AN ACT EXPANDING THE PHILIPPINE SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL (PSHS) SYSTEM, FURTHER STRENGTHENING ITS GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT, REPEALING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8496 OR THE "PHILIPPINE SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL SYSTEM ACT OF 1997", AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

View printer friendly version Manila Bulletin, October 10, 2025 p.6; 121 OG No. 42, 11746 (October 20, 2025) [ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 12310, October 03, 2025 ] AN ACT EXPANDING THE PHILIPPINE SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL (PSHS) SYSTEM, FURTHER STRENGTHENING ITS GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT, REPEALING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8496 OR THE "PHILIPPINE SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL SYSTEM ACT OF 1997", AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled; SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the "Expanded Philippine Science High School (PSHS) System Act". SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy . - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to promote science and technology (S&T), research and development, invention, innovation, and utilization. The Stare recognizes the need to enhance Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, training, and services, and support appropriate and self-reliant scientific and technological capabilities and their application to increase productivity and enhance the quality of life for everyone. To this end, the State hereby established a PSHS System that will assume a leadership role in secondary STEM education. SEC. 3. Objectives. - This Act aims to achieve the following objectives: (a) Establish strategically accessible PSHS campuses that provide scholarship-based secondary education programs with special emphasis on STEM for students with exceptional aptitude in science and mathematics; (b) Increase the pool of high school graduates who will pursue undergraduate courses in the field of STEM, research and development, or careers in S&T; (c) Consolidate existing and future campuses under a unified system of governance and management to ensure consistent quality standards and efficient operations; (d) Support the holistic development of scholars, faculty, and staff by facilitating and encouraging participation in international collaborations, local and international competitions, academic symposia, research projects, and other similar activities; and (e) Ensure that students with exceptional aptitude in science and mathematics are given equal scholarship opportunities to enroll in the PSHS System. SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act: (a) Administrative regions refer to the regions where the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) holds regional offices; (b) Careers in S&T refer to the pursuit of professions in the fields of basic and applied sciences, such as STEM education and other disciplines approved by the PSHS Board of Trustees created under this Act; (c) Philippine Science High Schools (PSHS) refer to secondary schools offering scholarship-based education to qualified students with exceptional aptitude in STEM to prepare them for careers in S&T; (d) Qualified students refer to those who qualify for admission through the PSHS National Competitive Examination or other similar admission processes approved by the Board, including, but not limited to, the Lateral Admission Qualifying Examination (LAQE), and Requirement for Admission, Criteria, and Evaluation (RACE); (e) Scholarship refers to the awards or grants for secondary education given by the PSHS to deserving students; (f) Term of office refers to the period fixed by this Act within which a public official may hold office. SEC. 5. Establishment and Expansion of the PSHS. - A PSHS System shall be established under the administrative supervision of the DOST composed of at least two (2) PSHS campuses in each administrative region of the country: Provided, That PSHS campuses within the same region shall not be situated in the same province or city in the case of the National Capital Region: Provided, further, That the establishment of additional campuses shall be subject to a comprehensive review based on need, demand, and other criteria determined by the PSHS Board. SEC. 6. PSHS System Campuses. - The PSHS System shall be composed of the existing PSHS campuses and future campuses that shall be established pursuant to this Act. The existing sixteen (16) campuses shall be known as follows: (a) Philippine Science High School - Main Campus in Diliman, Quezon City; (b) Philippine Science High School - Cordillera Administrative Region Campus in Baguio City, formerly Philippine Science High School - Cordillera Administrative Region Campus; (c) Philippine Science High School - Ilocos Region Campus in Ilocos Sur, formerly Philippine Science High School - Ilocos Region Campus; (d) Philippine Science High School - Cagayan Valley Campus in Nueva Vizcaya, formerly Philippine Science High School - Cagayan Valley Campus; (e) Philippine Science High School - Central Luzon Campus in Clark Freeport Zone, formerly Philippine Science High School - Central Luzon Campus; (f) Philippine Science High School - CALABARZON Region Campus in Batangas City, formerly Philippine Science High School - CALABARZON Region Campus; (g) Philippine Science High School - MIMAROPA Region Campus in Romblon, formerly Philippine Science High School - MIMAROPA Region Campus; (h) Philippine Science High School - Bicol Region Campus in Camarines Sur, formerly Philippine Science High School - Bicol Region Campus; (i) Philippine Science High School - Western Visayas Campus in Iloilo City, formerly Philippine Science High School - Western Visayas Campus; (j) Philippine Science High School - Central Visayas in Cebu, formerly Philippine Science High School - Central Visayas Campus; (k) Philippine Science High School - Eastern Visayas Campus in Leyte, formerly Philippine Science High School - Eastern Visayas Campus; (l) Philippine Science High School - Zamboanga Peninsula Region Campus in Dipolog City, formerly Philippine Science High School - Zamboanga Peninsula Region Campus; (m) Philippine Science High School - Northern Mindanao Campus in Lanao del Norte, formerly Philippine Science High School - Central Mindanao Campus; (n) Philippine Science High School - Davao Region Campus in Davao City, formerly Philippine Science High School - Southern Mindanao Campus; (o) Philippine Science High School - SOCCSKSARGEN Region Campus in Koronadal City,  formerly Philippine Science High School - SOCCSKSARGEN Region Campus; and (p) Philippine Science High School - CARAGA Region Campus in Butuan City, formerly Philippine Science High School - CARAGA Region Campus. A new Philippine Science High School campus in the Negros Island Region shall also be established. In the establishment of future PSHS campuses, the PSHS System Board of Trustees may consider the following locations: First District of Aklan; Polangui, Albay; Ubay, Bohol; Laoag City, Ilocos Norte; Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur; Third District of Cagayan; General Santos City, South Cotabato; and Bukidnon. SEC. 7. Restriction on the Conversion and Inclusion of High Schools into a PSHS Campus. - The conversion and inclusion of existing high schools into the PSHS System shall not be allowed. SEC. 8.