government agencies and the private sector.
(c) Enlist the cooperation of schools and other relevant institutions for the effective
implementation and enhancement and enhancement of the program.
(d) Perform such other duties as hereinafter be assigned to it by the President of the
Philippines.

Section 6. An inter-agency secretariat, the composition and function of which shall be

determined by the Council, is hereafter created, to assist the Council in the implementation
of this program.
The sum of two hundred thousand (P200,000.00) pesos is hereby appropriated annually to be
included in the budget of the Department of Education and Culture to finance the operations
of the secretariat.
 Section 7. Qualification of Applicants.
Any Filipino citizen who graduates from a duly authorized secondary school, whether public
and private, desiring to pursue further studies may avail of assistance under any of the
schemes, the basic consideration being he is poor but deserving. The Council shall determine
such other qualifications as it deems proper for the purpose.

RA 7323- Special Program for the Employment of Students

AN ACT TO HELP POOR BUT DESERVING STUDENTS PURSUE THEIR EDUCATION BY
ENCOURAGING THEIR EMPLOYMENT DURING SUMMER AND/OR CHRISTMAS
VACATIONS, THROUGH INCENTIVES GRANTED TO EMPLOYERS, ALLOWING THEM
TO PAY ONLY SIXTY PER CENTUM OF THEIR SALARIES OR WAGES AND THE
FORTY PER CENTUM THROUGH EDUCATION VOUCHERS TO BE PAID BY THE
GOVERNMENT, PROHIBITING AND PENALIZING THE FILING OF FRAUDULENT OR
FICTITIOUS CLAIMS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Section 1. Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, any person or entity
employing at least fifty (50) persons may, during the summer and/or Christmas vacations,
employ poor but deserving students, fifteen (15) years of age but not more than twenty-five
(25) years old, paying them a salary or wage not lower than the minimum wage provided
by law and other applicable labor rules and regulations.
For purposes of this act, poor but deserving students refer to those whose parents’ combined
incomes, together with their income, if nay, do not exceed Thirty-six thousand pesos (P36,000)
per annum. Employment should be at the Labor Exchange Center of the Department of Labor
and Employment (DOLE).

Section 2. Sixty per centum (60%) of said salary or wage shall be paid by the employer in
cash and forty per centum be applicable in the payment for his tuition fees and books in any
educational institution for secondary, tertiary, vocational or technological education. The
amount of the education voucher shall be paid by the government to the educational institution
concerned within thirty (30) days from its presentation to the officer or agency designated by
the Secretary of Finance.
The voucher shall not be transferable except when the payee thereof dies or for a justifiable
cause stops in his duties in which case it can be transferred to his brothers or sisters. If there be
none, the amount thereof shall be paid his heirs or to the payee himself, as the case may be.

Section 3. The Secretary of Labor and Employment, the Secretary of Education, Culture and
Sports and the Secretary of Finance shall issue the corresponding rules and regulations to
carry out the purposes of this Act.

The Secretary of Labor and Employment shall be the Project Director of this Program.

Section 4. Any person or entity who shall make any fraudu lent or fictitious claim under this
Act, regardless of whether payment has been made, shall upon conviction be punished with
imprisonment of not less than six (6) months and not more than one (1) year and a fine of not
less than Ten thousand pesos (P10,000), without prejudice to their prosecution and punishment
for any other offense punishable under the Revised Penal Code or any other penal statute.
In any case of partnerships or corporations, the managing partner, general manager, or chief
executive officer, as the case may be, shall be criminally liable.

Section 5. The amount necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act is hereby authorized
to be appropriated in the General Appropriations Act of 1992 and the subsequent annual
general appropriations acts.