House Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo on Wednesday led other lawmakers in filing a bill seeking to introduce essential amendments to Presidential Decree (PD) 1341, or the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) charter, to enable the institution to adapt to modernized education.

In filing House Bill (HB) No. 9060, Tulfo and his fellow ACT-CIS Party-list Representatives Edvic Yap and Jocelyn Tulfo, as well as Benguet Rep. Eric Yap and Quezon City 2nd District Rep. Ralph Tulfo, pointed out that PD 1341, which established the PUP in 1978, requires updating to address the evolving educational landscape.

“The proposed changes are intended to ensure that the PUP remains a relevant and effective institution, committed to high-quality education, innovation and socio-economic development,” the lawmaker said in the bill.

“These measures are driven by the fundamental goal of elevating the quality of education and nurturing academic excellence within PUP,” they added.

Under HB 9060, the PUP shall be declared the country’s first National Polytechnic University (NPU), which will serve as the guide to other polytechnic universities and colleges in the development and delivery of professional and technical programs.

As such, the NPU shall enjoy institutional and fiscal autonomy, and shall exclusively determine its teaching, research and extensions thrust, plans, policies, programs and standards, taking into account national goals and priorities.

The bill defines the composition of the university administration, which shall be headed by the university president, and their powers and duties.

The governing body of the NPU shall be the Board of Regents, which shall be chaired by the chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the university president as co-chairperson.

Members of the Board of Regents shall include the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture; chairperson of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education; the Director-General of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA); the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology; the president of the Alumni Association who shall serve for a period of two years; the Faculty Regent who shall serve for two years; one Student Regent (two years); one Staff Regent (two years); and three other Regents who have distinguished themselves in their fields of specialization (two years).

Meanwhile, the private sector representative shall be appointed by the Board of Regents upon recommendation of a duly constituted search committee.

HB 9060 also carries provisions for land grants and other real properties of the university, and safeguards on assets disposition.

In addition to the amount already appropriated to the PUP for the current fiscal year, an initial sum of PHP1 billion is hereby appropriated from any amount available in the Treasury of the Philippines for the purposes of implementing this Act.

Furthermore, an additional sum of PHP100 million shall be appropriated for the first three fiscal years of the implementation of this Act.

“The proposed changes are intended to ensure that the PUP remains a relevant and effective institution, committed to high-quality education, innovation and socio-economic development,” the bill’s authors said.

“Foregoing considered, the bill reflects the government’s dedication to advancing education and academic excellence through modernizing PUP’s charter, reinforcing its role as a dynamic institution that meets the diverse educational needs of the nation,” they said.

A similar bill was filed by Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, along with Tingog Party-list Reps. Yedda Marie Romualdez and Jude Acidre on Aug. 14, 2023. (PNA)