REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11755, April 27, 2022

AN ACT CONVERTING THE ILOCOS SUR POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF STA. MARIA, PROVINCE OF ILOCOS SUR, AND ALL ITS CAMPUSES IN THE PROVINCE OF ILOCOS SUR, INTO A STATE UNIVERSITY, INTEGRATING THEREWITH THE NORTH LUZON PHILIPPINES STATE COLLEGE IN THE CITY OF CANDON, PROVINCE OF ILOCOS SUR, TO BE KNOWN AS THE UNIVERSITY OF ILOCOS PHILIPPINES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

Section 1. Conversion/Integration. - The Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College (ISPSC) located in the Municipality of Sta. Maria, with campuses in the municipalities of Narvacan, Tagudin, Santiago, Cervantes, and in the City of Candon, all in the Province of Ilocos Sur, as well as the other campuses that will be created prior to the effectivity of this Act, is hereby converted into a state university, and integrating therewith the North Luzon Philippine State College (NLPSC) located in the City of Candon, Province of Ilocos Sur, to be known as the University of Ilocos Philippines (UIP). Its main campus shall be located in the City of Candon, Province of Ilocos Sur.

Upon effectivity of this Act, notwithstanding compliance with the requirements of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for a university status, the NLPSC shall immediately be integrated into the existing ISPSC as a regular campus to be known as the ISPSC � Main Campus.

SEC. 2. General Mandate. - The UIP shall primarily provide advance education, higher professional and technological instruction, technical and vocational education and training in humanities, engineering, science and technology, agriculture, business and entrepreneurship, and other relevant fields of study. It shall also undertake research and extension services and production activities in support of the socioeconomic development of the Province of Ilocos Sur and Region I.

SEC. 3. Curricular Offerings. - The UIP shall offer short-term technical-vocational, undergraduate, graduate courses, and post-graduate programs, within its competency and areas of specialization in the fields of agriculture, education, business administration, culture and arts, technology, engineering, architecture, health sciences, criminal justice education, and other degree courses, as the Board of Regents, hereinafter referred to as the Board, may deem necessary for the accomplishment of its objectives, and those which respond to meet the human resource development needs of the Province of Ilocos Sur and Region I.

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

The existing and any other 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 UIP.

SEC. 4. Administration. - The UIP shall have the general powers of a corporation set forth in Republic Act No. 11232, otherwise known as the "Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines". The exercise of its corporate powers shall be vested exclusively in the Board and the President of the UIP.chanroblesvirtualawlibrary

SEC. 5. The Governing Boards. - The governing body of the UIP shall be the Board, which shall be chaired and co-chaired by the Chairperson of the CHED and the President of the UIP, respectively, and with the following, as members:

(a) Chairperson of the Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education of the Senate;

(b) Chairperson of the Committee on Higher and Technical Education of the House of Representatives;

(c) Regional Director of the National Economic and Development Authority;

(d) Regional Director of the Department of Science and Technology;

(e) Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture;

(f) Regional Director of the TESDA;

(g) President of the federation of faculty associations of the UIP;

(h) President of the federation of student councils of the UIP;

(i) President of the federation of alumni associations of the UIP; and

(j) Two (2) prominent citizens from the private sector who have distinguished themselves in their professions or fields of specialization.

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 Ilocos Sur as recommended by a search committee constituted by the President of the UIP, 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.chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary

SEC. 6. Powers and Duties of the Board Regents. - In additional to its general powers of administration and the powers granted to the board of directors of a corporation under existing laws, the Board shall have the following specific powers and duties:

(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";

(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 UIP, the vice presidents, deans, directors, heads of the campuses, faculty members, and other officials and employees of the UIP;

(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 UIP, 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 UIP.

Any provision of existing law, rule or regulation to the contrary notwithstanding, any income generated by the UIP from tuition fees and other charges, as well as from the operation of auxiliary services and land grants, shall be retained by the UIP and may be disbursed by the Board for instruction, research, extension services or other programs and projects of the UIP: Provided, That all fiduciary fees shall be disbursed for the specific purposed for which these are collected: Provided, however, That if, for reasons beyond its control, the UIP shall not be able to pursue any project for which the funds have been appropriated and allocated under its approved program of expenditures, the Board may authorize the use of the said funds for any reasonable purpose which, in its discretion, may be necessary and urgent for the attainment of the objectives and goals of the UIP;

(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 UIP 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 UIP, and all other sums in the manner it may, in its discretion, determine to carry out the purposes and functions of the UIP;

(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 UIP, 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 UIP;

(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 Ilocos Sur and Region I, under the supervision of the CHED and in consultation with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), in restructuring the UIP to make it more efficient, relevant, productive and competitive;

(o) Absorb non-chartered tertiary institutions within the Province of Ilocos Sur and Region I as branches, extension or 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 UIP, 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 UIP;

(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 UIP;

(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 UIP and subject to the limitations, directions and instructions of the donor, if any;

(u) Extend the term of the President of the UIP beyond the age of retirement, but not beyond the age of seventy (70), based on the guidelines, qualifications and standards set by the Board: Provided, That the President's performance has been rated by the Board as outstanding and a unanimous recommendation for such extension has been decided upon by the search committee;

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

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

(x) Where most advantageous to the UIP, 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 UIP.

SEC. 7. Meetings of the Board. - The Board shall regularly convene once every three (3) months. The Chairperson of the Board may, however, call a special meeting whenever necessary: Provided, That members are notified in writing at least three (3) days prior to the conduct of said meeting.

A quorum of the Board shall consist of majority of all its members holding office at the time of the meeting: Provided, however, That the Chairperson of the Board or the President of the UIP is among those present in the meeting.

In case the Chairperson of the CHED cannot attend a meeting of the Board, a CHED Commissioner duly assigned by the Chairperson of the CHED as representative to the meeting, shall have all the rights and responsibilities of a regular member: Provided, That during the meeting, the President of the UIP, as Vice Chairperson, shall be the presiding officer: Provided, further, That this provision notwithstanding, the Chairperson of the CHED is hereby authorized to designate a CHED Commissioner as the regular Chairperson of the Board, in which case, the said CHED Commissioner shall act a the presiding officer.

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.

SEC. 8. The University President. - The UIP shall be headed by a President who shall be appointed by the Board, subject to its guidelines on qualifications and standards, and based on the recommendation of a search committee duly constituted for the purpose of selecting the President.

The President shall render full-time service and shall have a term of four (4) years and may be reappointed to another term: Provided, That in order to effect the smooth transition of the college to a state university, the incumbent President of the ISPSC, if qualified, shall serve as the first President of the UIP.

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

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

The President of the UIP 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. 9. The Secretary of the University. - The Board shall appoint a Secretary who shall serve as such for both the Board and the UIP and shall keep all records and proceedings of meetings of the Board. The Secretary of the UIP shall serve upon each member of the Board the appropriate notice of board meetings.

SEC. 10. The Treasurer of the University. - The Treasurer of the Philippine shall be the ex-officio Treasurer of the UIP.

SEC. 11. The Administrative Council. - There shall be an Administrative Council consisting of the President of the UIP as chairperson, and the vice presidents, deans, directors and other officials of equal rank as members, that shall review and recommend to the Board the policies that shall govern the administration, management and development planning of the UIP.

SEC. 12. The Academic Council. - There shall be an Academic Council, which shall formulate academic policies. It shall be composed of the President of the UIP, who shall act as chairperson, and all academic staff with the rank of at lease an assistant profession, as members.

The Academic Council shall have the power to review and recommend the curricular offerings and rules of discipline, subject to the approval of the Board. It shall fix the requirements for the admission of students, as well as for their graduation and conferment of degrees, subject to review and approval by the Board through the President of the UIP. It shall exercise disciplinary power over students of the UIP and shall formulate academic policies and rules and regulations on discipline, subject to the approval of the Board.

SEC. 13. Heads of University Campuses. - The Campus Directors shall respectively serve as heads or administrator of the UIP's campuses and render full-time service.

They shall be appointed or designated by the Board, upon recommendation of the search committee and the President, subject to the guidelines, qualifications and standards set by the Board: Provided, That, upon the effectivity of this Act, the incumbent Campus Directors of the existing campuses of the ISPSC shall continue to serve as such.

SEC. 14. Faculty. - No political belief, gender preference, cultural or community affiliation or ethnic origin, and religious opinion or affiliation shall be a matter of inquiry in the appointment of faculty members of the UIP: Provided,That said appointment shall be subject to the guidelines, qualifications and standards set by the Board: Provided, further,�That no member of the faculty shall teach for or against any -particular church or religious sect.

SEC. 15. Academic Freedom and Institutional Autonomy. - The UIP shall enjoy academic freedom and institutional autonomy pursuant to paragraph 2, Section 5 of Article XIV of the Constitution.

SEC. 16. Scholarship Programs and Admission. - The UIP shall provide a scholarship program and other affirmative action programs to assist poor but deserving students who qualify for admission to the UIP.

No student shall be denied admission to the University by reason of gender, religion, cultural or community affiliation or ethnic origin.

SEC. 17. 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 UIP, such apparatus, equipment or supplies as may be needed by the UIP, 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.

The employees so detailed shall perform such duties as required of them by the President of the UIP and the time so employed shall be counted as part of their regular service.

SEC. 18. Assets, Liabilities and Personnel. - All assets, real and personal, personnel and records of the ISPSC and the NLPSC, as well as liabilities or obligations, are hereby transferred to the UIP: Provided, That the positions, rights and security of tenure of faculty members and personnel therein employed under existing laws prior to the conversion into a university shall be respected: Provided, further, That the incumbents occupying the positions shall remain in the same status until otherwise provided for by the Board: Provided, finally, That the UIP shall also accordingly upgrade or increase its human resources component as may be deemed appropriate by the Board.

All parcels of land belonging to the government occupied by the ISPSC and NLPSC and all its campuses are hereby declared to be the property of the UIP, and shall be titled under that name: Provided, That should the UIP cease to exist or be abolished or should such aforementioned parcels of land be no longer needed by the UIP, the same shall revert to the concerned LGU or to the Republic of the Philippines, as the case may be.

SEC. 19. Tax Exemption on Importation and Donations. - The importation by the UIP 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 UIP, 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. 20. Establishment of Research Centers. - In order to effectively carry out its mandate, there are hereby established the following research facilities:

(a) Fisheries and Aquamarine Resources Research Center � shall primarily focus on the creation of knowledge and technologies that will contribute to the responsible use as well as the protection of the aquamarine resources;

(b) Forest Advancement and Resources Management Research Center � shall focus on the protection and preservation, as well as the creation of research-based policies for the preservation, of local flora and other forest resources;

(c) UIP Center for Rural Health Research, Reform and Policy � shall primarily focus on the creation of knowledge, policies, innovation, and technologies that will redound to the health benefits of the local, national, and global communities;

(d) Animal Research Center � shall focus on the generation of knowledge and adoption of technologies that will promote an effective generation and management of veterinary resources;

(e) Tobacco and Agricultural Research Center � shall primarily focus on the generation of knowledge and adoption of technologies that shall enhance the tobacco industry, and the agriculture industry as a whole, that will redound to the benefit of the tobacco growers and the farmers in general;

(f) Indigenous People Education Research Center � shall focus on the preservation and protection of indigenous peoples and communities by undertaking studies and activities towards this end; and

(g) Public Administration and Governance Policy Research Center � shall primarily on the generation of knowledge and the creation of policies to improve the public service sector of the society.

Whenever necessary, the University shall create consortia to promote a wider scope of operation and ensure a bigger community of beneficiaries of the research center herein created.

SEC. 21. Compliance with CHED Requirements. - The provisions of this Act notwithstanding, the conversion of the ISPSC into a state university 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 ISPSC has substantially complied with the requirements for the grant of university 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, and shall have participated in research and development activities in their respective disciplines, as evidenced by refereed publications and other scholarly outputs;

(b) Offering of a comprehensive range of degree programs in all levels, from basic post-secondary to doctoral programs;

(c) Conduct viable research programs in specific disciplinal and multidisciplinary areas of study that produce new knowledge, as evidence by refereed publications, citations, inventions, and patents, among others;

(d) Establishment and maintenance of comprehensive learning resources and support structures, to include libraries, practicum laboratories, relevant educational resources, and linkages with relevant disciplinal and professional sectors, so as to allow students to explore basic, advance, and even cutting-edge knowledge in a wide range of disciplines or professions; and

(e) Maintenance of linkages and affiliation with other research institutions in various parts of the world to ensure that the research activities of the UIP are functioning at current global standards; and regional office, shall regularly provide technical assistance to the UIP and monitor its compliance with the requirements of the Commission.

The ISPSC shall retain its status as a state college prior to the effectivity of this Act until it is able to comply with the requirements provided therein.

SEC. 22. Development Plan, Management Audit, and Organizational, Administrative and Academic Structure. - Within a period of one hundred twenty (120) days after the approval of this Act, the UIP shall accomplish the following:

(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 UIP; and

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

SEC. 23. Filing of Report. - On or before the fifteenth (15th) day of the second (2^nd) month after the opening of the regular classes each year, the Board shall file with the Office of the President of the Philippines, through the Chairperson of the CHED, and with both Houses of Congress, a detailed report on the progress, conditions and needs of the UIP.

SEC. 24. Suppletory Application. - The provisions of Republic Act No. 8292, otherwise known as the "Higher Education Modernization Act of 1997', shall be an integral part of this Act and shall serve as part of the governing charter of the UIP.

SEC. 25. Parity Clause. - All other powers, functions and privileges, responsibilities and limitations to state universities and their officials under existing laws shall be deemed granted to or imposed upon the UIP and its officials, whenever appropriate.

SEC. 26. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of the ISPSC and the NLPSC. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued operation and maintenance of the UIP shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 27. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Board, in consultation with the CHED, shall formulate the rules and regulations to fully implement the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 28. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any part or provision of this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 29. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 30. Effectivity. - This Act shall become effective fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

This Act which originated in the House of Representatives was passed by the House of Representatives on January 20, 2021 amended by the Senate of the Philippines on January 17, 2022 and which amendments were concurred in by the House of Representatives on January 25, 2022.

Approved: APR 27 2022

(SGD.) RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
��� President of the Philippines