MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
[ ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 66, May 11, 1938 ]
PROMULGATING RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE APPOINTMENT OF GOVERNMENT PENSIONADOS
The selection of government employees as well as private individuals to be government pensionados shall be governed by the following rules and regulations:
I. GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS
1. Qualifications.—Each applicant must be of good moral character and of sound health; and must be a person of experience who has proven himself able and efficient in his profession or occupation, either in private practice or in the Government service, as substantiated by available records.
2. Scholarships for government employees.—Government officials and employees, who, by reason of their long training and experience in office and their proven ability and efficiency, are peculiarly fitted to undertake special studies or to acquire practical training in such particular lines of work as may be useful to the Government service, may be granted scholarships although not possessing the educational qualifications required in paragraph 3 hereof.
II. ACADEMIC PREPARATION
3. Educational qualifications.—Except in meritorious cases to be determined by the President, each applicant must have been graduated with a baccalaureate degree, following the successful completion of a four-year course of study, in the University of the Philippines or in any other college or university recognized by the Government; and must have majored in the subject of the scholarship for which he is applying. Applicants planning to specialize in medicine must be graduates of a college of medicine recognized by the Government and have been duly admitted to the practice of medicine. Applicants planning to specialize in law must be graduates of a college of law recognized by the Government and must have been duly admitted to the practice of law. Applicants who plan to specialize in music must be holders of diplomas or degrees in music conferred by institutions recognized by the Government. Applicants who plan to specialize in education must have completed at least four years of college study, including 18 units in education; provided, however, that applicants for such special courses as the Director of Education may recommend subject to the approval of the Secretary of Public Instruction, may be admitted to the competitive examination even if their academic preparation is lower than the prescribed four years of college work.
III. SELECTION OF PENSIONADOS
4. Competitive examinations.—The selection of pensionados to study in the United States or in foreign countries shall be based on competitive examinations to be conducted by the Bureau of Civil Service under the direction of the Office of the President. Where it is obviously of greater advantage to the Government to grant scholarships to applicants who are already in the United States or in foreign countries than to conduct competitive examinations, such exceptionally deserving students in highly specialized fields as are already abroad and who are recommended by the officers or professors of the institutions in which they are studying may be appointed pensionados without the necessity of taking competitive examinations.
5. Course to be pursued.—Pensionados shall be sent abroad only for the purpose of specializing in studies that cannot be pursued to advantage in the Philippines. In no case shall applicants desiring to take undergraduate courses in law, medicine, engineering, dentistry, chemistry, pharmacy, or any other course except English, which may be studied in the Philippines, be appointed.
6. Data required.—Each applicant should furnish the Office of the President with the following data:
a. Date and place of birth
b. Education and vocational training and qualifications, including the corresponding degree or degrees received, if any, and the name of the college or university granting the degree;
c. Profession or occupation; positions occupied; nature of work and length of service in each; and other pertinent data that may serve to show his experience, efficiency, and ability;
d. Course applicant desires to pursue; number of years required for its completion; the name of the college or university in which the candidate, if selected, plans to study;
e. A statement as to whether the applicant with members of his family dependent upon him for support can, during the period of the scholarship, be adequately maintained by the allowance provided plus whatever income he may have.
7. Financial standing.—Other things being equal, preference shall be given to applicants who are least financially well-off. In order to have some way of determining the financial status of an applicant, a certified statement from the municipal treasurer of the municipality in which the applicant resides as to his financial standing must accompany the application, or in the absence thereof, a statement of two reputable citizens of the community regarding his financial standing may be submitted.
IV. TERMS AND CONDITIONS
8. Duration of scholarships.—Unless revoked before the time of expiration, scholarships shall be granted for a period of one year, subject to extension upon satisfactory reports as to standing, conduct, and quality of work of the pensionado from the authorities of the institutions attended by the student and subject to the requirements of paragraph 29 of this Administrative Order, provided funds are available. A pensionado whose term of scholarship has expired may request an extension at his own expense for a period not to exceed one year.
9. Institutions to be attended.—The colleges and universities which pensionados are to attend will be decided upon before the pensionados leave Manila and no transfers will be permitted except upon approval by the President of the Philippines or his authorized representative.
10. Degrees.—The securing of a degree is of secondary importance. If specialization in a certain field will lead to a degree, study for the same will be advisable; otherwise it should not be attempted. This will permit pensionados to select courses under outstanding professors and of desired content rather than to meet such cultural requirements as French and German or to devote much time to the preparation of a thesis which would be in most cases quiet remote from Philippine needs since Philippine material for a thesis is seldom at hand.
11. Employment in the Government after scholarship.—Pensionados shall render two years’ service to the Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines for each year of scholarship enjoyed. In the case of pensionados who were not in the Government service at the time of appointment, it should be understood that upon their return to the Philippines the Government is not obligated, under the terms of their scholarship agreement, to furnish them positions in the Government. While no efforts will be spared to obtain employment for them in the Government, their employment will depend entirely upon existing vacancies and available funds. Should a pensionado decide not to serve the Government when his services are needed, he shall reimburse the Government in an amount equivalent to the total expenditures for his scholarship. Pensionados when employed upon their return to the Philippines either in the Government or in private firms shall refund to the Government an amount not less than 25 percent of the total expenditures for their scholarships. This amount shall be automatically deducted from their monthly salaries at the rate of 10 per cent of the salary received until the full amount is refunded.
12. Contract period.—The term of scholarship of a pensionado shall begin on the day he leaves Manila and shall be effective until the date of his arrival at Manila, unless otherwise specifically provided in the agreement. Scholarships of pensionados appointed while in the United States or in a foreign country will take effect on the day they enter their duties after their contracts are signed.
13. Physical examination.—Pensionados selected for scholarship shall be required to undergo a rigid physical and medical examination by a government physician and those possessing such symptoms as might affect their health abroad and thus impair their usefulness as students shall be rejected. One such physical and medical examination shall be made prior to taking the competitive examination and a second examination just after qualifying, the latter to be made by a different government physician from the one that made the first examination.
14. Initial allowance.—Pensionados before leaving for the United States and foreign countries shall be given an allowance of P140.00 for port and steamer expenses. They shall also be given a preliminary clothing allowance of P150 and an order for a trunk and a suit case.
15. Monthly pension.—A monthly pension of $70 during the period of scholarship for board, lodging and incidentals shall be given each pensionado. Monthly pensions shall begin on date of leaving Manila and stop one month after date of leaving the United States. Monthly pensions shall be paid at the end of the month in the United States by the Disbursing Agent, Philippine Revenues, Bureau of Insular Affairs, War Department, Washington, D. C.1a⍵⍴h!1
16. Pensions to government employees.—Employees of the Government appointed pensionados whose salaries are in excess of P1,680 per annum shall also receive the difference between their salaries and their scholarship allowance of P1,680, such difference to be paid by the Office under which they work. The budget item occupied by the pensionado may be filled temporarily during the period of his scholarship, but the salary to be received by the temporary incumbent shall not exceed the equivalent of P1,680 a year. Government employees who have been granted scholarships shall be considered as on special duty in the United States or foreign countries during the period of the scholarship and, as such, they shall be entitled to commutation of any accrued leave they may have earned prior to the enactment of Commonwealth Act No. 220.
17. Compensation for services.—Pensionados who are assigned to practical work while abroad shall be given the regular allowance, but if they are paid for their services or given allowances in the equivalent of more than $30 a month, the excess over $30 shall be deducted from their monthly pensions.
18. Clothing allowance.—The first clothing allowance paid after arrival in the United States shall be P200; each succeeding allowance shall be P150. The first one (spring allowance) shall be given on April first, and the second one (fall allowance) on October first. In no case shall more than two regular allowances be paid during a single calendar year. Students arriving between January 1 and June 30 shall receive both spring and fall allowances for the calendar year, and those arriving between July 1 and December 31 shall receive only the fall allowance for the year. No spring allowance shall be paid to students leaving the United States between January 1 and June 30; no fall allowance between July 1 and December 31. In case late transportation arrangements are made for leaving during the second quarter of the year after the spring allowance has been paid or during the fourth quarter of the year after the fall allowance has been made, a refund of the last clothing allowance paid shall be required.
19. Stopping of scholarship.—Inability of a pensionado to live within his allowance or failure to keep up the necessary standard of scholarship shall be sufficient cause for cancelling his scholarship and sending him back with second-class transportation.
20. Tuition and matriculation, books and supplies.—Pensionados shall also be entitled to tuition and matriculation fees and textbooks and supplies that are necessary for their studies. The amount to be granted for books and supplies should not, however, exceed $50 per year except in previously authorized cases.
21. Medical attendance.—Pensionados shall be entitled, during their stay abroad, to a reasonable allowance for dental care, ocular examination and treatment, including lenses with steel rims only, medical attendance, and hospital bills. However, if a pensionado becomes seriously ill and his recovery cannot be expected within a reasonable time, he shall be returned home as soon as his physical condition permits. Allowance for dental treatment shall include only such repairs as are necessary for the relief of pain or temporary work for the preservation of the teeth. No gold and porcelain fillings and bridges shall be allowed.
22. Transportation.—Pensionados shall be entitled to at least tourist class transportation from Manila to the place where they are to study, and similar return transportation to the Philippines upon the termination of their studies abroad.
23. Port and steamer expenses.—Before returning to the Philippines from abroad, pensionados shall be given one month advance allowance of $70 in lieu of all port and steamer expenses.
24. Pensionados returning via Europe.—Pensionados desiring to return via Europe shall be given $500 flat rate allowance in lieu of all other traveling expenses upon prior authority of the Office of the President, or his authorized representative, and shall be allowed two months’ time for that purpose. Any excess over two months’ period shall be charged against their leave or shall be without pay, as the case may be, if they are government employees.
25. Return upon completion of work.—Upon prior authority of the Office of the President, pensionados may return to the Philippines after satisfactorily completing their work even though they may not have completed the full term of the time set for them to remain abroad.
26. Per diems.—Pensionados shall be allowed per diems for trips away from headquarters (station) abroad only when previous authority is granted by the President of his duly authorized representatives for making such trips. When such authority is granted, a per diem of $5 per day shall be allowed for a period not exceeding five days in a single place or $3 per day when a student is away from his headquarters for a period of more than five days, but not in excess of 30 days in a single place, provided that such stay outside of his headquarters is for official business. In both of these cases no deduction shall be made from the regular monthly allowance. In case a student is away for more than 30 days in a single place, nothing but the regular allowance plus transportation expenses shall be paid. The above-named amounts are maximum allowances. The exact amount allowed shall depend upon circumstances connected with the travel. A per diem of $5 per day for not more than one day shall be allowed while looking for quarters at a new place. The train allowance for meals shall be $4 per day.
V. GENERAL RULES
27. Reports of pensionados.—Shorty after the opening of each quarter or semester, each pensionado should submit directly to the Office of the President an outline of the subjects he is taking. Official transcript of grades attained should also be sent to the Office of the President at the close of each quarter, term, or semester. Students whose work is of such a nature that no grades in given shall submit a quarterly statement of their activities, accompanied by a certificate of the officers of the institution or firm attended by the pensionado as to his attendance and progress.
28. Report on achievement.—A number of government pensionados have made remarkable achievements in the past. In order to avoid the possibility of overlooking such achievements, each pensionado should send to the Office of the President a statement of the things accomplished of which feels most proud. These achievements include high grades, admission to honorary societies position in student organization, honorable mention, etc.
29. Application for extension of scholarship.—Application for extension of scholarship should reach the Office of the President at least two months before the expiration of the current term, and should include definite and detailed information as to the way in which extension will be spent, if granted.
30. Marriage of pensionados.—No pensionado shall marry or acquire dependents abroad without the previous consent of the Office of the President. Whenever permission to marry is granted, it shall be made clear that having a wife will not constitute a valid reason for remaining abroad after completion of studies. The marriage of a pensionado abroad without the previous consent of the Office of the President shall constitute sufficient cause for the immediate cancellation of the scholarship and the return of the pensionado to Manila with a second-class transportation. In no case will the transportation of the wife of a pensionado be paid.
VI. TRANSITORY PROVISIONS
31. Government pensionados who are at the time of the promulgation of this Administrative Order studying abroad shall continue to enjoy the privileges and shall be bound by the terms of the contract entered into by them under the former rules governing pensionados until the expiration of their scholarships.
VII. EFFECTIVITY
32. This Administrative Order shall take effect on May 16, 1938.
Done at the City of Manila, this 11th day of May, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and thirty-eight, and of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, the third.
(Sgd.) MANUEL L. QUEZON
President of the Philippines
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