Science and Technology Scholarship Program Act

Policy and purpose

Section 2 declares that science and technology are essential for national development and progress.
Section 2 directs the State to prioritize research and development, invention, innovation, and their utilization, and to prioritize science and technology education, training and services.
Section 2 establishes State policy to promote the development of science and technology manpower aligned with economic development.
Section 2 mandates the State to provide scholarships, grants-in-aid, or other incentives for deserving science students and specially-gifted citizens to pursue higher education or training in science and technology areas.

Objectives and manpower pool

Section 3 strengthens science and technology manpower by creating a pool of scientists, engineers and technicians to fill needs of industrialization.
Section 3 provides that scholarships finance the education of poor, talented and deserving students who seek a degree or training in science and technology areas recognized or permitted by law.

Science and Technology Scholarship Fund

Section 4 creates a Science and Technology Scholarship Fund, called the Fund.
Section 4 requires administration of the Fund by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
Section 5 provides that the amount necessary for initial implementation is charged against the current Fiscal Year Appropriations of the DOST.
Section 5 requires annual DOST budget increases of PHP 60M per year until reaching PHP 300M to sustain scholarship recipients during the duration of their study.

Coverage, fields, and eligible study

Section 6 limits scholarship awards from the Fund to fields of science, mathematics, engineering, and other areas in undergraduate or postgraduate courses as provided in DOST and Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) rules and regulations.
Section 6 states that postgraduate-level scholarship grants are not limited to recipients who were graduates of the undergraduate scholarship program.
Section 11 requires scholarship recipients to pursue their degree program and/or specified courses at duly accredited academic or training institutions by DECS and DOST, or at private schools accredited by the Federation of Accrediting Agencies in the Philippines (FAAP).
Section 11 makes refusal or failure to comply a ground for disqualification from the Program.
Section 12 allows scholarship grants to include study abroad in schools specializing in courses stated in the Program.
Section 12 requires a grantee who qualifies for study abroad to execute an undertaking to return to fulfill a service obligation based on the length of the scholarship.
Section 12 directs the Department of Foreign Affairs to provide full assistance in enforcing the undertaking.

Assistance to grantees

Section 7 entitles scholarship grantees to financial assistance, which includes tuition and other school fees.
Section 7 authorizes an outright grant for prescribed textbooks and essential school supplies.
Section 7 provides an outright grant for prescribed military science and physical education uniform.
Section 7 includes transportation expenses and a monthly living allowance as part of financial assistance.
Section 7 requires consideration of: availability of funds, purchasing power of the peso, and the rate of financial assistance given under other government scholarship programs.

Qualification standards and value formation

Section 8 requires scholarship applicants to be:
- a member of the top five percent (5%) of the high school graduating class, regardless of gender, religion, and cultural affiliation;
- a resident of the municipality for the last four (4) years prior to availing of the scholarship, attested by school records;
- of good moral character and in good health.
Section 9 requires the scholarship program to include value formation courses that inculcate nationalism, industriousness, honesty, commitment to national development, and an effective work ethic.

Distribution of slots and geographic participation

Section 10 requires DOST to ensure proportional and equitable allotment of slots for identified fields of science and technology to achieve balanced manpower in number and expertise.
Section 10 requires DOST to run a program enlisting at least two (2) scholars in each municipality of the Philippines.
Section 10 requires DOST to enlist at least ten (10) scholars for congressional districts without municipality.
Section 10 requires due preference to qualified members of the cultural minority in appropriate cases.

Scholarship service obligation

Section 13 requires that immediately upon completion of a Bachelor of Science course, a scholar must serve the country on a full-time basis only along the field of training.
Section 13 requires the minimum service period to be equivalent to the length of time a scholar enjoyed the scholarship.
Section 13 provides that service is performed by rendering service to the scholar’s province or municipality through organizing technology-based livelihood activities or enterprises, teaching, or other service related to the completed course or training.
Section 13 requires execution of a contract between the Government and the scholar incorporating the details of the service obligation.
Section 13 requires recipients who have not completed their course to render service equivalent to the number of years enjoyed through the scholarship.
Section 13 requires that government banks, financial institutions, and appropriate agencies provide priority access to credit, research and development facilities, support programs and other assistance to graduate scholars where sound and viable.
Section 13 requires a scholar who violates the service obligation to reimburse the Government of the fund assistance received under the Act in full or pro tanto, depending on the case.

Post-scholarship incentives

Section 14 provides incentives to encourage scholarship graduates to serve and to continue serving beyond their service obligation.
Section 14 grants priority for job placement in the Government or private sector in positions appropriate to the scholar’s education or training.
Section 14 provides grants-in-aid and access to government research facilities for conducting research and development projects and other service and technology activities.
Section 14 grants access to credit with liberal terms from government banks and financial institutions.
Section 14 provides payment of hardship and/or hazard allowance for those engaged in research and other science and technology activities that posed danger and caused hardship to well-being.
Section 14 provides travel and accident insurance coverage.

Advisory committee and implementation

Section 15 creates an Advisory Committee chaired by the Secretary of Science and Technology.
Section 15 makes members include the Secretaries or Heads (or their chosen representatives) of Education, Culture and Sports; Budget and Management; Agriculture; Trade and Industry; Interior and Local Government; Finance; and the National Economic and Development Authority.
Section 15 provides for two (2) private sector representatives: one from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and one from other sectors.
Section 15 limits the body to an advisory capacity for effective program coordination in implementation.
Section 16 requires the scholarship program to be directly implemented by the DOST through the Science Education Institute.

Rules, regulations, transitory, and effect

Section 17 requires the DOST, in joint collaboration with DECS, to promulgate rules and regulations for effective implementation within thirty (30) days from approval.
Section 18 provides that within sixty (60) days from effectivity, existing state colleges and universities and private schools with curriculum offerings on science and technology are ipso facto deemed accredited.
Section 19 repeals or modifies laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, or portions thereof that are inconsistent with the Act.
Section 20 establishes separability: if any provision is declared unconstitutional, the validity of the remaining provisions is not affected.