Conversion of Certain Colleges in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental Into Paglaum State College

June 10, 1983

BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 477

AN ACT CONVERTING THE NEGROS OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE OF ARTS AND TRADES, THE NEGROS OCCIDENTAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND THE BACOLOD CITY NATIONAL TRADE SCHOOL INTO A STATE COLLEGE TO BE KNOWN AS THE PAGLAUM STATE COLLEGE

SECTION 1. The Negros Occidental College of Arts and Trades in the Municipality of Talisay, Negros Occidental, the Negros Occidental Community College and the Bacolod City National Trade School, both in the City of Bacolod, are hereby converted into a state college to be known as the Paglaum State College. casia

SECTION 2. The State College shall primarily provide higher technological, professional, and vocational instruction and training in science, agricultural and industrial fields, as well as short-term technical or vocational courses. It shall promote research, advanced studies, and progressive leadership in its areas of specialization.

SECTION 3. In addition to its present secondary and collegiate curricular offerings, the State College shall offer undergraduate and graduate courses in the fields of science, agriculture and industrial fields as the Board of Trustees may deem necessary. It shall also offer opportunity or short-term technical or vocational courses within its areas of specialization to meet the needs of the region.

SECTION 4. No student shall denied admission to this State College by reason of sex, ethnic considerations, or religious belief or affiliation.

SECTION 5. The head of the State College shall be known as the President of the Paglaum State College. He shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation of the Board of Trustees. His salary shall be fixed by the Board of Trustees, and shall be comparable to that being received by presidents of similar educational institutions of like enrolment and standing, subject to Presidential Decree No. 985 and other pertinent budget and compensation laws. casia

The powers and duties of the President of the State College, in addition to those specifically provided for in this Act, shall be those usually pertaining to the office of the president of a state college or university.

SECTION 6. The governing body of the State College shall be the Board of Trustees of the Paglaum State College. It shall be composed of the Minister of Education, Culture and Sports as chairman, the President of the State College as vice-chairman, the Regional Director of the National Economic and Development Authority, the two (2) prominent citizens of Negros Occidental to be appointed by the President of the Philippines as members.

Of the two appointed members, one shall represent the alumni of the former Negros Occidental Community College, the Negros Occidental College of Arts and Trades or the Bacolod City National Trade School, and the other from among the prominent citizens of the province.

When the Minister of Education, Culture and Sports is unable to perform his duties as chairman of the Board due to illness, absence or other cause, or in case of a vacancy in the office, the Deputy Minister of Education, Culture and Sports shall temporarily perform the functions of the chairman of the said Board. The chairman may assign qualified officials to represent him with full authority in the Board.

SECTION 7. A quorum of the Board of Trustees shall consist of a majority of all the members holding office at the time a meeting is called. All processes against the Board of Trustees shall be served on the President or Secretary thereof. casia

SECTION 8. The members of the Board of Trustees shall be entitled to an allowance of one hundred pesos per meeting actually attended but not more than three hundred pesos a month: Provided, That they shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred either in attendance upon meetings of the Board or upon other official business authorized by resolution of the Board, subject to existing budget laws on honoraria and allowances.

SECTION 9. The Board of Trustees shall have the following powers and duties in addition to its general powers of administration, and the exercise of all the powers of a corporation as provided in Section Thirty-six of Batas Pambansa Bilang 68, otherwise known as the Corporation Code of the Philippines:

(a) To receive and appropriate for the purposes specified by law such sums as may be provided for the support of the State College;

(b) To confer degrees upon successful candidates for graduation of the State College. It may also confer honorary degrees upon persons in recognition of learning, statesmanship or eminence in any of the fields of specialization of the State College, or in recognition of public service: Provided, That such degrees shall not be conferred in consideration of or to reciprocate some personal favor;

(c) To authorize the President of the State College to award proficiency certificates or diplomas to students who have completed non-degree courses;

(d) To appoint, on recommendation of the President of the State College, a vice-president, deans, directors, secretary of the State College, registrar, heads of departments, professors, instructors, lecturers and other officials and employees of the State College; to fix their compensation and salaries subject to Presidential Decree No. 985 and other pertinent budget and compensation laws, hours of service, and such other duties and conditions as it may deem proper, to grant to them, in its discretion, leaves of absence under such regulations as it may promulgate, any provisions of existing law to the contrary notwithstanding; to remove them for cause after an investigation and hearing; to establish Chairs in the State College, and to provide for the maintenance or endowment of such Chairs as may be necessary; cdt

(e) To approve the curricula and rules of discipline drawn by the College Council as hereinafter provided;

(f) To provide fellowship for qualified faculty members and scholarships for deserving students;

(g) To prescribe rules for its own government and to enact for the government of the State College such rules and regulations, not contrary to law, as may be necessary to carry out the purpose and functions of the State College;

(h) To receive in trust legacies, gifts, and donations of real and personal property of all kinds, to administer the same for the benefit of the State College, or the departments thereof, or for aid to any student or students, in accordance with the directions and instructions of the donor, and in default thereof, in such manner as the Board of Trustees may in its discretion determine. All such donations shall be exempt from all taxes and be considered as deductible items from the income tax of the donors.

SECTION 10. On or before the fifteenth day of the second month after the opening of regular classes each year, the Board of Trustees shall file with the Office of the President of the Philippines a detailed report, setting forth the progress, conditions and needs of the State College.

SECTION 11. There shall be a College Council consisting of the President of the State College and all members of the faculty with the rank of professors. The Council shall have the power to prescribe the curricula and rules of discipline, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees. It shall fix the requirements for admission to the State College, as well as for graduation and the conferring of degrees, subject to review by the Board of Trustees. The Council alone shall have the power to recommend students or others to be recipients of degrees. Through the President of the State College or its duly authorized committee, the Council shall have disciplinary power over the students within the limits prescribed by the rules of discipline.

SECTION 12. The body of instructors and professors of the State College shall constitute the faculty of the State College.

SECTION 13. No member of the faculty of the State College shall attempt directly or indirectly, under penalty of dismissal by the Board of Trustees, to influence students or any person in the State College towards any ideology, political or otherwise, which preaches the overthrow of the government through violence or subversion.

SECTION 14. There shall be a Secretary of the State College who shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees upon recommendation of the President of the State College. He shall also be the Secretary of the Board and shall keep such records of the State College as may be determined by the Board of Trustees.

SECTION 15. The Treasurer of the Philippines shall be ex officio treasurer of the State College, and all accounts and expenses therefor shall be audited by the Commission on Audit or its duly authorized representative.

SECTION 16. Heads of bureaus and offices of the National Government are hereby authorized to lend or transfer, upon request of the President of the State College, such apparatus, equipment or supplies as may be needed by the State College and to detail employees for duty therein, when in the judgment of the head of the bureau or office, such apparatus, equipment, supplies or the services of such employees can be spared without serious detriment to the public service. Employees so detailed shall perform such duty as required under such detail and the time so employed shall be counted as part of their regular official service.

SECTION 17. All assets of the Negros Occidental Community College, the Negros Occidental College of Arts and Trades and the Bacolod City National Trade School whether fixed or movable, records and personnel, are hereby transferred to the Paglaum State College.

SECTION 18. All existing appropriations for the Negros Occidental College of Arts and Trades, the Negros Occidental Community College and the Bacolod City National Trade School are hereby absorbed by the Paglaum State College to be disbursed in accordance with the provisions of this Act. Additionally, the sum of one hundred thousand pesos for the operation of the college is hereby authorized to be funded out of the appropriations authorized by Batas Pambansa Blg. 230 for the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports intended for new schools. Thereafter, the necessary amount required for the operation and maintenance of the new college shall be provided for in subsequent General Appropriations Acts.

SECTION 19. All laws inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. asia dc

SECTION 20. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: June 10, 1983

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 80 No. 15 Page 2234 on April 9, 1984.