NATIONAL

OFFICE
UNDER OFGOVERNMENT
THE PRESIDENT
COMMONWEALTH PORTAL
OFNO.
ACT THE638
PHILIPPINES
EDITED AT THE
Republic of the Philippines
Congress of the Philippines

Metro Manila

Sixteenth Congress

Third Regular Session

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-

seventh day of July, two thousand fifteen.

[ Republic Act No. 10687 ]

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE AND UNIFIED

STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SYSTEM FOR TERTIARY
EDUCATION (UniFAST), THEREBY RATIONALIZING ACCESS
THERETO, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the

Philippines in Congress assembled:

ARTICLE I

TITLE, POLICY, OBJECTIVES, DEFINITIONS OF TERMS, SCOPE AND

COVERAGE

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the Unified

Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST)
Act.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the declared policy of the State

to promote social justice and pursuant thereto, provide all its
citizens access to quality education. Towards this end, the State
shall provide adequate funding and such other mechanisms to
increase the participation rate among all socioeconomic classes in
Tertiary Education, especially the poor but academically able and
highly motivated students. This policy should enable them to
successfully pursue and complete Tertiary Education programs in
quality institutions, thereby promoting equitable and Rationalized
Access by poor Filipinos to quality Tertiary Education.

The existing publicly-funded national government programs for

Scholarships, Grants-in-Aid, and Student Loans for Tertiary Education
are hereby unified and harmonized to improve their efficiency and to
ensure that deserving Filipinos are given equitable access to
educational opportunities.

SEC. 3. Objectives. The objectives of this Act are as follows:

1
(a) To allocate and utilize properly all government resources
intended for students through effective beneficiary-targeting;

(b) To ensure consistency, continuity, and efficient coordination of

student financial assistance policies and programs;

(c) To ensure regional, equity in the distribution of student financial

assistance slots;

(d) To produce a pool of highly qualified graduates and technical

experts who will contribute to the countrys high-level labor force
through merit and talent-based Scholarships;

(e) To facilitate access to quality education through Grants-in-Aid for

students belonging to marginalized sectors; and

(f) To assist students with liquidity issues through Student Loans.

SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Act:

(a) Beneficiary refers to the recipient of any modality of Student

Financial Assistance Program (StuFAP), such as Scholarship, Grant-
in-Aid, or Student Loan;

(b) Cost of Tertiary Education refers to (1) tuition, miscellaneous and

Other School Fees, (2) Educational Expenses, and (3) the cost of
living allowance;

(c) Educational Expenses refer to expenses related to the education

of a student, such as books, school supplies, and electronic devices
necessary for education, but excluding tuition and miscellaneous
and Other School Fees;

(d) Grantee refers to the student-beneficiary of a Grant-in-Aid

program;

(e) Grant-in-Aid refers to a modality of financial assistance to poor

but eligible students which generally requires a minimum level of
competence to complete Tertiary Education;

(f) Higher Education refers to the stage of formal education, or its

equivalent, requiring completion of secondary education and
covering programs of study leading to bachelor and advanced
degrees;

(g) Higher Education Institution (HEI) refers to an institution of

higher learning, primarily offering bachelor and advanced degree
programs;

2
(h) Other School Fees refer to those fees which cover other
necessary costs supportive of instruction, including, but not limited
to, medical and dental, athletic, library and laboratory fees;

(i) Qualifying Examination System for Scoring Students refers to the

appropriate annual examination and assessment of potential
Beneficiaries, which may be separately designed for undergraduate
and graduate students and adopted by the Board for all prospective
applicants for any one of the modalities of StuFAP, as referred to in
Section 15(h);

(j) Rationalized Access refers to improved efficiency in the

implementation of UniFAST pursuant to the principles of increased
participation of the economically disadvantaged and marginalized
sectors, equity in the regional distribution of economic resources,
congruence of the qualifications of Tertiary Education graduates and
labor market needs, and relevance to the countrys national
development and global competitiveness, among others;

(k) Registry of Programs and Institutions refers to quality-assured

academic and research programs and tertiary institutions which
have been certified by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
and/or the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA) as complying with acceptable standards;

(l) Scholar refers to a student-recipient of a Scholarship grant based

on merit and/or talent;

(m) Scholarship refers to a modality of financial assistance given to

eligible students on the basis of merit and/or talent, such as
laudable academic performance, and special technical proficiencies
and skills and intellectual pursuits of a Scholar that give rise to
research and development, and innovations as well as other creative
works;

(n) Special Purpose Education Assistance refers to financial

assistance for the conduct of undergraduate and graduate research,
scientific studies, including funding assistance for the writing and
publication of books, manuscripts, theses, dissertations, scientific
and technical journals, or for production, filming and digital
technology documentation of research and studies or development
of instructional and academic materials, and science prototypes,
among others;

(o) State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) refer to public HEIs

established by national laws which are financed and maintained by
the national government, and are governed by their respective
independent boards of trustees or regents;

(p) Student-Borrower refers to a student-beneficiary of the National

Student Loan Program, as defined in Section 8;
3
(q) Student Financial Assistance Program (StuFAP) refers to a system
of Scholarships, Grants-in-Aid, Student Loans, subsidies and other
incentives which are or shall be made available to eligible students;

(r) Student Loan refers to a modality of student financial assistance

consisting of short-term or long-term loans which shall be extended
to students facing liquidity problems, regardless of economic status,
which shall be paid by the student, his/her parents, guardians, or co-
makers;

(s) Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) refers to the

post-secondary education or training process which involves, in
addition to general education, the study of technical and related
fields and the acquisition of practical skills relating to occupations in
various sectors, comprising formal (organized programs as part of
the school systems) and nonformal (organized classes outside the
school system) approaches;

(t) Technical-Vocational Institutes (TVIs) refer to learning institutions

offering post-secondary TVET;

(u) Tertiary Education refers to the stage of education following the

secondary cycle which subsumes post-secondary nondegree
diploma, TVET, and Higher Education programs; and

(v) Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary

Education (UniFAST) refers to the harmonized, state-run and
administered system of Higher Education and technical-vocational
Scholarships, Grants-in-Aid, Student Loans, and other modalities of
StuFAP under this Act.

SEC. 5. Scope and Coverage of the UniFAST. The UniFAST shall

consist of all existing modalities of StuFAPs for Tertiary Education
and Special Purpose Education Assistance in both public and private
institutions, including Scholarships, Grants-in-Aid, Student Loans and
government programs in partnership with other stakeholders,
among others, and which are nationally funded and/or implemented
by national and local government agencies, branches and
instrumentalities. A student enrolling in Tertiary Education, whether
in public, private, national or local institutions, can avail of any one
(1) or more of the said modalities of StuFAP.

The UniFAST under this Act shall harmonize, reform, strengthen,

expand, rationalize, and re-focus all legislated or ongoing StuFAPs of
the government for greater efficiency, coherence, synchronization,
effective funding, and improved coordination among implementing
entities in their specific jurisdiction: Provided, That nothing in this
Act shall prevent the continuation of effective programs
implemented by other government agencies or of state-funded
StuFAPs with specific and targeted Beneficiaries such as existing
technical-vocational Scholarship programs under the TESDA,
4
Scholarships under the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA), the
National Agriculture and Fisheries Education System (NAFES),
Agriculture Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Scholarship
(ACEFS), the Science and Technology Scholarship Act of 1994, the
Fast-Tracked S&T Scholarship Act of 2013, the Expanded
Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private
Education (E-GASTPE) Act, Student Grants-in-Aid Program for
Poverty Alleviation (SGP-PA) of the CHED and the Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which shall continue to be
under the jurisdiction of the agencies currently responsible for their
design and implementation: Provided, further, That the beneficiary-
targeting and standards for selection and retention and awards shall
be compliant with the overall policies on quality, sustainability and
efficiency set by the Board: Provided, finally, That the relevant
government agencies shall submit an annual report on the
implementation of their StuFAPs to the UniFAST Board.

The above provisions notwithstanding, all other requirements

mentioned herein shall be complied with upon the approval of the
Implementing Rules and Regulations of this Act.

ARTICLE II

MODALITIES OF StuFAPS

SEC. 6. Scholarship. A unified, improved, and expanded

government-funded Scholarship program shall be instituted to
promote an environment conducive for the development of bright
and talented students to serve the public good and enlarge the pool
of world-class Filipino researchers, artists, innovators, thinkers, and
leaders.

The Board shall formulate and establish the policies and

mechanisms for the identification of Beneficiaries based on objective
indicators derived from credible databases, including students
whose families are Beneficiaries of the poverty alleviation programs
of the government: Provided, That Beneficiaries under the Iskolar ng
Bayan Act shall be prioritized.

The financial amount for Scholarships shall be determined by the

Board, taking into consideration the actual cost of various programs
in the top public and private HEIs: Provided, That the financial
amount for Scholarships shall not exceed the actual Cost of Tertiary
Education.

SEC. 7. Grant-in-Aid. To improve equity and facilitate democratic

access to quality education given income poverty and inequity,
Grants-in-Aid shall be made available to students belonging to poor
families and marginalized sectors.

5
The Board shall formulate and establish the policies and
mechanisms for the identification of Grantees based on objective
indicators derived from credible databases, including students
whose families are Beneficiaries of the poverty alleviation programs
of the government.

The financial amount comprising Grants-in-Aid shall be determined

by the Board, taking into consideration the actual cost of various
programs in the top public and private HEIs.

SEC. 8. National Student Loan Program. The Board shall pursue a

long-term plan for the development of a self- sustaining National
Student Loan Program (NSLP) which shall provide qualified students
short-term and long-term financial assistance for Tertiary Education.
This plan shall be based on a systematic evaluation of lessons
learned from current and past Student Loan schemes, both local and
international.

To achieve this, the Board shall endeavor to ensure the

professionalization of the NSLPs management, the establishment of
an appropriate organizational setup that shall best implement the
Program, and the institution of accountability mechanisms,
sanctions and incentives conducive for the effective and efficient
collection of loan repayments.

The Board shall explore different processes, including systematic

testing and rigorous evaluation of methods to be undertaken to
minimize the risk of non-repayment of loans and collection costs. It
shall also encourage private sector participation to ensure the
delivery of the best possible service suitable to the needs and
objectives of the NSLP.

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and Social

Security System (SSS) shall study the feasibility of having an
automatic system of salary deduction for Student Loan repayments
of members with unpaid Student Loans, pursuant to a memorandum
of agreement to be executed by the Board with the GSIS or SSS,
respectively, and in accordance with labor laws on deduction of
payments.

The top ten (10) graduates of all public high schools shall be given
priority in the grant of the Student Loan: Provided, That the loan
granted shall be repaid in installment basis after the student
graduates or leaves the educational institution: Provided,
further, That the educational loan shall be sourced from the five
percent (5%) of the total loanable portfolio of the Development Bank
of the Philippines without prejudice to the creation of other Student
Loan programs.

SEC. 9. Other Modalities of StuFAPs. The Board may develop other

modalities of StuFAPs: Provided, That nothing in this Act shall
6
preclude the Board, the implementing agencies, SUCs, and public
TVls from promulgating and developing other forms of StuFAPs, such
as private Scholarship or sponsorship programs, and student or
graduate assistance programs, in accordance with the standards
and guidelines set by the Board.

ARTICLE III

ELIGIBILITY OF APPLICANTS AND TERMS OF AVAILMENT

SEC. 10. Minimum Qualifications of Applicants. The Board shall

promulgate and periodically review the qualification criteria of
applicants for student financial assistance. An applicant must meet
the following minimum qualifications:

(a) Filipino citizen: Provided, That the Board may grant exemptions
to foreign students based on reciprocal programs that provide
similar benefits to Filipino students, such as student exchange
programs, international reciprocal Scholarships, and other mutually
beneficial programs;

(b) High school graduate or its equivalent from duly authorized

institutions;

(c) Possesses good moral character with no criminal

record: Provided, That this requirement shall be waived for programs
which target children in conflict with the law and/or those who are
undergoing or have undergone rehabilitation;

(d) Admitted to the HEI or TVI included in the Registry of Programs

and Institutions of the applicants choice: Provided, That applicants
may begin processing their applications within a reasonable time
frame set by the Board to give the applicant sufficient time to enroll;

(e) In the case of an applicant in TVET programs, he/she shall, in

addition to the criteria referred above, pass the TESDA
screening/assessment procedure, trade test, or skills competency
evaluation;

(f) Declare if he/she is already a Beneficiary of any other student

financial assistance, including government StuFAP: Provided, That if
at the time of application of the Scholarship, Grant-in-Aid, Student
Loan, or other modalities of StuFAP under this Act, the amount of
such other existing grant does not cover the full Cost of Tertiary
Education at the HEI or TV! where he/she has enrolled in. the
applicant may still avail of the StuFAPs under this Act for the
remaining portion;

(g) In the case of applicant for Scholarship, he/she must obtain at

least the score required by the Board for the Qualifying Examination
System for Scoring Students; and

7
(h) Possesses such other qualifications as may be prescribed by the
Board.

SEC. 11. Disqualifications and Limitations. The right of any

Beneficiary to avail of the benefits of the StuFAPs under this Act
shall not apply if the student fails to comply with the requirements
for good academic standing and such other conditions that may be
formulated and imposed by the Board: Provided, That the Board
shall consider the supervening circumstances of each Beneficiary
that may have an effect on his/her studies, such as death, lingering
illness of a family member, or other personal reasons.

The Board shall not unduly deprive eligible applicants of student

financial assistance: Provided, That said students may be directed
by the Board and/or the implementing agency to enroll in priority
courses, as may be identified by the CHED or TESDA, based on the
national development plans and labor force demands, in order to
avail of student financial assistance: Provided, further, That the
Board and/or implementing agency shall not deny financial
assistance to applicants or Beneficiaries already enrolled in non-
priority courses, especially if the priority courses are not offered in
the Tertiary Education institution of the students choice.

SEC. 12. Terms of Availment of StuFAPs. The Board and/or the

implementing agency may, prior to the grant of Scholarship or
Student Loan, or other modalities of StuFAP, impose reasonable
terms and conditions of availment.

SEC. 13. Sanctions. The Board and/or the implementing agency

may impose reasonable sanctions to any Beneficiary of a
Scholarship, Student Loan or other modalities of StuFAP who has
been found to have violated any of the provisions of his/her
contract.

ARTICLE IV

THE UNIFAST BOARD

SEC. 14. Creation of a UniFAST Board. To carry out the purposes of

this Act, there is hereby created a UniFAST Board, hereinafter
referred to as the Board, which shall be attached to the CHED,
composed of the following:

(a) The CHED Chairperson as ex officio Chairperson;

(b) The Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology

(DOST) as ex officio Co-Chairperson;

(c) The TESDA Director-General as ex officio Co-Chairperson;

8
(d) The Secretary of the Department of Education (DepED) as ex
officio member;

(e) A representative from the Department of Labor and Employment

(DOLE) as ex officio member;

(f) A representative from the National Economic and Development

Authority (NEDA) as ex officio member; and

(g) A representative from the National Youth Commission (NYC)

as ex officio member.

SEC. 15. Powers and Functions of the Board. The Board shall
exercise the following powers and functions:

(a) Formulate and approve policies and strategies for UniFAST, and
review existing policies to ensure consistency with policy framework
under this Act;

(b) Coordinate with the implementing agencies of existing StuFAPs in

the formulation, approval and issuance of guidelines towards the
development and promotion of the UniFAST;

(c) Provide necessary support to implementing agencies, technical

or otherwise, to ensure the effective implementation of this Act;

(d) Prepare, approve, and submit to the CHED its own budget
proposal, in addition to the individual budget proposals prepared by
the various implementing agencies, including vetting, modifying and
integrating all requests for public funding of Tertiary Education
StuFAPs;

(e) Promulgate the minimum guidelines, rules and regulations for

determining qualified Beneficiaries of student financial assistance
for Tertiary Education;

(f) Provide general guidelines for the drawing up of contracts with

the student Beneficiaries specifying the rights and obligations of the
parties that may include a service clause or such other stipulations
of cost recovery the Board may deem in the best interest of the
public and consistent with, or responsive to, national, social,
economic, and human resources development plans, subject to
Section 12;

(g) Monitor, assess and make impact evaluation of StuFAPs and

projects, with the end in view of determining whether these
programs shall be adopted, continued, or terminated;

(h) Adopt a Qualifying Examination System for Scoring Students for

merit and talent-based StuFAPs and determine the eligibility for
Grants-in-Aid and other modalities of StuFAPs;

9
(i) Provide and promote a supportive policy environment for the
growth and development of private sector participation for
Scholarships, Grants-in-Aid, Student Loans or other modalities of
StuFAP;

(j) Establish and maintain, on the public websites of the CHED and
TESDA, a database containing information on StuFAPs and
accredited public and private Tertiary Education programs and
institutions;

(k) Take all necessary actions to disseminate information on the

database established and maintained under this Act in order to
encourage its use by interested parties and to ensure that
Beneficiaries are able to maximize the benefits from UniFAST
through informed decision-making, allowing them freedom of choice
among accredited public and private Tertiary Education programs
and institutions;

(l) Design a program of generating funds for the UniFAST;

(m) Facilitate and tap donations, legacies, gifts and other forms of
contribution, whether in cash or in kind, from both public and private
sources and to tap the services and assistance of experts, in
accordance with Section 20: Provided, That such donations,
legacies, and contributions of cash or property duly received shall be
exempt from donors tax and shall be allowable deductions for
income tax purposes in accordance with Section 34-H of the
National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended;

(n) Appoint members of the UniFAST Secretariat upon the

recommendation of the Executive Director;

(o) Appoint one (1) or more legal officers with authority to file cases
in court;

(p) Set up, maintain and update an official registry of quality-

assured academic and research programs and Tertiary Education
institutions in accordance with Section 3 of this Act;

(q) Approve the appropriate honorarium and per diem for the
members of the Board, in accordance with the relevant government
rules and regulations;

(r) Develop an efficient tracking system of Student-Borrowers, as

well as a system of disbursement and collection of payments of
loans granted under this Act, including entering into agreements
with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), GSIS, SSS, National
Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA),
Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Bureau of
Immigration (BI), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Bankers
Association of the Philippines (BAP), Credit Information Corporation

10
(CIC), private and public banks and banking intermediaries, credit
information bureaus, and other government financial institutions,
inclusive of investigating and checking the whereabouts of
delinquent Student-Borrowers, and setting up mechanisms for
blacklisting of defaulting Student-Borrowers in application for loans,
credit cards, and other credit facilities; and

(s) Perform such other powers and functions as may be deemed

necessary and incidental for the effective implementation of this
Act.

SEC. 16. Meetings. The Board shall hold twelve (12) regular
monthly meetings in a year: Provided, That four (4) years after the
implementation of this Act, the Board shall determine the frequency
of the regular meetings which shall not be less than once every
quarter.

The Chairperson of the Board may call a special meeting when

necessary: Provided, That the members are notified in writing at
least three (3) working days prior to the meeting.

In the absence of the Chairperson, the Co-Chairpersons shall preside

over the Boards meetings on a rotation basis. The members of the
Board may also designate a representative in his/her
absence: Provided, That in the case of the Chairperson, Co-
Chairpersons, and the Secretaries of the DepED and DOLE, their
respective representatives must be occupying the position of an
Assistant Secretary, or its equivalent, and higher. The proceedings of
all meetings shall be recorded and the minutes thereof shall be
attested to by a simple majority of all regular Board Members.

At least one (1) meeting of the Board in every quarter must be

attended by the Chairperson and Co-Chairpersons and shall be
devoted to a review of the performance of the UniFAST in terms of
the following:

(a) Total number of current Beneficiaries;

(b) Number of dropouts from the program, voluntary or revoked, as

well as the reasons behind such;

(c) Average academic performance by year of study;

(d) Breakdown of Beneficiaries by field of study;

(e) Breakdown of Beneficiaries by district and region of origin;

(f) Breakdown of Beneficiaries by place of study;

(g) Breakdown of Beneficiaries by sex;

11
(h) Breakdown of Beneficiaries by size of annual family income and
family livelihood;

(i) Completion rate of Beneficiaries;

(j) Measures of success of financial assistance programs;

and

(k) Such other matters relating to any provision of this Act.

SEC. 17. Quorum. The attendance of a simple majority of the

Board members is necessary in order for the Board to have a
quorum to transact business.

SEC. 18. Creation of a UniFAST Secretariat. There is hereby created

a Secretariat to be headed by an Executive Director to support the
Board in carrying out its functions. The Board shall provide for the
institutional setup, qualifications, and compensation of employees
composing the Secretariat in accordance with existing Civil Service
and Career Executive Service rules and regulations and consistent
with the provision of the Salary Standardization Law for government
personnel, and determine the size and composition of the
Secretariat.

The Secretariat shall exercise the following functions:

(a) Provide technical and administrative support services to the

Boards policy-making and implementation functions;

(b) Review, evaluate, and assess programs, plans of action, and

agenda of the Board, and concomitantly recommend the approval or
cancellation of such programs, plans of action, and agenda of the
Board;

(c) Review, evaluate, and assess programs, plans of action, and

agenda of the implementing agencies, including proposals for
funding, and recommend the approval or cancellation of such
programs, plans of action, and agenda of the implementing agencies
to the Board;

(d) Maintain and update a repository of data and information on all

StuFAPs for Tertiary Education administered by any government
agency, branch, or instrumentality and create and maintain a
comprehensive database system on the governments StuFAPs
accessible to the public, pursuant to the policy of transparency and
good governance;

(e) Recommend, manage, and monitor the processes of contracting

out the implementation of UniFAST activities which would be best

12
accomplished by third party providers, as approved by the Board;
and

(f) Perform such other powers and functions as may be determined

by the Board.

SEC. 19. The Executive Director. There shall be an Executive

Director who shall be appointed by the Board and shall have the
rank of an Assistant Secretary. The Executive Director shall have a
minimum of seven (7) years managerial experience, be a holder of
at least a Masters degree, and be a Career Executive Service
eligible. The Executive Director shall perform the following functions:

(a) Serve as the primary coordinator of StuFAPs for Tertiary

Education students being implemented by various government
agencies, branches, and instrumentalities;

(b) Manage relationships with partner agencies;

(c) Exercise leadership, supervisory, and administrative functions

over the Secretariat;

(d) Ensure the provision of accurate and timely technical inputs and
feedback to the Board to guide it in its policy-making functions;

(e) Ensure the proper dissemination and implementation of Board

decisions;

(f) Submit an annual report on the operations, status of programs

funded, and financial conditions of the Secretariat, including
recommendations for the budget in the ensuing year; and

(g) Perform such other duties and functions as may be determined

by the Board.

ARTICLE V

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, REPORTING, AND PERFORMANCE

EVALUATION

SEC. 20. Financial Management and Accountability. All public funds

allocated to the government StuFAPs for Tertiary Education shall be
managed according to standard government accounting and
auditing rules and regulations. In addition, specialized processes and
procedures shall be developed to enhance transparency and
accountability suitable to the program or project for which the fund
has been provided.

SEC. 21. Accounting and Reporting of UniFAST StuFAP Funds. A

separate book of accounts shall be kept by each implementing
agency for the UniFAST StuFAP Funds. It shall follow standard

13
government rules and regulations for accounting. Implementing
agencies of the StuFAP Funds, however, may adopt additional
measures to ensure its safety, particularly in authorizing payments
and processing of disbursements from the funds: Provided, That
such additional measures shall facilitate a convenient and efficient
means of delivering financial assistance to the Beneficiaries.

A mid-year and annual report shall be prepared by all implementing

agencies. The report shall have two (2) parts: a financial statement
and a report of operations showing the accomplishments of the
fund. These reports shall be submitted to Congress and the
Department of Budget and Management to inform and aid in
decision making and shall be made available to other interested
parties for valid and acceptable reasons. The fist of Beneficiaries
and the amount of financial assistance received shall be made
available upon request.

SEC. 22. Responsibility of National Government Agencies

Implementing StuFAPs. The agencies and instrumentalities
implementing StuFAPs are required to submit reports, make their
selection process transparent to the public, and comply with the
requirements that the Board may impose to ensure that these
programs are in line with the national policy framework on student
financial assistance.

SEC. 23. Performance Monitoring and Impact Assessment. The

UniFAST shall be evaluated rigorously by the Board in terms of its
impact on desired results and its progress towards achieving them
shall be monitored regularly. The Board shall clearly define those
results and their target values. Impact evaluation shall be measured
against, among others:

(a) Education outcomes such as enrolment in level IV-accredited

HEls, as may be determined in the Implementing Rules and
Regulations, and number of graduates (by type of study program);

(b) Economic indicators such as income and employment of

Beneficiaries after graduation; and

(c) Indicators for contributions to community service and public

good.

Performance and progress shall, in addition, be measured with

regard to: (i) number of students covered by Scholarships, Grants-in-
Aid, Student Loans, or other modalities of StuFAP; (ii) type of study
program; (iii) level of HEI enrolled in; and (iv) initial economic status.
Tracer studies and survey data for experimental and quasi-
experimental analyses shall be undertaken to produce credible
impact evaluation studies, as may be determined by the
Board: Provided, That major programs of the Board are to be
evaluated within five (5) years from the date of its implementation.
14
SEC. 24. Congressional Oversight Committee. There is hereby
created a Congressional Oversight Committee on the UniFAST
composed of five (5) members each to be chosen from the
membership of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and
Culture and the House of Representatives Committee on Higher and
Technical Education. The members from the Senate shall be
appointed by the Senate President based on proportional
representation of the parties or coalitions therein with at least two
(2) Senators representing the minority. The members from the
House of Representatives shall be appointed by the Speaker also
based on proportional representation of the parties or coalitions
therein with at least two (2) Congressmen representing the minority.

The Oversight Committee on the UniFAST shall have the power to

oversee the implementation of this Act, including an inquiry into the
book of accounts of the Board: Provided, That the Secretariat of the
Oversight Committee shall be drawn from the secretariat personnel
of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture and the
House of Representatives Committee on Higher and Technical
Education. Funding for the expenses of the Committee shall be
taken from the appropriations of both the Senate and the House of
Representatives.

The Board shall be required to submit to the Congressional

Oversight Committee, on a periodic basis, the financial statements,
policy statements, issuances and other documents and information
of the Board, subject to existing laws and regulations.

ARTICLE VI

APPROPRIATIONS

SEC. 25. Appropriations. The amount necessary to carry out the

provisions of this Act, specifically for the creation of the Board and
the Secretariat and the initial implementation of this Act, shall be
charged against the current years appropriation of the CHED. The
budget for the implementation of existing StuFAPs and any modality
that may be established shall be charged against the budget of the
implementing agencies. Thereafter, such amount as may be
necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be
included in the Annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 26. Other Sources of Funds. Other sources of funds such as

grants, donations, and other forms of assistance from local and
foreign donor agencies, other public or private entities, and other
private domestic and international sources may be tapped and
facilitated by the Board to support the program, subject to regular
auditing guidelines and procedures: Provided, That in case of
donations from foreign sources, acceptance thereof shall be subject
to existing government rules and regulations.

15
All donations, grants, endowments from various sources and other
contributions given to specific agencies for StuFAPs shall be retained
by the identified done agency for that specific purpose in
accordance with government auditing rules and regulations.

Cost-sharing or counter-parting schemes among national

government and local government units (LGUs) shall also be
encouraged to support the implementation of the UniFAST.

ARTICLE VII

IMPLEMENTATION

SEC. 27. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within thirty (30)

days from the effectivity of this Act, the Board shall constitute itself,
in consultation with relevant stakeholders in Tertiary Education, and
promulgate the Implementing Rules and Regulations necessary for
the proper implementation of this Act within sixty (60) days from the
constitution of the Board.

ARTICLE VIII

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. 28. Separability Clause. If, for any reason, any provision of
this Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, parts or provisions of
this Act which are not affected shall continue to be in full force and
effect.

SEC. 29. Non-Impairment Clause. Nothing in this Act shall be

construed as to diminish, impair, or repeal rights recognized,
granted, or made available to disadvantaged, marginalized, or
specific sectors under existing laws.

SEC. 30. Repealing Clause. All laws, executive orders, presidential

decrees, Implementing Rules and Regulations inconsistent with this
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly, including the
provisions of Republic Act No. 8545 on Tertiary Education.

SEC. 31. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general
circulation.

(Sgd.) FELICIANO BELMONTE JR.

Speaker of the House
of Representatives

This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2679 and House
Bill No. 4591 was finally passed by the Senate and the House of
Representatives on August 3, 2015 and August 4, 2015, respectively.

16
 (Sgd) MARILYN B. BARUA-YAP
Secretary General
House of Representatives

Approved: OCT 15 2015

(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

President of the Philippines

17