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

SECTION 1. Establishment. - There is hereby established a medical school in the Benguet State University (BSU) located in the Municipality of La Trinidad, Province of Benguet, to be known as the "Benguet State University-College of Medicine".

SEC. 2. General Mandate. - The Benguet State University-College of Medicine, hereinafter referred to as the "College", shall  primarily offer a Doctor of Medicine Program, including an Integrated Liberal Arts and Medicine Program, consisting of basic science and clinical courses, and using a learner-centered, competency-based, and community-oriented approach. The primary goal of the College shall be to develop a corps of professional physicians to held strengthen the healthcare system of the country, as well as to respond to the human resource development needs of the Province of Benguet and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

The College is also mandated to undertake research and extension services and provide progressive leadership in these areas.

SEC. 3. Governance. - The governance of the College shall be vested in the Board of Regents of the BSU, hereinafter referred to as the Board, whose powers are defined under Presidential Decree No 2010, entitled :Converting the Mountain State Agricultural College in the Municipality of La Trinidad, Province of Benguet, into a University, to be Known as the Benguet State University, and Appropriating Funds Therefor", and other applicable laws and regulations, unless otherwise provided or amended elsewhere in this Act.

SEC. 4. Administration. - The administration of the College shall be vested in the Dean of the College insofar as may be authorized by its Board.

SEC. 5. The College Dean . - The College shall be headed by a Dean who shall be appointed by the Board, subject to the guidelines, qualifications, and standards set by the Board, and upon the recommendation of the President, following a process of consultation with the constituents of the College. The Dean shall render full-time service, serve a term of three (3) years, and may be reappointed to another term.

Within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act, the President of the BSU shall constitute the search committee for the deanship.

The powers and duties of the Dean of the College, in addition to those specifically provided for in this Act, shall include those usually pertaining to the Office of the Dean of similar state universities and colleges and those delegated by the President.

The salary of the Dean of the College shall be in accordance with Republic Act No. 11466, otherwise known as the "Salary Standardization Law of 2019", and such other laws amendatory thereto, which may hereinafter be enacted and shall be comparable to that being received by the Deans of similar educational institutions.

In case of vacancy in the Office of the Dean by reason of death, compulsory retirement, resignation, removal for cause, or incapacity of the Dean to perform the functions of the office, the Board shall, upon the recommendation of the President, designate an Officer-in-Charge of the College, pending the appointment of a new Dean: Provided, That the Officer-in-Charge shall serve only during the unexpired portion of the term.

The Dean of the College shall be assisted by a College Secretary, who shall be appointed by the Board.

SEC. 6. The Faculty. - The Board shall, upon the recommendation by the President of the BSU, appoint the faculty members of the College: Provided, That no political belief, sex, gender, cultural or community affiliation or ethnic origin, nor religious opinion or affiliation shall be a matter of inquiry in the appointment of faculty members of the College: Provided, further, That said appointment standards shall be subject to the guidelines, qualifications, and standards set by the Board: Provided, finally, That no member of the faculty shall teach for or against any particular religious denomination.

SEC. 7. Scholarship Programs and Admission. - The College shall provide scholarships and other affirmative action programs to assist poor but deserving students who qualify for admission to the College. Students who have availed themselves of the scholarship program under Republic Act No. 11509, otherwise known as the "Doktor Para sa Bayan Act", shall render a return service in accordance with the said law. Students availing themselves of other nationally-funded scholarship programs to complete the medicine degree program under the College may be required to render a return service depending on the contract to be signed between the student and the College.

No student shall be denied admission to the College by reason of sex, gender, religion, cultural or community affiliation, physical disability, ethnic origin, or any other forms of discrimination.

SEC. 8. Academic Freedom and Institutional Autonomy. - The College shall enjoy academic freedom and institutional authority, pursuant to Paragraph 2, Section 5 of Article XIV of the Constitution.

SEC. 9. Loan or Transfer of Supplies, Apparatuses, or Equipment, and Detail of Personnel to the College. - Heads of national government agencies and insturmentalities may, upon the request of the Board through the President of the BSU, loan or transfer supplies, apparatuses, or equipment, and detail personnel to the College: Provided, That such loan, transfer or detail shall not be detrimental to public service.

The personnel to be detailed to the College shall perform such duties as may be deemed required by the Dean of the College and the time spent for such duties shall be counted as part of the detailed personnel's regular service.

SEC. 10. Assets, Liabilities, and Personnel. - All appropriations, assets, both real and personal, personnel, and records of the College, as well as its liabilities or obligations, shall be titled or named after the BSU.

All parcels of land belonging to the government to be occupied by the College shall be the property of the BSU, and titled under its name: Provided, That should the BSU cease to exist or be abolished or should such aforementioned parcels of land be no longer needed by the BSU, the same shall revert to the Municipality of La Trinidad or to the republic of the Philippines, as the case may be.

SEC. 11. Duty and Tax Exemptions.  - The importation by the College of medical books or publications, medical equipment or instruments which are for medical, laboratory, or scientific purposes shall, upon certification by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), 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 considered as allowable deduction from gross income 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. 12. Compliance with CHED Requirements. - The BSU, prior to the establishment of the College and the offering of new and revised courses and programs related thereto, shall ensure compliance with the applicable policies, standards, and guidelines of the CHED.

SEC. 13. Suppletory Application. - The provisions of Republic Act No. 8292, otherwise known as the "Higher Education Modernization Act of 1997", shall form part of this Act.

SEC. 14. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from the approval of this Act, the Board shall, in consultation with he CHED, issue rules and regulations, to implement the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 16. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any part or provisions of this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected are in full force and effect.

SEC. 17. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive order,s and rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are amended, repealed, or modified accordingly.

SEC. 18. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,
   
 

(SGD.) JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBIRI	(SGD.) FERDINAND MARTIN G. ROMUALDEZ
President of the Senate	Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act, which originated in the House of Representatives, was passed by the House of Representatives on January 31, 2023, amended by the Senate of the Philippines on September 25, 2023, and which amendments were concurred in by the House of Representatives on September 27, 2023.
 
   
   
 

(SGD.) RENATO N. BANTUG, JR.	(SGD.) REGINALD S. VELASCO
Secretary of the Senate	Secretary General House of Representatives

Approved: DEC 20 2023

 
 

FERDINAND ROMUALDEZ MARCOS JR.

President of the Philippines