Executive Order No. 303




MALACAÑAN PALACE MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES [ EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 303, September 26, 1940 ] PROMULGATING RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE APPOINTMENT AND SUPERVISION OF GOVERNMENT PENSIONADOS The selection and supervision of 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. Applicants planning to specialize in music must be holders of diplomas or degrees in music conferred by institutions recognized by the Government. Applicants planning to specialize in education must have completed at least four years of college study, including 18 units in education. III. SELECTION OF PENSIONADOS 4. Competitive examinations. - Except as provided in paragraph 5 hereof, 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. The granting of scholarships to applicants who are already in the United States shall be based on competitive examinations to be given to such candidates by the Office of the Resident Commissioner. 5. Pensionados by detail. - For the purpose of giving additional training to technical men who are already in the government service or of enabling them to observe or survey certain activities along their respective lines, a limited number of pensionados may be sent abroad by detail upon recommendation of their respective department heads and upon approval by the committee appointed by the Office of the President to give a personal interview to applicants. Such pensionados shall not draw per diems other than those provided in this Executive Order, unless otherwise expressly authorized by the Office of the President. After reaching their destinations abroad, per diems and traveling expenses of pensionados appointed under the provisions of this Paragraph shall be borne by the bureaus or offices concerned. 6. Persons disqualified. - No pensionado shall be eligible for a scholarship, under the provisions of the Appropriation Act, for at least four years after the date of his return from abroad where he has enjoyed the privileges of a government scholarship. Also, no applicant who has been granted a Ph.D. degree or a D.Sc. degree in the field of study designated for the scholarship for which he is applying shall be eligible for appointment as a pensionado. Applicants who have criminal records shall be debarred from competitive examinations, nor shall any applicant who has been punished administratively be admitted to these competitive examinations without prior authority from the Office of the President. 7. 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. 8. 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) 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. 9. 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 10. 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 from the Office of the Resident Commissioner as to the standing, conduct, and quality of work of the pensionado applying for such extension. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to those appointed by detail under Paragraph 5. 11. Institution to be attended. —The colleges, universities and institutions which pensionados are to attend will be decided by the Office of the President before the pensionados leave Manila, and no transfer will be permitted except upon approval by the President of the Philippines or his authorized representative. Where such transfers are approved at the request of the pensionado, all traveling expenses involved in the transfer will be at the expense of the pensionado concerned. 12. 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 cultural requirements to devote much time to the preparation of a thesis which would be in most cases quite remote from Philippine needs since Philippine material for a thesis is seldom at hand. 13. 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 enjoined. 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 provide them with positions in the Government. While no efforts will be spared to obtain employment will depend entirely upon existing vacancies and available funds. Should a pensionado decide not to serve the Government when his services are needed, be shall reimburse the Government in an amount equivalent to the total expenditures for his scholarship. Pensionados when employed upon their return to the Philippines in the Government or in private firms, shall refund to the Government an amount not less than 25 per cent of the total expenditures for their scholarships. This amount shall be automatically deducted from their monthly salaries at the rate of 5 per cent thereof. However, no deductions shall be made from those whose salaries are P2,400 per annum or less until they receive at least a on motion. 14. Contract period. - The term of scholarship of a pensionado shall begin on the day he leaves Manila and be effective until the date of his return to 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 enter upon their duties. 15. Physical examination. - Each applicant selected scholarship shall be required to undergo a rigid physical examination by the Philippine General Hospital. Applicants possessing symptoms as might affect their abroad, and thus impair their usefulness as students, shall be rejected. One such examination shall be conducted prior to the competitive examinations, and a second examination after qualifying. 16. Initial allowance. - Pensionados before leaving for the United States and foreign countries shall be given an allowance of P150 for port and steamer expenses. They shall also be given a preliminary clothing allowance of P150. 17. Monthly pension. - A monthly pension $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 end on the date the pensionado arrives in Manila. Monthly pensions shall be paid at the end of each month in the United States by the Disbursing Agent, Philippine Revenues, Division of Territories and Island Possessions, Department of the Interior, Washington, D. C. 18. 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 P,680, such difference to be paid by the Office under which they work. With the prior approval of the Office of the President, a substitute may be appointed chargeable to the pensionado fund, but the temporary incumbent’s salary shall in no case exceed P1,680 per annum. Government employees who have been granted scholarships shall be considered as on special duty in the United States in 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. 19. Compensation for services. - Pensionados who are assigned to practical work while abroad shall be given the regular allowance, hut 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. 20. Clothing allowance. - The first clothing allowance paid on arrival in the United States shall be P200. The next allowance for clothing will be P150 and will be given on April 1 to pensionados arriving between July 1 and December 31, and on October 1 to those arriving between January 1 and June 30. In special cases of pensionados remaining in the United States for more than one year, after the first year each pensionado will receive a semiannual clothing allowance of P150, payable on April 1 and October 1. In no case shall a pensionado be given more than two clothing allowances in the United States within the one year contract period, and pensionados returning home prior to April 1 or October 1 of any year will not receive the clothing allowances scheduled to be paid on those dates. 21. 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. 22. Tuition and matriculation, books, and supplies. - Pensionados shall 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 exceed $50 per year. 23. Medical attendance. - Pensionados shall be entitled, during their stay abroad, to a reasonable allowance for medical attendance and hospital bills if the illness is contracted in line of duty. If a perisionado 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. If the scholarship should he extended, pensionados shall be entitled to a reasonable allowance for ocular examination and change of lenses the second and succeeding years.7!ᕼdMᗄ7 24. 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. 25. Scholarships requiring travel. - Where pensionados have to spend time traveling within the United States, the expense of such travel shall be borne by the Bureau or Office concerned. 26. Ports and streamer expenses. - Before returning to the Philippines from abroad, pensionados shall be given $75 for port and streamer expenses. 27. Pensionados returning via Europe. - Pensionados permitted to return via Europe, shall be given the same allowance for transportation that is given to pensionados returning tourist class, via the Pacific. Pensionados will not be permitted to return via Europe except upon prior authority from the Office of the President, and shall be allowed only two months’ time for the purpose. An extra time shall be charged against leave, or shall be without pay, as the case may be, if they are government employees. 28. Return upon completion of work. - Upon prior authority of the Office of the President, pensionados may 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. 29. Per diems. - Pensionados may be allowed per diems for trips away from their headquarters when such trips are previously authorized. Such per diems are payable by the Bureau concerned. A per diem of not more than $5 per day may be allowed for a period not exceeding five days in i single place or not more than $3 per day when a pensionado 0 is away from his headquarters for a period of more than five days, but not in excess of thirty days in a single place, provided such trips outside his headquarters are for official v business. In the event a pensionado is away for more than c thirty days in a single place, nothing but the regular allowance plus transportation expenses shall be allowed. The train allowance for meals shall not exceed $4 per day. V. GENERAL RULES 30. Reports of pensionados. - Shortly 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 transcripts of grades received should also be sent to the Office of the President at the close of each quarter, term, or semester. A copy of these official transcripts of grades should be furnished the Office of the Resident Commissioner at Washington, D. C. Pensionados for whose work no grades are given shall submit to the Office of the President, through the Resident Commissioner, a quarterly report of their activities. This report shall be accompanied by a statement of the officers of the institution or firm as to their attendance and progress. 31. Report on achievement. - In order to avoid the possibility of overlooking notable achievements, each pensionado should send to the Office of the President a statement of the things accomplished by him. These achievements may include high grades, admission to honorary societies, position in student organizations, honorable mention, etc. 32. Application for extension of scholarship. - Application for extension of scholarship should be sent through the Resident Commissioner and reach the Office of the President at least two months before the expiration of the current term. The application should include definite and detailed information as to the way in which extension would 3 be spent, if granted. 33. 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 second-class transportation. In no case shall the transportation of the wife of a pensionado be paid by the Government. 34. Jurisdiction of the Office of the Resident Commisioner. - While in the United States, pensionados shall be under the supervision of the Office of the Resident Commissioner for the Philippines and all corresponded communications to the Office of the President, except as provided for in Paragraph 30 of this Executive Order, should be coursed through the Office of the Resident Commissioner. VI. REVOKING ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 66 35. Administrative Order No. 66, dated May 11, 1938, is hereby revoked. VII. EFFECTIVITY 36. This Executive Order shall take effect on October 1, 1940. Done at the City of Manila, this 26th day of September, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and forty, and of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, the fifth. (Sgd.) MANUEL L. QUEZON President of the Philippines By the President: (Sgd.) JORGE B. VARGAS Secretary to the President The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation