AN ACT RECOGNIZING THE FAITH ACADEMY AS AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION OF INTERNATIONAL CHARACTER AND GRANTING THE ACADEMY CERTAIN PREROGATIVES TO PROMOTE ITS DEVELOPMENT

Seventeenth Congress
Third Regular Session

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-third day of July, two thousand eighteen.

REPUBLIC ACT No. 11237

AN ACT RECOGNIZING THE FAITH ACADEMY AS AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION OF INTERNATIONAL CHARACTER AND GRANTING THE ACADEMY CERTAIN PREROGATIVES TO PROMOTE ITS DEVELOPMENT

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress Assembled:

Section 1. The Faith Academy, operated by the Faith Academy, Inc., herein referred to as the "Academy", is hereby declared and officially recognized as a basic educational institution of international character authorized to operate educational programs that primarily and principally adhere to universally accepted and recognized educational policies.

Section 2. The Academy, established by religious groups and missions boards, shall be governed by a Board of Trustees, herein referred to as the " Board", and elected in accordance with its corporate charter.

The Academy, having been established primarily for foreign missionary personnel and their dependents and for other temporary residents, shall be covered by the exemption provided in Section 4 (2), Article XIV of the Philippine Constitution.

Section 3. To enable the Academy to continue carrying out its educational program, improve its standard of instruction, and meet the special needs of the foreign temporary resident community for quality education, it shall:

Section 4. Foreign scholars, trainees, participants, students, volunteers, fellows or professors appointed, selected, hired, employed, or contracted by the Academy shall be allowed entry as special non-immigrants under Section 47(a)(2) of Commonwealth Act No. 613, otherwise known as " The Philippine Immigration Act of 1940", as amended, and as such shall be exempt from the payment of visa and immigration fees: Provided, That such persons are holders of valid passports and are not otherwise disqualified.

Section 5. Within sixty (60) days from the approval of this Act, the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the members of the Board of the Academy, shall formulate the rules and regulations implementing the provisions of this Act.

Section 6. If any provision of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not so declared shall remain in force and effect.

Section 7. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

VICENTE C. SOTTO III
President of the Senate

GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act was passed by the House of Representatives as House Bill No. 8741 on January 14, 2019 and adopted by the Senate as an amendment to Senate Bill No. 1669 on January 21, 2019.

MYRA MARIE D. VILLARICA
Secretary of the Senate

DANTE ROBERTO P. MALING
Acting Secretary General
House of Representatives

Approved: March 8, 2019

(Sgd.) RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
President of the Philippines