An Act Providing for State Scholarships in Science, Arts, and Letters for Poor but Deserving Students; Creating a State Scholarship Council to Integrate, Systematize, Administer, and Implement All Programs of Scholarships; and Appropriating Funds Therefor

REPUBLIC ACT No. 4090

An Act Providing for State Scholarships in Science, Arts, and Letters for Poor but Deserving Students; Creating a State Scholarship Council to Integrate, Systematize, Administer, and Implement All Programs of Scholarships; and Appropriating Funds Therefor

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

Section 1. There shall be selected annually from the graduating classes of all public and private high schools throughout the Philippines poor but deserving students to be known as "State Scholars" who shall be granted state scholarships in science, arts, and letters and whose expenses, like tuition, matriculation, and other school fees, prescribe textbooks and equipment, board and lodging, clothing, travelling expenses, and miscellaneous allowances, shall be defrayed from funds appropriated by law or contributed from other sources for scholarship purposes.

Section 2. Candidates for state scholarship shall possess the following qualifications:

Section 3. (a) There is hereby created a State Scholarship Council which shall have as its principal function and shall possess the authority to consolidate, integrate, systematize, administer, and implement all programs of government scholarships, whether national, provincial, or municipal, as well as private scholarships which may be entrusted to it.

Section 4. (a) The Council shall be composed of the Secretary of Education, the President of the University of the Philippines, the Chairman of the Committee on Education of the Senate, the Chairman of the Committee on Education of the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the National Science Development Board, the Director of Public Schools, the Director of Private Schools, and two other members who shall represent non-governmental educational professional groups to be appointed by the President of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission on appointments. The Secretary of Education shall be the Chairman of the Council.

Section 5. The Council shall have an Executive Secretary who shall be under its supervision and control and shall be immediately responsible to it for carrying out the provisions of this Act and the policies, decisions, resolutions, rules and regulations of the Council. He shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation of the Council with the consent of the Commission on Appointments. He shall receive a yearly compensation of not exceeding ten thousands pesos and such other benefits which the Council may fix.

Section 6. All existing program of scholarships now under the jurisdiction and control of the different government entities, offices, and agencies, including their appropriation, personnel, equipment, and other effects are transferred to, and all the powers and duties of said entities offices, and agencies having to do with such scholarships, are vested in and imposed on, the State Scholarship Council.

Section 7. There is hereby appropriated annually beginning with the fiscal year nineteen hundred and sixty-four and out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated the sum of two million pesos for carrying out the provisions of this Act. Such additional sum or sums as may be necessary shall be included in the annual General Appropriation Acts.

Section 8. All laws, orders, resolutions, ordinances, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed.

Section 9. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: June 19, 1964.