Implementing Guidelines of Tulong Dunong Program Pursuant to Special Provision Applicable to SUCs, RA No. 10924

May 24, 2017

CHED-DBM JOINT MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 003-17

 

1.0 POLICY STATEMENT

In consonance with the pertinent provisions and mandate of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) under Republic Act (RA) No. 7722 otherwise known as the "Higher Education Act of 1994," and pursuant to Special Provision No. 5 Applicable to SUCs, Volume 1-A of the Republic Act No. 10924 also known as the General Appropriations Act of FY 2017, the conditional implementation in the President's Veto Message Fiscal Year 2017 on December 22, 2016, the Department of Budget and Management and the Commission on Higher Education jointly issued this implementing guidelines to ensure that all existing programs are rationalized in accordance with the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Act given the grant of free tuition and tuition fee subsidy. AaCTcI

2.0 PROGRAM TITLE

The financial assistance shall be known as the SUCs-Tulong Dunong Program (SUCs-TDP).

3.0 OBJECTIVE

SUCs-TDP aims to exclusively use the financial assistance to qualified and deserving students.

4.0 COVERAGE

The SUCs-TDP is intended for the ongoing grantees and new applicants who are enrolled or will enroll in any curriculum year level in authorized programs of SUCs.

5.0 FINANCIAL BENEFITS

A student-grantee shall be entitled to a maximum of Twelve Thousand Pesos (Php12,000.00) grant per academic year which may be used in support for the cost of higher education (Tuition and Other School Fees (TOSF), educational expenses, and the cost of living allowance).

The ongoing grantees shall be entitled to same amount of financial benefits they received prior to the approval of this Joint Memorandum Circular.

6.0 QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

The qualification requirements are as follows:

6.1 Filipino citizen;

6.2 High school graduates, with earned units in higher education with at least a passing general weighted average (GWA); or passer of Alternative Learning System (ALS)/Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT); and

6.3 Combined annual gross income of parents/guardian not to exceed Three Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php300,000.00).

In highly exceptional cases where income exceeds Php300,000.00 the StuFAPs Committee shall determine the merits of the application.

7.0 APPLICATION PROCEDURES AND DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS

7.1 Application Procedures acEHCD

7.1.1 Applicant submits the accomplished SUCs-TDP Application Form (Annex "A") directly to the SUCs concerned together with the required documents 120 days before the start of academic year applied;

7.1.2 SUCs evaluates the documents, prepares masterlist and selects the qualified applicants;

7.1.3 SUCs issues Notice of Award (NOA) using Annex "B"; and

7.1.4 Applicant accepts the NOA.

7.2 Documentary Requirements

7.2.1 Academic Requirements:

a. For Incoming Freshmen students eligible for college — high school report card.

b. For Applicants with Earned Units in higher education — duly certified copy of grades for the latest semester/term attended.

c. For Other Applicants

• ALS Passer — duly certified copy of ALS Accreditation and Equivalency Test Passer Certificate; and

• PEPT Passer — duly certified copy of PEPT Certificate of Advancing to the Next Level.

7.2.2. Income Requirements — any one of the following:

a. Latest Income Tax Return (ITR) and BIR Form 2316 for fixed income earners of parents/guardian if employed;

b. Certificate of Tax Exemption from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR);

c. Certificate of Indigency from their Barangay;

d. Certificate of Indigency/Case Study from Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD);

e. Social Case Study conducted by SUC may be considered; or EcTCAD

f. Latest copy of contract or proof of income may be considered for children of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and seafarers.

8.0 PAYMENT OF GRANT AND DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS

8.1 Payment of Grant — the payment of financial benefits shall be made directly to the grantees based on Section 5.0 through issuance of check or Automated Teller Machine (ATM).

8.2 Documentary Requirements

8.2.1 For initial payment, copy of Registration Form or certified enrolment list of SUCs-TDP beneficiaries, photocopy of ATM Card and School I.D. for current semester/term.

8.2.2 For succeeding payment, copy of Registration Form for current semester/term and certified true copy of grades indicating the GWA from previous semester/term.

9.0 REQUIREMENTS TO BE COMPLIED WITH BY THE GRANTEES

9.1 Pass the admission requirements of the SUCs;

9.2 Enroll in authorized programs of SUCs;

9.3 Maintain a GWA of at least a passing grade;

9.4 Carry a normal load per term;

9.5 Shift only to duly authorized programs upon written approval of SUCs;

9.6 Submit documentary requirements for payment of financial benefits; and

9.7 May not avail of any government funded assistance except free tuition fee.

10.0 CONDITIONS ON REPLACEMENT AND TERMINATION

10.1 Replacement of grantee — may be allowed within a given academic year as approved by SUC, subject to the following conditions:

10.1.1 Failure to confirm acceptance of the award within 15 working days upon receipt of the NOA;

10.1.2 Voluntary withdrawal of grant;

10.1.3 Transfer to a program not identified as authorized programs of SUCs;

10.1.4 Dropped-out from school without notice; or

10.1.5 Waived the grant. SDHTEC

However, replacement shall only continue the remaining duration of the grant of the replaced grantee.

10.2 Grounds for Termination, failure to:

10.2.1 Enroll in the authorized programs of SUCs;

10.2.2 Maintain a GWA of at a passing grade;

10.2.3 Carry a normal load per term;

10.2.4 Secure approval from SUCs on dropping out from school, deferment of the grant, transferring to another program; or

10.2.5 Submit authentic documents.

11.0 FUND SOURCE, RELEASE AND DISBURSEMENTS

11.1 The fund requirements for the purpose shall be sourced from the built-in appropriations authorized under the FY 2017 budget of SUCs amounting to One Billion Six Hundred Twenty-Three Million One Hundred Forty-Three Thousand Pesos (Php1,623,143,000.00).

11.2 The Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) and Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA) release shall be subject to the submission of a special budget request supported by the following:

• Physical Plan;

• Financial Plan; and

• Monthly Disbursement Program.

11.3 Utilization of the fund shall be subject to the usual budgeting, accounting and auditing rules and regulations. This shall not be recorded or treated as trust fund receipts under any circumstance.

11.4 All unreleased appropriations and unobligated allotments in the implementation of this program shall be reverted to the General Fund at the end of the validity of appropriations and shall be available for expenditure only upon subsequent legislative enactment.

12.0 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE IMPLEMENTERS

12.1 SUC

a. Creates StuFAPs Committee who will oversee the operation and implementation of the SUCs-TDP; HSAcaE

b. Accepts, screens and evaluates documents of the applicants;

c. Determines qualified applicants;

d. Issues NOA to qualified applicants through letter/email or posting via the SUCs website;

e. Orients the grantees of their obligations, duties and responsibilities upon acceptance of the award;

f. Submits to DBM the special budget request;

g. Receives SARO and NCA for disbursement to the grantees;

h. Obligates one academic year allocation of grantees;

i. Facilitates the timely release of the financial benefits of the grantees;

j. Maintains an updated database to be submitted to CHEDROs;

k. Acts on replacement, transfer and termination of award;

l. Submits to the DBM, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate of the Philippines, the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance either in printed form or by way of electronic document, quarterly reports on the utilization of funds, including the lists of beneficiaries; and

m. Ensures posting in the official website of SUCs concerned the list of their SUCs-TDP grantees.

12.2 CHED

a. Monitors submission of reports to DBM and Congress.

12.3 DBM

a. Releases the SARO and NCA directly to SUCs.

13.0 TIMELINES

 

PARTICULARS

RESPONSIBLE

SCHEDULE

13.1 APPLICATION AND SELECTION

Submission of SUCs-TDP Application Form with the complete required supporting documents	Student-applicant	120 days before the start of academic year applied
Evaluation of SUCs-TDP applications Note: Check also possible duplication of Award	SUCs StuFAPs Coordinator	Within seven working days upon receipt of application
Issue NOA to qualified grantees and inform those not awarded of the status of their application	SUCs	Within seven working days upon qualification

13.2 RELEASE AND DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS

Submission of a special budget request with supporting documents	Concerned SUCs	Within 15 days upon approval of the guidelines
Release of SARO/NCA	DBM	Within five working days upon receipt of request

13.3 PAYMENT OF GRANT

Submission of complete requirements	Grantee	Within 30 days upon submission of request
Obligate funds for one academic year	SUCs	Within 15 days upon receipt of the required documents subject to the availability of SARO
Disbursement of funds to grantees based on Section 5.0	SUCs	Within 15 days upon receipt of required documents subject to the availability of Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA)

13.4 COMPLIANCE TO REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Masterlist	SUCs	Within 15 days after the start of class
SUCs-TDP Database	SUCs	Within 30 days after the start of class
Status Reports	SUCs	Within 30 days after the semester

 

14.0 RESOLUTION OF ISSUES

Interpretation of the provisions in this Joint Memorandum Circular, including cases not covered herein shall be referred to the CHED Central Office for resolution by the CHED, SUCs and DBM. AScHCD

15.0 TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

The agencies concerned shall adopt a strict policy on transparency and accountability in the disbursement of the funds and shall be governed by the existing laws.

The SUCs shall submit to the DBM, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate of the Philippines, the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance either in printed form or by way of electronic document, quarterly reports on the utilization of funds, including the lists of beneficiaries.

The President of the SUCs and web administrators or their equivalent shall be responsible for ensuring that said quarterly reports are likewise posted on the SUCs website.

16.0 SEPARABILITY CLAUSE

If for any reason, any part or provision of this Joint Memorandum Circular is declared invalid or unconstitutional, any part or provision not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

17.0 REPEALING CLAUSE

All or other issuances that are inconsistent with this Joint Memorandum Circular are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

18.0 EFFECTIVITY

This Joint Memorandum Circular shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Signed this 24th day of May, 2017.

(SGD.) PATRICIA B. LICUANAN, Ph.D.Chairperson

(SGD.) BENJAMIN E. DIOKNO, Ph.D.Secretary

ANNEX A

SUCs-Tulong Dunong Program (SUCs-TDP)

ANNEX B

SUCs-TDP-NOA

SUC NAME

Date __________

SUCs-TULONG DUNONG PROGRAM (SUCs-TDP)

NAME OF AWARDEE

Address

Dear _______:

We are pleased to inform you that you qualified as a SUCs-TDP grantee with Award No. _________________. This grant is effective __________ Semester, AY __________ until AY _____________ with Php _____________ per semester.

Requirements to be complied with by the Grantees per Section 9 of Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2017-____:

9.1 Pass the admission examination of the SUCs;

9.2 Enroll in authorized programs of SUCs;

9.3 Maintain a general weighted average (GWA) of at least a passing grade;

9.4 Carry a normal load per term; and

9.5 Shift only to duly authorized programs upon written approval of SUCs.

9.6 Submit documentary requirements for payment of financial benefits; and

9.7 May not avail of any government funded assistance except free tuition fee.

Grounds for Termination based on Section 10.2 of Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2017-___, failure to:

10.2.1 Enroll in authorized programs of SUCs;

10.2.2 Maintain a GWA of at least a passing grade;

10.2.3 Carry a normal load per term;

10.2.4 Secure approval from SUCs on dropping out from school, deferment of the grant, transferring to another program; and/or

10.2.5 Submit authentic documents.

You are advised to constantly coordinate and communicate with SUCs, regarding any concern with regards to your grant. Further, please notify within 30 days from occurrence about any change of permanent addresses and contact numbers.

Furthermore, failure to confirm acceptance of this award within 15 working days upon receipt will mean forfeiture of the award and is subject for replacement per Section 10.1.1 of Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2017-___.

Very truly yours,

_______________________

President/Authorized Representative

_________________________________________________________________________

The School PresidentName of SUC

Sir/Madam:

Please be informed that I, ________________________________________, a resident of ________________________________________________________ with Contact Nos. _____________________ and Mobile No. __________________________. I am currently a recipient of _____________________ scholarship/financial assistance from _________________ amounting to ___________, and _____________ scholarship/financial assistance from ___________________ amounting to _________________.

Please check (✓) one:

( ) Accept the grant with Award No. _______________________ taking up _______________________, Year Level ____.

( ) Reject/Waive the grant state reason/s here: ____________________________________________________

Very truly yours,

_____________________________

(Signature Over Printed Name of the Awardee)

Masterlist of SUCs Tulong Dunong Program

 

 

SUC-Tulong Dunong Program Database