Republic of the Philippines
Congress of the Philippines
Metro ManilaTenth Congress
Republic Act No. 8525 February 14, 1998
AN ACT ESTABLISHING AN "ADOPT-A-SCHOOL PROGRAM," PROVIDING INCENTIVES THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled::
Section 1. Title. – This Act shall be known and cited as the "Adopt-a-School Act of 1998."
Section 2. Declaration of policy. – It is the policy of the State to provide quality and relevant education to the Filipino youth and to encourage private initiative to support public education. Towards this end, the State shall institute programs to encourage private companies and enterprises to help in the upgrading and modernization of public schools in the country, particularly those in poverty-stricken provinces.
Section 3. Adopt-a-School Program. – There is hereby established the "Adopt-a-School Program" which will allow private entities to assist a public school, whether elementary, secondary, or tertiary, preferably located in any of the twenty (20) poorest provinces identified by the Presidential Council for Countryside...
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Republic Acts
ADOPT-A-SCHOOL ACT OF 1998
Republic Act No. 8525
Summary of Republic Act No. 8525 (Adopt-a-School Act of 1998)
Declaration of Policy (Section 2):
- The State aims to provide quality education and encourage private support for public education.
- Programs will be instituted to encourage private companies to help upgrade and modernize public schools, especially in poverty-stricken provinces.
Adopt-a-School Program (Section 3):
- Establishes the "Adopt-a-School Program" allowing private entities to assist public schools (elementary, secondary, or tertiary).
- Assistance can be in the form of:
- Staff and faculty development for training and further education.
- Construction of facilities.
- Upgrading of existing facilities.
- Provision of books, publications, and instructional materials.
- Modernization of instructional technologies.
- The adopting entity and the school head will enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) specifying the details of the adoption.
- The MOA must be approved by the Superintendent of Schools of the province or district.
- The agreement should last for at least two (2) years, with the possibility of extension.
- The period can be shortened only if the adopting entity is dissolved, unless earlier terminated.
Periodic Review (Section 4):
- The local school board will review the adoption.
- The Coordinating Council will formulate the standards and guidelines for the review.
- The review results will be considered in assessing the adopting entity's application for tax credits.
- The school board may recommend termination of the adoption to the Coordinating Council.
- The adopting entity can appeal the assessment to the Coordinating Council, whose decision is final.
Additional Deduction for Expenses (Section 5):
- Expenses incurred by the adopting entity for the program will be allowed an additional deduction from gross income equivalent to fifty percent (50%) of such expenses.
- Valuation of non-monetary assistance will be based on the acquisition cost and depreciated value of the property.
Additional Incentives (Section 6):
- The adopting entity's name will be emblazoned beneath the school's name, indicating it is under the "Adopt-a-School Program".
- The adopting entity will be represented in the local school board of the municipality where the adopted school is located.
Coordinating Council (Section 7):
- A Coordinating Council is created to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the Act.
- The Council is composed of the Secretary of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) as chairperson, the Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Director-General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) as co-chairpersons, the chairperson of the Presidential Council for Countryside Development (PCCD), and a representative from a national federation of chambers of commerce and industry.
- The Council will meet once every three (3) months.
- The chairpersons and members will not receive compensation but will be entitled to reimbursements for reasonable expenses.
- The DECS, CHED, and TESDA will provide the secretariat for the Council.
Rules and Regulations (Section 8):
- The DECS, CHED, and TESDA, in consultation with the Department of Finance, will formulate the rules and regulations to implement the Act.
Separability Clause (Section 9):
- If any provision of the Act is declared unconstitutional, the validity of the other provisions will not be affected.
Repealing Clause (Section 10):
- All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations inconsistent with the Act are repealed or modified accordingly.
Effectivity (Section 11):
- The Act will take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.
Declaration of Policy (Section 2):
- The State aims to provide quality education and encourage private support for public education.
- Programs will be instituted to encourage private companies to help upgrade and modernize public schools, especially in poverty-stricken provinces.
Adopt-a-School Program (Section 3):
- Establishes the "Adopt-a-School Program" allowing private entities to assist public schools (elementary, secondary, or tertiary).
- Assistance can be in the form of:
- Staff and faculty development for training and further education.
- Construction of facilities.
- Upgrading of existing facilities.
- Provision of books, publications, and instructional materials.
- Modernization of instructional technologies.
- The adopting entity and the school head will enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) specifying the details of the adoption.
- The MOA must be approved by the Superintendent of Schools of the province or district.
- The agreement should last for at least two (2) years, with the possibility of extension.
- The period can be shortened only if the adopting entity is dissolved, unless earlier terminated.
Periodic Review (Section 4):
- The local school board will review the adoption.
- The Coordinating Council will formulate the standards and guidelines for the review.
- The review results will be considered in assessing the adopting entity's application for tax credits.
- The school board may recommend termination of the adoption to the Coordinating Council.
- The adopting entity can appeal the assessment to the Coordinating Council, whose decision is final.
Additional Deduction for Expenses (Section 5):
- Expenses incurred by the adopting entity for the program will be allowed an additional deduction from gross income equivalent to fifty percent (50%) of such expenses.
- Valuation of non-monetary assistance will be based on the acquisition cost and depreciated value of the property.
Additional Incentives (Section 6):
- The adopting entity's name will be emblazoned beneath the school's name, indicating it is under the "Adopt-a-School Program".
- The adopting entity will be represented in the local school board of the municipality where the adopted school is located.
Coordinating Council (Section 7):
- A Coordinating Council is created to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the Act.
- The Council is composed of the Secretary of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) as chairperson, the Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Director-General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) as co-chairpersons, the chairperson of the Presidential Council for Countryside Development (PCCD), and a representative from a national federation of chambers of commerce and industry.
- The Council will meet once every three (3) months.
- The chairpersons and members will not receive compensation but will be entitled to reimbursements for reasonable expenses.
- The DECS, CHED, and TESDA will provide the secretariat for the Council.
Rules and Regulations (Section 8):
- The DECS, CHED, and TESDA, in consultation with the Department of Finance, will formulate the rules and regulations to implement the Act.
Separability Clause (Section 9):
- If any provision of the Act is declared unconstitutional, the validity of the other provisions will not be affected.
Repealing Clause (Section 10):
- All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations inconsistent with the Act are repealed or modified accordingly.
Effectivity (Section 11):
- The Act will take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.