House OKs bill that will include non-teaching staff in SUC boards

Batasang Pambansa plenary. —MALACAÑANG FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — A bill that will allow non-academic and non-teaching personnel to be represented in the governing boards of state universities and colleges (SUCs) has been approved by the House of Representatives on third reading.

At the plenary session on Wednesday, House Bill No. 8349 which seeks to amend Republic Act No. 8292 or the Higher Education Modernization Act of 1997 was approved after 266 lawmakers voted in the affirmative, zero negative and zero abstention.

If the bill is enacted, Section 3 of R.A. No. 8292 will be amended to include the “president of the association for non-academic personnel and academic non-teaching personnel” in the governing board of an SUC.

Previously, only the following school officials were considered part of the governing board of SUCs:

• Commission on Higher Education (CHEd)
• the president of the university or college and its vice chairperson
• chairperson of the Congressional Committees on Education and Culture
• regional director of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) where the main campus of the university or college is located
• regional director of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in case of science and technological colleges; or the regional director of the Department of Agriculture colleges; or the secretary of Education for an autonomous region
• commanding general of the Philippine Air Force in state colleges of aeronautics and the commanding general of the Philippine Navy in the merchant marine academies
• president of the faculty association
• president of the supreme student council or the student representative elected by the student council
• president of the alumni association of the institution concerned
• two prominent citizens who have distinguished themselves in their professions or fields of specialization

According to the authors of the bill, it is important to give representation to non-academic and non-teaching staffers of the country’s SUCs because they play an important role in ensuring that scholastic institutions function properly.

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said this would ensure that even non-teaching personnel in SUCs have a voice during discussions, to ensure that their rights are protected.

“This ensures the representation of non-academic and non-teaching personnel in the governing board of SUCs so that their rights, needs, and welfare are protected,” he said.

“Our SUCs are not only composed of academic and teaching personnel so it is just fair that their non-academic and non-teaching employees will have a say in decision-making and matters that will affect them,” he added.

RELATED STORY:

Bill seeking inclusion of non-teaching staff in SUC boards gets House panel nod

JPV