BATAS PAMBANSA Blg. 377

An Act Converting the Marinduque School of Arts and Trades into the Marinduque Institute of Science and Technology, Broadening for the Purpose its Curricular Programs in Science and Technology

Section 1. The present Marinduque School of Arts and Trades, located in the Barangay of Tanza, Municipality of Boac, Province of Marinduque, is hereby converted into the Marinduque Institute of Science and Technology, hereinafter referred to in this Act as the Institute.

Section 2. The Institute shall primarily provide higher vocational, professional, and technical instruction and training in science, agriculture and industrial fields. It shall also promote research, advanced studies and progressive leadership in the fields of agricultural, mining, fishery and industrial education.

Section 3. In addition to the four-year secondary trade, the two-year trade technical curriculum, the four-year Bachelor of Science in Industrial Education, the Institute may offer degree courses in agricultural and fishery education, mining and allied technological courses leading to degrees in engineering.

Section 4. No student shall be denied admission to the Institute by reason of sex, ethnic consideration, religious belief, or political affiliation.

Section 5. The head of the Institute shall be known as the President of the Marinduque Institute of Science and Technology. He shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines.

The powers and duties of the President of the Institute, in addition to those specifically provided for in this Act, shall be those usually pertaining to the office of the president of a college.

Section 6. The governing body of the Institute shall be the Board of Trustees of the Marinduque Institute of Science and Technology.1awp++i1 It shall be composed of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, who shall be the chairman, and the Regional Director of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, the Regional Development Council Director, the President of the Institute, the incumbent governor of the Province of Marinduque, the incumbent mayor of Boac, the president of the alumni association of the Institute, and four prominent residents of Marinduque who are holders of degrees relevant to the courses offered in the Institute, as members, who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines.

Of the first group appointed, the President of the Philippines shall designate one to serve for one year; one to serve for two years; one to serve for three years; and one to serve for four years. 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. In case of permanent vacancy, the position shall be filled by appointment by the President of the Philippines. Such appointee shall hold office for the unexpired term only.

When the Minister of Education, Culture and Sports is unable to perform his duties as chairman of the Board due to illness, absence or other cause, or in case of vacancy in the office, the Deputy Minister of Education, Culture and Sports shall temporarily perform the functions of the chairman of the said Board.

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 shall elect from among themselves a temporary chairman who shall act as chairman thereof.

Section 7. The members of the Board of Trustees shall serve without compensation but they shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred either in attendance upon meetings of the Board or upon other official business authorized by a resolution thereof, subject to existing budget laws on honoraria and allowances.

Section 8. In addition to its general powers of administration, the Board of Trustees shall have the following powers and duties:

(a) To receive and appropriate for the purpose specified by law such sums as may be provided for the support of the Institute;

(b) To confer degrees upon successful candidates for graduation of the Institute. It may also confer honorary degrees upon persons in recognition of learning, statesmanship, or eminence in agriculture, forestry, industry or public service related to such fields;

(c) Subject to Civil Service law, rules and regulations, to appoint, upon recommendation of the President of the Institute, the deans of the different schools of the Institute, the registrar, the heads of departments, professors, instructors, lectures, and other employees of the Institute; to fix, in accordance with the Office of Compensation and Position Classification rates, their compensation; to prescribe hours of service, duties and conditions of work as it may deem proper; to grant to them in its discretion, leaves of absence under such regulations as it may promulgate, any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, and to remove them for cause after an investigation and hearing pursuant to Civil Service law governing disciplinary action;

(d) To approve the curricula and rules of discipline drawn up by the Institute Council as hereinafter provided;

(e) To provide fellowships and scholarships for deserving faculty and personnel in any of the institutions here and abroad; and further provide scholarship to honor students and also to poor but deserving students;

(f) To prescribe rules and regulations for its own government and for this purpose to enact such regulations not contrary to law, as may be necessary;

(g) 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 Institute or of a department thereof, 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;

(h) To provide vocational training to adult citizens and out-of-school youth with the cooperation of other government and private agencies.

Section 9. A quorum of the Board of Trustees shall consist of a majority of all the members holding office at the time the meeting of the Board is called. All processes against the Board of Trustees shall be served on the President or Secretary thereof.

Section 10. On or before the fifteenth day of the second month after the opening of regular classes each year, the Board of Trustees shall submit to the President of the Philippines a detailed report, setting forth the progress, condition and needs of the Institute.

Section 11. There shall be an Institute Council consisting of the President of the Institute and all members of the faculty of the Institute. 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 Institute, as well as for graduation and conferring of degrees, subject to review by the Board of Trustees. The Council alone shall have the power to recommend students or others to be recipients of degrees. Through the President of the Institute or a duly authorized committee, the Council shall have disciplinary power over the students within the limits prescribed by the rules of discipline.

Section 12. The body of instructors and professors of the Institute shall constitute the faculty of the Institute, with the President of the Institute as the presiding officer.

No member of the faculty of the Institute shall attempt directly or indirectly, under penalty of dismissal by the Board of Trustees, to influence students or any person in the Institute towards any ideology, political or otherwise, which preaches the overthrow of the government through violence or subversion.

Section 13. There shall be a secretary of the Institute who shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees upon recommendation of the President of the Institute. He shall be the secretary of the Board and also of the Institute, and shall keep such records of the Institute as may be determined by the Board of Trustees.

Section 14. The Treasurer of the Philippines shall be ex officio treasurer of the Institute. All accounts and expenses therefor shall be audited by the Commission on Audit and all disbursements shall be made in accordance with existing auditing rules and regulations.

Section 15. Heads of the bureaus and offices of the national government are hereby authorized to loan, or transfer, upon request of the President of the Institute, such apparatus, equipment or supplies as may be needed by the Institute and to detail employees for the duty therein, when in the judgment of the head of the bureau or office, such apparatus, equipment, supplies or the services of such employees can be spared without serious detriment to the public service. Employees so detailed shall perform such duties as are required under such detail, and the time so employed shall be counted as part of their regular official service.

Section 16. All parcels of land, buildings, equipment and facilities owned by the Marinduque School of Arts and Trades as well as obligations and appropriations thereof, shall be transferred to the Marinduque Institute of Science and Technology.

Section 17. The existing appropriations for the Marinduque School of Arts and Trades are hereby transferred to the Marinduque Institute of Science and Technology, to be disbursed in accordance with the provisions of this Act. Thereafter, the maintenance of the state college shall be provided for in subsequent General Appropriations Acts, until which time the operation of the institution as an institute shall be deferred: Provided, That its new name shall take effect upon approval of this Act.

Section 18. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: April 8, 1983


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