SECTION 1. Conversion of Iligan City National School of Fisheries into a Polytechnic State College. - The Iligan City National School of Fisheries (ICNSF) located in Barangay Buru-un, Iligan City, Province of Lanao del Norte, is hereby converted into a polytechnic state college, to be known as the Iligan City Polytechnic State College (ICPSC). Its main campus shall be in Iligan City.

SEC. 3. Curricular Offerings. - The College shall offer short-term technical-vocational, undergraduate, and graduate courses, within its competency and areas of specialization in the fields of education, engineering, science and technology, arts and humanities, information and communications technology, agriculture, forestry, fishery education, marine transportation, and tourism. It shall also offer vocational and technology courses in welding technology, vocational technology, hotel and restaurant services, hotel and household services, baking technology, electronic services and repair, and other relevant fields of study, as the Board of Regents, hereinafter referred to as the Board, may deem necessary for the accomplishment of the objectives of the College, and those which respond to meet the human resource development needs of the Province of Lanao del Norte and Region X.

The existing and any future technical-vocational courses or programs under the supervision of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) shall continue to be offered in the College.

The existing reasonably-sized laboratory junior and senior high school and elementary school shall continue to operate under the supervision of the College of Education to serve the in-campus requirements in its students.

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 Lanao del Norte, as recommended by a search committee constituted by the President of the College, in consultation with the Chairperson of the CHED and other members of the Board, based on the standards and qualifications for the position set by the Board. They shall serve for a term of two (2) years from the date of appointment.

The membership of the President of the federation of faculty associations, the President of the federation of student councils, and the President of 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.

(a) Promulgate and implement policies in accordance with the declared State policies on education, other pertinent provisions of the Constitution on education, agriculture, science and technology, and the policies, standards and thrusts of the CHED under Republic Act No. 7722, otherwise known as the “Higher Education Act of 1994”, and also in accordance with the policies, standards and programs of the TESDA, under Republic Act No. 7796, otherwise known as the "TESDA Act of 1994";

(b) Approve the curricula, instructional programs, and rules on student discipline drawn by the Administrative and Academic Councils as herein provided;

(c) Appoint, upon the recommendation of the President of the College, the vice presidents, deans, directors, heads of the campuses, faculty members, and other officials and employees of the College;

(d) Fix and adjust the salaries of faculty members, administrative officials and employees, subject to the provisions of the Revised Compensation and Position Classification System and other pertinent budget and compensation laws governing hours of service, and such other duties and conditions as may it deem proper; grant them, at its discretion, leaves of absence under such regulations as it may promulgate, any provision of existing law to the contrary notwithstanding; and remove them for cause in accordance with the requirements of due process of law;

(e) Fix the tuition fees and other necessary school charges, such as matriculation fees, graduation fees and laboratory fees, as the Board may deem proper to impose, after due consultation with the concerned sectors. The fees and charges, including government subsidies and other income generated by the College, shall constitute its special trust funds, and shall be deposited in any authorized government depository bank. All interests that shall accrue therefrom shall form part of the same funds for the use of the College.

(f) Adopt and implement a socialized scheme of tuition and other school fees for greater access of poor but deserving students in accordance with Republic Act No. 10931 or the “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act”;

(g) Establish professional chairs in the College and provide fellowships for qualified faculty members, and scholarships to deserving students;

(h) Receive appropriate sums as may be provided by law for the support of the College, and all other sums in the manner it may, in its discretion, determine to carry out the purposes and functions of the College;

(i) Set the policies on admission and graduation of students;

(j) Award honorary degrees upon persons in recognition of their outstanding contribution in the fields of education, public service, arts, science and technology, agriculture or any field of specialization within the academic competency of the College, and authorize the awarding of certificates of completion of nondegree and nontraditional courses;

(k) Establish research and extension centers to promote the development of the College;

(l) Develop academic arrangements for institutional capability building with appropriate institutions and agencies, whether public, private, local or foreign, and appoint experts or specialist as consultants, part-time, visiting or exchange professors, scholars or researchers, as the case may be;

(m) Adopt modern and innovative modes of transmitting knowledge for the promotion of greater access to education such as the use of information technology, dual training system, open distance learning, and community laboratory;

(n) Collaborate with the governing bodies of other state universities and colleges within the Province of Lanao del Norte and Region X, under the supervision of the CHED and in consultation with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), in restructuring the College to make it more efficient, relevant, productive and competitive;

(o) Absorb non-chartered tertiary institutions within the Province of Lanao del Norte and Region X as branches, extension/external centers, in coordination with the CHED and in consultation with the DBM, and offer therein programs or courses to carry out the constitutional mandate of providing equal access to educational opportunities;

(p) Authorize an external management audit of the College, to be financed by the CHED, subject to the rules and regulations of the Commission on Audit, and institute reforms, including academic and structural changes, on the basis of the audit results and recommendations;

(q) Develop consortia and other economic forms of linkages with local government units (LGUs), as well as public, private, local or foreign institutions and agencies, in the furtherance of the purposes and objectives of the College;

(r) Import economic, technical and cultural books and publications;

(s) Enter into joint ventures with business and industry for the profitable development and management of economic assets, the proceeds of which shall be used for the development and strengthening of the College;

(t) Receive, in trust, legacies, gifts and donations of real and personal properties of all kinds and administer and dispose of the same, when necessary, for the benefit of the College and subject to the limitations, directions and instructions of the donor, if any;

(v) Delegate any of its powers and duties provided to the President and other officials of the College, as it may deem appropriate, so as to expedite the administration of the affairs of the College;

(w) Establish policy guidelines and procedures for participative and transparent decision-making within the College;

(x) Where most advantageous to the College, privatize the management of nonacademic services such as health, food, building, grounds or property maintenance, and such other similar activities;

(y) Authorize the construction or repair of its buildings, machinery, equipment and other facilities, and the purchase and acquisition of real property, including the necessary supplies, materials and equipment; and

(z) Promulgate rules and regulations, as may be necessary, to carry out the purposes and functions of the College.

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

The members of the Board shall not receive any salary, but shall be entitled to reimbursements 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.

Within six (6) months before the expiration of the term of office of the incumbent President of the College, the Board shall constitute the search committee for the Presidency.

The powers and duties of the President of the College, in addition to those usually pertaining to the Office of the President of similar universities and those delegated by the Board.

The salary of the President of the College shall be in accordance with Republic Act No. 11466 or the “Salary Standardization Law of 2019”, and by such other laws amendatory thereto, which may hereinafter be enacted, and shall be comparable to that being received by the presidents of similar educational institutions.

The President of the College shall be assigned by a Vice President for Academic Affairs, a Vice President for Administration, and a Vice President for Research and Development, Extension, Services and Training, who shall all be appointed by the Board upon the recommendation of the President.

SEC. 16. Authority to Loan or Transfer Apparatus, Equipment, Supplies and Detail of Personnel. - The heads of the bureaus and offices of the national government are hereby authorized to loan or transfer, upon the request of the President of the College, such apparatus, equipment or supplies as may be needed by the College, and to detail employees for duty therein when, in the judgment of the head of bureau or office, such apparatus, equipment, supplies or services of such employees can be spared without serious detriment to public service.

SEC. 18. Tax Exemption on Importation and Donations. - The importation by the College of economic, technical and cultural books or publications, which are for economic, technical, vocational, scientific, philosophical, historical or cultural purposes, shall, upon certification by the CHED shall be exempt from customs duties in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act No. 10863, otherwise known as the "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 College, 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.

SEC. 19. Compliance with CHED Requirements. - The provisions of this Act notwithstanding, the conversion of the ICNSF into a 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 institution has complied with the requirements for a university status based on CHED Memorandum Order No. 46, series of 2012 (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 institution has substantially complied with the requirements for the grant of college status.

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

(a) Employment of full-time, permanent faculty members who posses relevant degrees in their areas of specialization, as required by the CHED, with experience in the subject areas they handle;

(b) Offering of a comprehensive range of degree programs characterized by a core curriculum that holistically develops thinking, problem solving, decision-making, communication, technical, and social skills in line with the mission of the College;

(c) Establishment and maintenance of comprehensive learning resources and support structures that are appropriate for developing knowledge and skills in the specific natural science, social science, humanities, and professional disciplines offered by the College, including laboratories, books and journals;

(d) Maintenance of linkages with the community that would ensure the development of relevant academic and extension programs and the application of their learning outcomes; and

(e) Conduct of outreach programs involving students in social development-oriented experiences that allow them to contextualize their knowledge within actual social and human experiences.

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

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

(a) Submit a five (5)-year development plan, including its program and budget to the CHED for recommendation to the DBM;

(b) Set up its organizational, administrative, and academic structure, including the appointment of key officials of the College; and

(c) Undergo a management audit in coordination with the CHED.

Approved,

(SGD.) VICENTE C. SOTTO III             President of the Senate

(SGD.) LORD ALLAN JAY Q. VELASCO             Speaker of the House         of Representatives

This Act which originated in the House of Representatives was passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Philippines on November 25, 2020 and January 31, 2022, respectively..
   
   
 

(SGD.) MYRA MARIE D. VILLARICA             Secretary of the Senate

(SGD.) MARK LLANDRO L. MENDOZA             Secretary General         House of Representatives

 

Approved: Lapsed into law on JUN 18 2022 without the signature of the President, in accordance with Article VI, Section 27 (1) of the Constitution

 

(SGD.) RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
    President of the Philippines