AN ACT CONVERTING THE BAAO COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BAAO, PROVINCE OF CAMARINES SUR INTO A STATE COLLEGE TO BE KNOWN AS THE RINCONADA STATE COLLEGE AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 12294, September 15, 2025 ]

AN ACT CONVERTING THE BAAO COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BAAO, PROVINCE OF CAMARINES SUR INTO A STATE COLLEGE TO BE KNOWN AS THE RINCONADA STATE COLLEGE 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 "Rinconada State College Charter".

Section 2. Conversion of the Baao Community College. - The Baao Community College located in the Municipality of Baao, Province of Camarines Sur, is hereby converted into a state college to be known as the Rinconada State College (RSC). Its main campus shall be in the Municipality of Baao, Province of Camariner Sur.

Section 3. General Mandate. - The BSC shall primarily provide advanced education, higher technological and professional courses, and training programs in science and technology, education, and other related fields of study.. It shall also undertake research, extension services, and provide progressive leadership in its areas of specialization.

Section 4. Curricular Offerings. - The RSC shall offer short-term technical-vocational, undergraduate, and graduate courses within its areas of competency and specialization in the fields of science and technology, education, and other degree courses, as the Board of Trustees, hereinafter referred to as the Board, may deem necessary to carry out its objectives, and those which response to the human resources development needs of the Province of Camarines Sur: Provided, That the RSC shall comply with the policies, standards, and guidelines of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for the offering of courses and the introduction of new or revised programs.

The RSC, if it has a College of Education, may adopt public elementary and secondary schools to serve as pilot centers for innovative teaching and learning strategies and approaches.

Section 5. Administration. - The RSC shall have the general powers of a corporation set forth in Republic Act (RA) No. 11232, otherwise known as the "Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines". The administration of the RSC and the exercise of its corporate powers shall be vested exclusively in the Board of Trustees and the President of the RSC.

Section 6. The Governing Board. - The governing body of the RSC shall be the Board of Trustees, which shall be chaired by the Chairperson of the CHED and vice-chaired by the President of the RSC, and with the following as members:

The Board shall appoint two (2) prominent citizens who shall be selected from a list of at least five (5) qualified persons from the Province of Camarines Sur where the RSC is located, as recommended by a search committee constituted by the President of the RSC, in consultation with the Chairperson of the CHED and other members of the Board, based on the guidelines, qualifications, and standards for the position set by the Board. They shall serve for a term of two (2) years from the date of appointment.

The president of the federation of faculty associations, the federation of student councils, the federation of non-teaching personnel associations, and the federation of alumni associations in the Board shall be coterminous with their terms of office, as provided under their respective constitutions and by laws.

Section 7. Powers and Duties of the Board. - The administration of the RSC and the exercise of its corporate powers are vested in the Board, which shall have the following specific powers and duties in addition to its general powers of administration and the exercise of all the powers granted to the Board of Directors of a Corporation under Section 35 of RA No. 11232:

Section 8. Meetings of the Board. - The Board shall regularly convene once every three (3) months. The Chairperson of the Board may, however, call a special meeting whenever necessary: Provided, That members are notified in writing at least three (3) days prior to the conduct of said meeting.

A quorum of the Board shall consist of majority of all its members holding office at the time of the meeting: Provided, however, That the Chairperson of the Board or the President of the RSC is among those present in the meeting.

In case the Chairperson of the CHED cannot attend a meeting of the Board, a CHED Commissioner duly assigned by the Chairperson of the CHED as representative to the meeting, shall have all the rights and responsibilities of a regular member: Provided, That during the meeting, the President of the RSC, as Vice Chairperson, shall be the presiding officer: Provided, further, That this provision notwithstanding, the Chairperson of the CHED is hereby authorized to designate a CHED Commissioner as the regular Chairperson of the Board, in which case, the said CHED Commissioner shall act a the presiding officer.

In case the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education and the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education cannot attend the Board meeting, they may designate their respective representatives who shall have the same rights and responsibilities as regular members of the Board.

The members of the Board shall serve without compensation other than reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred, either for their attendance to the meetings of the Board or in connection with other official business authorized by resolutions of the Board, subject to existing laws and regulations.

Section 9. The College President. - The RSC shall be headed by a President who shall be appointed by the Board, subject to its guidelines, qualifications and standards, and based on the recommendation of a search committee duly constituted for the purpose of selecting the President.

The RSC President shall render full-time service for four (4) years and may be reappointed to another term.

Within six (6) months before the expiration of the term of office of the incumbent President of the RSC, the Board shall constitute the Search Committee for the Presidency and shall ensure the appointment or reappointment of a President on or before the expiration of the term.

The powers and duties of the President of the RSC, in addition to those specifically provided in this Act, shall be those usually pertaining to the Office of the President of similar colleges and those delegated by the Board.

The salary of the President of the RSC shall be in accordance with Republic Act No. 11466, and by such other laws amendatory thereto which may hereinafter be enacted, the joint circular for state universities and colleges' leveling instruments, and guidelines of the CHED and the DBM.

In case of vacancy in the Office of the President by reason of death, compulsory retirement, resignation, removal for cause, or incapacity of the President to perform the functions of the office, the Board shall designate an Officer-in-Charge of the RSC, pending the appointment of the President.

The President of the RSC shall be assisted by the following officials: Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice President for Finance and Administration, and Vice President for Research, Extension and Training, who shall all be appointed by the Board upon the recommendation of the President of the RSC.

Section 10. The Secretary of the RSC. - The Board shall appoint a Secretary who shall serve as such for both the Board and the RSC and shall keep all records and proceedings of meetings of the Board in addition to other duties and responsibilities. The Secretary of the RSC shall serve upon each member of the Board the appropriate notice of Board meetings.

Section 11. The Treasurer of the RSC. - The Treasurer of the Philippine shall be the ex officio Treasurer of the RSC.

Section 12. The Administrative Council. - There shall be an Administrative Council consisting of the President of the RSC, as Chairperson, and the vice presidents, deans, directors and other officials of equal rank, as members, whose duty is to review and recommend to the Board the policies that shall govern the administration, management and development planning of the RSC.

Section 13. The Academic Council. - There shall be an Academic Council consisting of the President of the RSC, as Chairperson, and all academic staff with the rank of at lease an assistant profession, as members.

The Academic Council shall have the power to review and recommend the curricular offerings and rules of discipline, fix the requirements for the admission of students, as well as for their graduation and conferment of degrees, exercise disciplinary power over the students and shall formulate rules and regulations on student discipline, subject to review and approval by the Board through the President of the RSC.

Section 14. The Faculty. - No political belief, sex, gender, cultural or community affiliation, ethnic origin, nor religious opinion or affiliation shall be a matter of inquiry in the appointment of faculty members of the RSC: Provided,That said appointment shall be subject to the guidelines, qualifications and standards set by the Board: Provided, further, That a member of the faculty shall not criticize, vouch for, recruit members in behalf of, or preach about any particular religious denomination.

Section 15. Academic Freedom and Institutional Autonomy. - The RSC shall enjoy academic freedom and institutional autonomy pursuant to Paragraph 2, Section 5 of Article XIV of the Constitution.

Section 16. Scholarship Programs and Admission. - The RSC shall provide a scholarship programs and other affirmative action programs to assist poor but deserving students who qualify for admission to the RSC.

No student shall be denied admission to the RSC by reason of sex, gender, religion, cultural or community affiliation or ethnic origin, or any other forms of discrimination.

Section 17. Loan or Transfer Supplies, Apparatuses, or Equipment, or Detail of Personnel of the RSC. - Heads of national government agencies and instrumentalities may, upon the request of the Board through the President of the RSC, loan or transfer supplies, apparatuses, or equipment, or detail personnel to the College: Provided, That such loan, transfer or detail shall not be detrimental to public service.

The personnel to be detailed to the College shall perform such duties as required of them by the President of the RSC and the time spent for such duties shall be counted as part of the detailed personnel's regular service.

Section 18. Assets, Liabilities and Personnel. - All assets, real and personal, personnel and records of the Baao Community College, as well as liabilities or obligations, are hereby transferred to the RSC.

All parcels of land belonging to the government occupied by the Baao Community College are declared as property of the RSC, and shall be titled under its name: Provided, that all parcels of land of the RSC shall revert to the original owner or donor, or the Republic of the Philippines, in the event that the RSC ceases to exist or be abolished, or should the said parcels of land be no longer needed by the RSC: Provided, further, That such reversion shall not impair obligation of contracts.

Section 19. Duty and Tax Exemptions. - The importation of books or publications, instruments, equipment, and apparatuses, which are for economic, technical-vocational, scientific, medical, philosophical, historical, legal or cultural purposes made by the RSC, upon certification by the CHED, shall be exempt from customs duties in accordance with the provisions of RA No. 10863, otherwise known as "Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA)".

All grants, bequests, endowments, donations and contributions made to and used actually, directly and exclusively for educational purposes by the RSC, shall be exempt from donor's tax and the same shall be allowed as allowable deduction from the gross income of the donor for purposes of computing the taxable income of the donor, in accordance with the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.

Section 20. Compliance with CHED Requirements. - Notwithstanding the provisions of this Act, the conversion of the Baao Community College into a state college shall become effective only upon the determination and declaration by the CHED, based on the recommendation of a panel of experts constituted for the purpose, that the Baao Community College has complied with the requirements for a state college status based on CHED Memorandum Order No. 46, series of 2012 or the "Policy Standards to Enhance Quality Assurance in Philippine Higher Education, through the Outcomes-Based and Typology-Based QA": Provided, That the panel may issue such a recommendation when the Baao Community College has substantially complied with the requirements for the grant of state college status.

The following operational requirements for a university, as established by the CHED, shall be complied with:

The CHED, through its regional office, shall regularly provide technical assistance to the RSC and monitor its compliance with the requirements of the CHED.

The Baao Community College shall retain its status prior to the effectivity of this Act until it is able to comply with the requirements provided herein.

Section 21. Development Plan and Organizational Structure. - Within a period of one hundred twenty (120) days after the approval of this Act, the RSC shall accomplish the following:

Section 22. Filing of Report. - On or before the fifteenth (15th) day of the second (2nd) month after the opening of the regular classes each year, the Board shall file a detailed report on its compliance with the requirements for a state college status with the Office of the President of the Philippines and both Houses of Congress, through the Chairperson of the CHED.

Section 23. Suppletory Application. - The provisions of Republic Act No. 8292, otherwise known as the "Higher Education Modernization Act of 1997', shall form part of this Act.

Section 24. Parity Clause. - All other powers, functions, and privileges, responsibilities, and limitations to state colleges and their officials under existing laws shall be deemed granted to or imposed upon the RSC or its officials, whenever appropriate.

Section 25. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

The Municipality of Baao shall provide the same assistance to the Baao Community College, until such time that the amount necessary for the continued operation and maintenance of the RSC shall be included in the annual GAA.

Section 26. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Board, in consultation with the CHED, shall issue rules and regulations to implement its provisions.

Section 27. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any part or provision of this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected are in full force and effect.

Section 28. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are amended, repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 29. Effectivity. - This Act shall become effective fifteen (15) days after its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

This Act, which originated in the House of Representatives, was passed by the House of Representatives on November 22, 2023, amended by the Senate of the Philippines on June 9, 2025, and which amendments were concurred in by the House of Representatives on June 10, 2025.

Approved: Lapsed into law on SEP 15 2025 without the signature of the President, in accordance with Article VI, Section 27 (1) of the Constitution

FERDINAND ROMUALDEZ MARCOS JR.
President of the Philippines