Section 1January 29, 1997, Sec./Art. 1

Section 4 of Republic Act No. 7687, otherwise known as the Science and Technology Scholarship Act of 1994, is hereby amended by adding sub-section 4-A to read as follows:

"Sec. 4-A. Science and Technology Human Resource Development Council. – A Science and Technology Human Resource Development Council is hereby created which shall be chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and shall be composed of the following members:

"The Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED);

"The Secretary of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS);

"The Director-General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA);

"The Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management Authority (DBM); and

"The President of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC).

"The Council shall perform the following functions:

"(1) Coordinate science and technology human resource development programs;

"(2) Formulate a medium-and long-term science and technology human resource development plan in accordance with the national medium-term plan;

"(3) Formulate broad policies for the allocations of science and technology scholarships;

"(4) Formulate policies on advanced degree programs for science and technology;

"(5) Formulate a career system for technologists and technicians to complement the scientific career system;

"(6) Formulate programs to train and retrain scientist, engineers, researchers and technologists and encourage them through various incentives, to return and practice their professions in the Philippines, to enhance and accelerate the technological development of the country; and

"(7) Perform other functions necessary to effectively implement the provisions of this Act.1aшphi1

"The science and technology human resource development plan shall be submitted to the President six (6) months after the effectivity of this Act. The Council shall have a term of four (4) years commencing from the effectivity of this Act, unless otherwise extended by Congress."