Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. The high school department of the Apayao State College, Luna Campus, Province of Apayao is hereby converted into a separate, independent and distinct high school to be known as the Apayao Science High School.

SEC. 2. The school shall offer a secondary course with special emphasis on subjects pertaining to the sciences aimed at preparing its students for a science career.

SEC. 3. The high school shall be headed by a director whose appointment shall be in accordance with prescribed Civil Service laws, rules and regulations. His compensation shall be fixed by the Board of Trustees in accordance with existing compensation and position classification laws, rules and regulations. His functions, powers and duties, in addition to those specifically provided for in this Act, shall be those usually pertaining to the office of the principal of a public high school.

SEC. 4. The Apayao Science High School Board of Trustees shall be composed of:

1. The Regional Director, Department of Education, Culture and Sports, Cordillera Administrative Region as chairman;
   
2. The Director of the Apayao Science High School as vice chairman;
   
3. The Regional Director, Department of Science and Technology, Cordillera Administrative Region as member; and
   
4. The Regional Director, National Economic and Development Authority, Cordillera Administrative Region as member.
   

SEC. 5. The Board of Trustees shall exercise for the Apayao Science High School all the powers and prerogatives of the Board of Directors of a corporation. It shall also have the following powers and duties:

1. To receive and appropriate to the ends specified by law sums as may be provided by law for the support of the school;
   
2. To approve appointments made by contracts entered into by the Director in connection with the employment of faculty members, lecturers and other employees of the high school, subject to the provisions of Section 12 of this Act, to determine academic ranks; to fix their compensation in accordance with existing compensation laws and other conditions of employment; and to remove them for cause in accordance with due process;
   
3. To approve the curricula, course of study and rules of discipline drawn up by the Executive Council as hereinafter provided;
   
4. To provide fellowships for faculty members and approve the grant of scholarships, stipends and such allowances to deserving students;
   
5. To approve the issuance of certificates or diplomas to successful candidates for graduation;
   
6. To provide its own rules of procedure and to prescribe for the administration of the high school such general rules and regulations, not contrary to law, as are consistent with the purpose of the high school as defined in Section 2 of this Act;
   
7. To receive in trust legacies, gifts and donations of real and personal property of all kinds and to administer the same in accordance with the directions and instructions of the donor and, in default thereof, in such manner as the Board of Trustees, may in its discretion determine for the benefit of the high school or for aid to any of its students; and
   
8. To establish the criteria for the selection and admission of students which shall include, among others, competitive examinations.
   

SEC. 6. A quorum of the Board of Trustees shall consist of a majority of all the members holding office at the time the meeting of the Board is called. All processes against the Board of Trustees shall be served on the Director or Secretary thereof.

SEC. 7. The members of the Board of Trustees shall be entitled to per diem for each meeting actually attended subject to the usual government accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

SEC. 8. On or before the beginning of each school year, the Board of Trustees shall file with the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, a detailed report setting forth the progress, condition and needs of the high school.

SEC. 9. There shall be an Executive Council consisting of the Director, the heads of the departments, and such other ranking faculty members or officials of the high school as may be determined by the Director.

The Council shall have the power to screen and select the students to be admitted to the high school; to select students who shall be recipients of scholarships, stipends and allowances; and, to develop the curricula, course of study and rules of discipline, all subject to the approval of the Board. The Council shall have the exclusive power to recommend students eligible for graduation. Through the Director, it shall have disciplinary powers over the students.

SEC. 10. There shall be a registrar of the Apayao Science High School who shall act as Secretary of the Board, to be appointed by the Director with the approval of the Board of Trustees. He shall keep such records as may be prescribed by the Board.

SEC. 11. There shall be a treasurer of the Apayao Science High School who shall be appointed by the Director with the approval of the Board of Trustees. All accounts and expenses shall be subject to the usual government auditing.

SEC. 12. The faculty members of the high school and others holding academic positions shall be selected in accordance with such criteria as may be established by the Board of Trustees consistent with law which shall include, if necessary and practicable, screening and competitive examination.

The salaries of faculty members, administrative officials and employees, and other employees holding academic positions shall be subject to the provisions of the existing compensation laws, rules and regulations.

SEC. 13. All legacies, gifts and donations for the benefit of the high school for its support and maintenance or for aid to any of its students shall be tax-exempt and shall be an allowable deduction from the gross income of the donors. For purposes of income tax, the high school shall be exempt from the payment of taxes, fees, assessments and other charges of the government, its branches and subdivisions.

SEC. 14. The head of bureaus or offices of the national government and their counterparts in the Cordillera Administrative Region are hereby authorized to loan or transfer, upon request by the Director of the high school, such apparatus, supplies and other properties as may be needed by the high school, and to detail employees to duty therein when, in the judgment of the head of bureau or office, they can be spared without detriment to the public service.

The employees so detailed shall perform such duties as are required under such detail and the time employed shall be counted as part of their regular official hours, all laws, rules and regulations limiting the detail of government employees notwithstanding.

SEC. 15. All assets, liabilities and records, as well as personnel who meet the necessary qualifications for the various positions necessary for the operations of the Apayao State College, high school department, Luna Campus are hereby transferred to and absorbed by the science high school.

SEC. 16. The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of the high school department of the Luna Campus of the Apayao State College. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the operation and maintenance of the Apayao Science High School shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 17. The Secretary of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports shall issue such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 18. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved,

(Sgd.) FRANKLIN M. DRILON	(Sgd.) MANUEL B. VILLAR JR.
President of the Senate	Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act which originated in the House of Representatives was finally passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on August 17, 1999 and June 8, 2000,  respectively.

(Sgd.) OSCAR G. YABES	(Sgd.) ROBERTO P. NAZARENO
Secretary of the Senate	Secretary General House of Representatives

Approved: August 22, 2000