P.B. No. 728 / 80 O. G. No. 10, 1455 (March 5, 1984)

[ BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 384, April 08, 1983 ]

AN ACT CONVERTING THE SULU NATIONAL REGIONAL AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BONGAO, PROVINCE OF TAWI-TAWI, INTO A COLLEGE TO BE KNOWN AS THE TAWI-TAWI REGIONAL AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, AND AUTHORIZING THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS THEREFOR.

Be it enacted by the Batasang Pambansa in session assembled:

SECTION 1. The Sulu National Regional Agricultural School in the Municipality of Bongao, Province of Tawi-Tawi, is hereby converted into a college to be known as the TawtTawi Regional Agricultural College, hereinafter referred to in this Act as the College.

SEC. 2. In addition to its present curricula, the College is authorized to offer the following collegiate and graduate courses:

1. Four-year teacher education courses leading to the degrees of Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education and Bachelor of Science in Home Technology;
2. Four-year technical curriculum leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture;
3. Graduate course leading to the degree of Master of Science in Agricultural Education;
4. Graduate course leading to the degree of Master of Science in Home Technology; and
5. Graduate course leading to the degree of Master of Science in Agriculture.

SEC. 3. The aim of the College shall be to provide professional, technical, and special training and promote research, extension services, and progressive leadership in the field of agriculture and home technology.

SEC. 4. The head of the College shall be known as the President of the Tawi-Tawi Regional Agricultural College. He shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation of the Board of Trustees as hereinafter provided. He shall serve for a term of six years but he may be reappointed. The powers and duties of the President of the College, in addition to those specifically provided in this Act, shall be those usually pertaining to the office of the president of a college.

SEC. 5. The Tawi-Tawi Regional Agricultural College shall have the general powers set out in Section 36 of Batas Pambansa Bilang 68 and the government and administration of the College and the exercise of its corporate powers are hereby vested in a Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees shall be composed of the Minister of Education, Culture and Sports, who shall be ex officio Chairman of the Board, the Regional Director of the National Economic and Development Authority, the President of the College, and four (4) prominent citizens of Region IX preferably from the Province of Tawi-Tawi, to be appointed by the President of the Philippines as members. When both the Minister and the Deputy Minister of Education, Culture and Sports are unable to exercise the powers of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the members of the Board may elect from among themselves a temporary chairman who shall act as Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

The non-ex officio members of the Board, except the President of the College who shall serve during the duration of his incumbency, shall hold office as follows: two to serve for two years and the other two to serve for four years, the term of office of each to be specified in his appointment by the President. Thereafter, persons appointed to succeed such members shall hold office for a term of four years and until their successors shall have been appointed and qualified.

Members of the Board of Trustees shall serve without compensation, other than actual and necessary expenses incurred either in attendance upon meetings of the Board of Trustees or upon other official business authorized by resolution of the Board, subject to existing budget laws on honoraria and allowances.

SEC. 6. The Board of Trustees shall have the following powers and duties, in addition to its general powers of administration:

1. To receive and appropriate to the end specified by law such sums of money as may be provided by law for the support of the College;
2. To confer, aside from the degrees now offered by the Sulu National Regional Agricultural School, the degrees of Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education, Bachelor of Science in Home Technology, Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, Master of Science in Agricultural Education, Master of Science in Home Technology, and Master of Science in Agriculture;
3. To appoint, on the recommendation of the President of the College, professors, instructors, lecturers, administrative and supervisory officials, and other employees of the College, as may be necessary for the effective implementation of the college program; to fix their compensation, 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, leave of absence under regulations as it may promulgate, other provisions of law notwithstanding; to prescribe rules of academic discipline for the educational and professional growth of faculty members and other personnel; and to remove them for cause after an investigation and hearing shall have been held;
4. To approve the curricula and rules of discipline drawn up by the College Council as hereinafter provided;
5. To provide fellowship for faculty members and scholarships to students showing special evidence of merit;
6. To provide rules for its government, and to enact for the government of the College such general ordinances and regulations, not contrary to law, as are consistent with the purposes of the College, as denned in Section three of this Act;
7. To receive in trust legacies, gifts, and donations of real and personal property of all kinds and to administer the same for the benefit of the College or for aid to any student, 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;
8. A quorum of the Board of Trustees shall consist of a majority of all its members holding office at the time the meeting of the Board is called.

SEC. 7. On or before the fifteenth of August of each year, the Board of Trustees shall file with the President a detailed report, setting forth the progress, conditions, and needs of the College.

SEC. 8. There shall be a College Council consisting of the President of the College as presiding officer and of all professors and instructors of the College as members. 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 College, as well as for graduation and the receiving of a title or a degree. The Council alone shall have the power to recommend students or others to be recipients of titles or degrees. Through its president or committee, it shall have disciplinary power over the students within the limits prescribed by the rules of discipline approved by the Board of Trustees.

SEC. 9. The body of professors and instructors of the College shall constitute the faculty of the College. In the appointment of professors or instructors of the College, no religious test shall be applied nor shall religious opinions or affiliations of the faculty of the College be made a matter of examination or inquiry: Provided, however, That no professor or instructor in the College shall inculcate sectarian teachings, nor attempt either directly or indirectly, under penalty of dismissal by the Board of Trustees, to influence students attending the College for or against any particular church or religious sect.

SEC. 10. Professors and other teaching personnel of the College shall be covered by the appropriate civil service rules and regulations.

SEC. 11. There shall be a secretary of the College, appointed by the Board of Trustees. He shall be the secretary of such Board and also of the College.

SEC. 12. To help the College achieve its educational, research and extension aims, the College Council is hereby empowered to negotiate or make arrangements with government colleges or universities, private colleges and universities, other government agencies, and private or semi-private organizations for cooperative projects in instructions, research, and extension; and to seek the assistance of educational foundations in promoting the programs of instruction, research, and extension.

SEC. IS. Heads of bureaus or offices of the national government are hereby authorized to loan or transfer, upon request of the President of the College, equipment, apparatus, or supplies as may be needed by the college, and to detail employees for duty therein, when in the judgment of the head of the bureau or office such supplies or employees can be spared without serious detriment to the public service.

SEC. 14. The College, by arrangement with the Director of Technical and Vocational Education and Director of Secondary Education, may use one or more vocational or general public schools as training or laboratory schools of the College.

SEC. 15. The present faculty of the Sulu National Regional Agricultural School, as well as the administrative and supervising officials and other personnel as well as the present buildings, equipment and facilities and other properties, real and personal, shall be absorbed by the new college. Salaries of these personnel shall be determined in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 985 and other pertinent budget and compensation laws.

SEC. 16. All existing appropriations for the Sulu National Regional Agricultural School are hereby transferred to the Tawi-Tawi Regional Agricultural College, to be disbursed in accordance with the provisions of this Act. The necessary sum for the operation and maintenance of the state college shall be provided for in subsequent General Appropriations Acts, until which time the operation of the institution as a college shall be deferred, provided that its new name shall take effect upon the approval of this Act.

SEC. 17. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved, April 8, 1983.

Source: Supreme Court E-Library