WHEREAS, Art. XIV, Sec. 2 (3) of the 1987 Constitution provides that the State shall establish and maintain a system of scholarship grants, student loan programs, subsidies, and other incentives which shall be available to deserving students in both public and private schools, especially the underprivileged;

WHEREAS, the country needs a new generation of young Filipino leaders and agents of change from among Mindanaoan Muslims to participate fully in the affairs of the State and assist in integrating their people and culture into the mainstream of Philippine Society;

WHEREAS, there is need to provide de-serving and less privileged Muslims in Mindanao access to quality education to prepare them for leadership positions in their chosen field of specialization; and,

WHEREAS, scholarship assistance is necessary to ensure access of deserving and qualified Muslim students to enroll in priority courses offered in leading local and foreign educational institutions.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Implementation of the Educational Reform Assistance Package (ERAP) For Mindanaoan Muslims. - The Educational Reform Assistance Package for Mindanaoan Muslims or the ERAP for Mindanaoan Muslims is hereby approved for implementation. The program shall provide opportunities to qualified and deserving Muslim student to enroll in undergraduate and post-graduate priority courses in the fields of Agriculture, Agri-Business, Science and Technology, Engineering, and Teacher Education major in either Mathematics, Science or Languages.

SECTION 2. Program Components. - The ERAP for Mindanaoan Muslims shall have two components, as follows:

a. Undergraduate Scholarship. - This shall cover local scholarship for deserving and qualified incoming college freshmen Muslims in Mindanao who shall enroll in identified priority courses. The scholars shall enroll in public or private higher education institutions identified by the CHED as Centers of Excellence (COEs) or Centers of Development (CODs).

b. Post-Graduate Scholarship. - This, shall cover local and foreign scholarship for deserving ,and qualified Muslim professionals in Mindanao who shall pursue courses in identified priority courses. The scholars shall enroll in local and foreign institutions to be identified by CHED offering post-graduate studies.

SECTION 3. Lead Implementing Agency and Program Secretariat. - CHED shall be the lead implementing agency for the program. It shall serve is the program secretariat and provide the necessary administrative or technical support thereto.

SECTION 4. Creation of a Screening Committee. - A Screening Committee is hereby created to undertake the evaluation, selection and identification of scholars. It shall be composed of the following: CHED-Office for Student Services (OSS) Over-sight Commissioner, as Chair; and CHED-OSS Director, as Co-Chair; and, the following as members:

1. Executive Director, Office of the Muslim Affairs;
   
2. Executive Director, Mindanao Advanced Education Program (MAEP) of CHED; and,
   
3. Representative, to be appointed by the President.

The selection of scholars shall be undertaken by the Committee based on prescribed qualification criteria.

SECTION 5. Qualification Criteria. - Following are the qualification requirements and selection criteria for the program scholars:

a. For the Undergraduate Program:

1. The applicant must be a natural born citizen belonging to any Muslim cultural community in the Mindanao area;
   
   
2. He/She should have an excellent moral character as certified by his/her high school principal and belongs to the first top ten of the high school graduating class with a rating of at least 90% or higher each in Science, Mathematics and English in the National Secondary Achievement Test result as certified by his/her school principal;
   
   
3. He/She should be in good health as certified by a government physician;
   
   
4. He/She is not presently enjoying any form of scholarship/study grant and has passed the admission requirements of the COE/COD he/she will enroll in; and
   
   
5. He/She must belong to a low family income group, to be determined by the Committee.

b. For the Post-Graduate Program:

1. The applicant must be a duly-certified member of the Muslim cultural community in Mindanao with a bachelor degree from reputable higher education institution and must not have earned units/degree in graduate studies;
   
   
2. He/she must pass the Graduate Management Aptitude Test given by the accepting institution, including other institutional admission requirements, and should present a letter of admission from the accepting institution;
   
   
3. He/she must be of good health and moral character, and is not currently enjoying any government scholarship or study grant; and
   
   
4. He/she must belong to a low family income group, to be determined by the Committee.

SECTION 4. Funding. - The budgetary requirement for the implementation of the program shall be derived from the Higher Education Development Fund (HEDF).

SECTION 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The CHED Chairman, after consultation with concerned agencies of government, shall formulate and prepare the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Order.

SECTION 6. Effectivity. - This Order shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 04 March 1999

BY THE PRESIDENT:

(SGD.) RONALDO B. ZAMORA
Executive Secretary

(SGD.) JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA
President of the Republic of the Philippines