Guidelines on the Scholarship Program under the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund

September 28, 2015

DA DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR NO. 08-15

WHEREAS, there is a need to strengthen the guidelines of the scholarship program under the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF).

WHEREAS, to accomplish this, the ACEF Executive Committee has adopted Resolution No. 01 dated 24 September 2015 which recommended certain amendments to Administrative Order No. 18, (AO No. 18) Series of 2013 entitled "Revised Guidelines on the ACEF Scholarship Program";

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the authority vested upon me, I, PROCESO J. ALCALA, SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, do hereby issue, adopt and promulgate the following amendments to the AO No. 18, Series of 2013.

SECTION I. General Framework. —

A. DECLARATION OF POLICY

Consistent with the provisions of R.A. No. 9496, this issuance maintains the thrust of being supportive of the goal of the national economy for a more equitable distribution of opportunities, income and wealth; a sustained increase in the amount of goods and services produced by the nation for the benefit of the people; and an expanding productivity as the key in raising the quality of life for all especially the underprivileged. CAIHTE

B. CLIENTELE

Incoming college, post-secondary and returning students in participating State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)-managed or supervised education and training institutions and Private Educational Institutions offering agriculture, fishery and forestry and other courses useful to agriculture and fisheries development.

A special procedural guideline shall be made for the TESDA short courses scholars, should the need arise.

C. SOURCE OF FUND/FUND ALLOCATION

Ten percent (10%) of the total available funds in Special Fund 183 upon effectivity of this Circular.

D. IMPLEMENTATION SCHEME

The concerned SUCs/institutions will enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with the DA-ACEF Execom. Funds will be released to the SUCs/institutions upon effectivity of the MOA and availability of funds as released by the Department of Budget and Management subject to accounting and auditing rules and regulations.

E. PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS

Any SUC and TESDA-managed and supervised education and training institutions and private educational institutions offering degree, diploma and certificate courses in agriculture, fishery and forestry and other courses and/or complementary to agriculture and fisheries development.

F. AREA OF SPECIALIZATION

1. Bachelor of Science in Agriculture;

2. Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Chemistry;

3. Bachelor of Science in Food Technology under the College of Agriculture;

4. Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics;

5. Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management;

6. Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering;

7. Doctor of Veterinary Medicines;

8. Bachelor of Science in Fisheries;

9. Bachelor of Science in Forestry;

10. Other Agriculture related degree courses supported by justification from the SUCs and/or Private Educational Institutions stating that it is under their College of Agriculture; and

11. Diploma and certificate courses in agriculture, fishery, forestry, veterinary medicine, and other courses directly related to agriculture and fisheries development which has a curriculum under the College of Agriculture.

G. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Applicant taking college degree and/or post-secondary courses must possess the following qualifications:

1. The student must be a Filipino citizen;

2. High School Graduate;

3. Incoming college, post-secondary and returning students;

4. He/She intends to enroll at any SUC's, TESDA-managed and supervised post-secondary education and training institutions and private institutions offering degree, diploma and certificate courses in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and veterinary medicine as provided in Section 1.F;

5. He/She must be in need of financial assistance; and

6. He/She must not be a recipient of any government scholarship grant of similar nature. DETACa

H. DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS

H.1. Applicant taking college degree and/or post-secondary courses shall submit the following documents:

1. Duly accomplished application form and/or letter of intent to avail of the program;

2. One (1) copy of passport size picture with signature over printed name at the back;

3. If applicable, income tax returns (including attached BIR Form W-2) of parents/legal guardian. Or, for those who are exempt, submit a certificate of exemption from BIR stating the annual gross income. Or, if parents/legal guardian/spouse is retired submit a retirement and/or pension voucher. Or, Certificate of Indigence from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in lieu of the ITR;

4. Updated Barangay Clearance where the applicant is residing issued to the parents of applicants (if minor) or to the applicant himself;

5. Form 137;

6. Certification of Good Moral Character issued by the secondary institution where the applicant had graduated; and

7. Certificate of Good Health issued by the local hospital/clinic.

The above enumerated documentary requirements shall be submitted to Regional Field Office of the DA, copy furnished the SUC and/or Private Educational Institution where the applicants wish to enroll, for evaluation and processing.

H.2. For regular processing for payment of the tuition fees and student stipends as provided in the ACEF Scholarship Program, the partner SUC and/or Private Educational Institution shall submit the following authenticated documents to the DA Regional Office:

1. Certificate of Enrolment with their corresponding course and year level;

2. Existing tuition fee per unit as certified by the SUC for the chosen course;

3. Detailed computation of fees including miscellaneous fees and other fees from year of entry to completion date (graduation);

4. Curriculum for each course being applied, indicating the number of units per subject and clearly identifying the units for lecture and laboratory.

H.3. Special Case. A Special Case is defined as any circumstance/situation where any or all of the requirements or processes specified in this guidelines were not strictly followed and/or met because of justifiable reasons.

H.3.1. The following shall be observed in evaluating claims for payment of tuition fees and student stipends for Special Cases:

1. Only SUCs are allowed to claim for payment of tuition fees, miscellaneous fees and student stipends;

2. In lieu of the MOA and/or other requirement, the partner SUC shall submit the following:

A. Actual billing statement/s of the scholar/s;

B. Certificate of enrolment;

C. Certificate of course curriculum;

D. Certificate of existing tuition fee per unit; and

E. A memorandum/letter signed by the Head of ACEF Scholarship Program Secretariat addressed to the Secretary, copy furnished the Accounting Division of the DA, stating the reasons why any or all of the requirements specified in this Guidelines were not followed and/or met, the amount disbursed to the SUC, with a commitment to prepare, accomplish and submit the MOA and other requirements as soon as the same submitted to the ACEF Scholarship Program Secretariat.

H.3.2. Where the subject(s) is/are being offered on seasonal basis, scholars are authorized to take other subject(s) if the requisite subject(s) is/are not available for the time-being, provided that the required number of units per semester stated in the Course curriculum is maintained. The scholar who enrolled a subject different from that provided in the Course Curriculum must submit a letter to the assigned scholarship coordinator of each SUC and/or Private Educational Institution justifying the deviation from the Course Curriculum, accompanied by the list of subject(s) that he/she enrolled in lieu of the subject(s) provided in the course curriculum. The letter of the Scholar must be approved/noted by the Dean of the College where the scholar is enrolled, and submitted to the DA ACEF Regional Coordinator of Regional Office of DA where the SUC and/or Private Educational Institution is located.

H.4. For subsequent releases of the regular processing of the ACEF Scholarship program, the partner SUC and/or Private Educational Institution shall submit the following authenticated documents to the DA Regional Office:

1. Certificate of Enrolment and Good Standing;

2. Actual Billing Statement of the next funding school year.

SECTION II. Procedures. —

A. APPLICATION/SCHOLARSHIP PROCESS

A.1. The student applicant shall submit the documentary requirements discussed under H.1 to the Regional Office of DA. The assigned Regional ACEF Coordinator shall check the completeness and correctness of documents and shall then consolidate all documentary requirements for submission to the SUC and/or Private Educational Institution chosen by the scholar; aDSIHc

A.2. The identified SUC and/or Private Educational Institution where the student applicant wants to study shall process all the application of the scholars, check the supporting documents needed by the schools and compute the charges due. Application with incomplete supporting requirements shall be returned to student applicants for completion of needed documents;

A.3. The SUC and/or Private Educational Institution shall submit the list of qualified applicants, supported with the individual application, including the proposed billing of the SUC on the course to be taken, to the DA Regional Office for review as to completeness and compliance with the requirements as per guidelines;

A.4. The ACEF Regional Coordinator shall review the submitted documents of SUCs and/or Private Educational Institutions specified under Section I, H.2 together with those required under H1 submitted by the applicant. If found complete in all aspects, documents shall be forwarded to the ACEF Scholarship Program National Coordinator for processing;

If the application is wanting in required documents, it shall be returned to the SUC for completion of the requirements;

A.5. The ACEF Scholarship Program Secretariat shall review, validate, evaluate and verify the documents submitted by the ACEF Regional Coordinator as to compliance with the documentary requirements under Section I, H1 and H2;

In case of missing documents, it shall advise the ACEF Regional Coordinator for the completion of required documents;

A.6. If the documents are complete and fully satisfied the requirements under Section I, H1 and H2, the National ACEF Scholarship Program Coordinator shall inform the SUC and/or Private Educational Institution, copy furnished the ACEF Regional Coordinator, of the receipt of the application and compliance with the requirement in accordance with the guidelines. The Program Secretariat shall then proceed with the computation of fund to be requested for the whole scholarship program of the scholars of each SUC and/or Private Educational Institution;

A.7. The ACEF Scholarship Program Secretariat shall process and submit the request for Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) upon computation of funds in reference to the documents submitted by the SUC;

A.8. Once the SARO is received from DBM, the MOA shall then be prepared for the signing of the partner SUC and/or Private Educational Institution, respective endorser, and the DA RFO, taking into account the billing made and other information contained in the application as processed and approved by the SUC. The prepared Deed of Undertaking (DOU) template shall then be filled-out accordingly by each scholar to establish their obligation, enumerated under Section IV.A, to ACEF Scholarship program;

A.9. The accomplished and notarized DOU shall be submitted to the ACEF Regional Coordinator to check the completeness of filling out the form and for its consolidation. Upon checking its completeness, the ACEF Regional Coordinator shall send the consolidated DOU of all scholars to ACEF Scholarship Program Secretariat for processing;

A.10. Once MOA is signed and returned, the ACEF Scholarship Program Secretariat shall consolidate all the pertinent documents for submission to the DA Budget for preparation of OBR and obligation of needed fund based on the SARO received;

A.11. The Budget Division shall forward all the documents and approved OBR to the Accounting Division for issuance of the required Certificate of Availability of Fund (CAF);

A.12. After issuance of the CAF, the Secretary or in his absence, ACEF Scholarship Program National Coordinator shall finally sign the MOA to complete the agreement between DA and SUC and/or Private Educational Institution and shall forward the document to RFO or respective endorser to facilitate its Notarization;

A.13. After MOA is approved and notarized, it shall be forwarded to the Records Division of DA OSEC, together with all the relevant and supporting documents for recording and file. The ACEF Scholarship Program Secretariat shall be furnished with a certified copy of the approved MOA, DOU and CAF;

A.14. Once certified, copies of the documents mentioned in A.13 have been furnished to the ACEF Scholarship Program Secretariat, the assigned coordinator shall prepare the Disbursement Voucher (DV) together with other documents for submission to the Accounting Division for processing;

A.15. The DA Accounting Division shall forward the prepared DV and other documents to the ACEF Scholarship Program Secretariat for request of NCA (Notice of Cash Allocation) to DBM;

A.16. Upon receipt of the NCA from the DBM, the Program Secretariat shall forward all the documents to the Accounting Division and to other designated approving officials, per GMO, for the approval of the DV;

A.17. Once DV is approved, the Accounting Division shall forward the documents to the Cashier Division for preparation of LDDAP-ADA (List of Due and Demandable Accounts Payable-Advice to Debit Accounts), approval by the authorized DA Officials and deposit of funds to the account of SUC and/or Private Educational Institutions; ETHIDa

A.18. The ACEF Scholarship Program Secretariat shall notify the SUC and/or Private Educational Institutions that the fund has been transferred to their account.

B. MODE OF PAYMENT

B.1. The DA ACEF Execom shall directly pay the SUC and/or Private Educational Institution (for the tuition and other school expenses of the scholars) upon receipt of the billing statement from the SUC thru the LDDAP-ADA (List of Due and Demandable Accounts Payable-Advice to Debit Accounts) where transfer of funds will be effected thru the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP);

B.2. In case the SUC enrolled its account to a banking institution other than Land Bank of the Philippines, the Land Bank of the Philippines shall forward the fund to their respective account after deducting the applicable charges on the transaction;

B.3. The Direct Expense Payment scheme recommended by COA shall be used in the payment process of scholarship fund to SUC and/or Private Educational Institution;

B.4. The Land Bank of the Philippines shall issue a credit memo to the Cashier of DA OSEC, copy furnished the Office of the ACEF Scholarship Program National Coordinator. The ACEF Scholarship Program Secretariat shall notify the SUC and/or Private Educational Institution that the transfer of fund has been effected;

B.5. The SUC and/or Private Educational Institution shall provide the Office of the ACEF Scholarship Program National Coordinator with the Acknowledgement Letter, Quarterly Payroll Report and Official Receipt to acknowledge the receipt of payment;

B.6. For subsequent requests for payment, the SUCs and/or Private Educational Institutions shall submit the requirements specified in Section I.H.2.1 to the DA Regional Field Office for review of completeness and correctness. The ACEF Regional Coordinator shall forward the documents to the Office of the National Coordinator for ACEF Scholarship Program/ACEF Scholarship Program Secretariat for processing.

C. MONITORING AND EVALUATION

There shall be proper monitoring and evaluation of the ACEF Scholarship Program, to ensure compliance with these Guidelines. For this purpose, the Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulation of the DA-RFO of each DA Regional Office, in coordination with the Office of the ACEF Scholarship Program National Coordinator, shall be the DA-ACEF Scholarship Regional Coordinator to monitor the status and compliance by both the SUCs/Private Educational Institutions and ACEF Scholars of the requirements of this Guideline.

In addition, the DA-ACEF Scholarship Regional Coordinator, in coordination with the ACEF Scholarship Program Secretariat, shall have the following responsibilities:

1. Conduct the necessary information dissemination activities to the concerned SUCs/Private Educational Institutions and prospective scholars in relation to the requirements of the ACEF Scholarship Program;

2. Conduct regular monitoring and evaluation of the performance of the scholars in their Region, specifically performing the following responsibilities:

a. Coordinate with the SUCs/Private Educational Institutions where the ACEF Scholars wish to be enrolled or are currently enrolled and ensure that the requirements itemized in this Guidelines are strictly complied with both by the SUCs/Private Educational Institutions and the ACEF Scholars;

b. Collate and verify the eligibility requirements of aspiring applicants prior to submission to the DA-Central Office;

c. Be the focal person of the DA-Central Office and the SUCs in the submission of the documents;

d. Create a directory of the ACEF Scholars in their Region, including their address and contact number/s;

e. Continuously report the progress of the ACEF Scholarship Program to the Office of the Secretary, copy furnished the Office of the National Coordinator for ACEF Scholarship Program.

The Chief of Staff (COS), Office of the Secretary (OSEC) is hereby designated as ACEF Scholarship Program National Coordinator. He shall submit an Annual Report/Evaluation of the ACEF Scholarship Program to the ACEF Executive Committee.

SECTION III. Assistance Included in the Program. —

1. School Fees — Full amount of tuition and other school fees, except uniform, books, and dormitory fees; and

2. Student Stipend of 1,000.00 per month.

3. For the thesis grant, a maximum amount of P5,000.00 will be given to the grantee upon enrolment of the thesis, provided that the computation of which is included in the initial documents submitted as basis in the preparation of MOA.

4. For the non-thesis grant, a maximum amount of P3,000.00 will be given upon the start of the on-the-job training provided that the computation of which is included to the initial documents submitted as the basis for the preparation of MOA.

SECTION IV. Obligations of the Scholarship Grantee. —

A. Each grantee shall continue to enjoy the Assistance included in the ACEF Scholarship Program until graduation from the participating schools provided he/she meets the following obligations: cSEDTC

1. Must maintain a General Weighted Average (GWA) of 3.00 or equivalent every semester;

2. Must not have any failing grades;

3. Must not drop any subject;

4. Must take the full semestral load;

5. Must not be subjected to disciplinary action carrying a penalty of one month suspension or more;

6. Must not be convicted of any administrative and criminal charges;

7. Highly encouraged to participate in agricultural and fishery community service such as service to farmers, livestock raisers and fisher folks under the SUC agriculture and fishery extension program.

B. The enjoyment by the grantee of the benefits under this scholarship program shall be automatically and completely terminated under any of the following grounds:

1. He/She fails to meet the above stated academic requirements;

2. He/She abandons or relinquishes his/her study grant;

3. He/She fails to enroll or drop his/her courses in any semester, provided that if his/her non-enrolment or dropping of courses is due to a disabling sickness or the delay of release of fund, the continuation of his/her scholarship program will be considered on a case to case basis by the DA-ACEF-Execom and the participating school;

4. He/She shifts to another course other than those specified under this agreement;

5. He/She is found guilty of grave misconduct or misdemeanour in accordance with the existing participating school policies, rules and regulations.

C. SUCs and/or Private Educational Institutions are entitled to replace the terminated scholars provided that they issue a justification letter stating the reason of the said termination and the replacement scholars are of the same course, year level and are able to meet the eligibility requirements specified under Section I.G-G.1.

D. The participating schools shall require each scholar to sign a Deed of Undertaking (DOU) that the/she should finish the degree program within the stipulated period.

SECTION V. Separability Clause. —

Should any provision of this Circular or any part thereof be declared invalid, the other provisions, so far as they are separable, shall remain in force and effect.

SECTION VI. Repealing Clause. —

All existing administrative orders, rules and regulations, circulars and instructions inconsistent with this order are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION VII. Effectivity. —

This order shall take effect immediately after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation and its filing with the National Administrative Register, University of the Philippines (UP) Law Center. These guidelines shall apply retroactively for the benefit of the scholars.

(SGD.) PROCESO J. ALCALASecretary