The Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why support the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act?t

This measure is an investment in the future of our youth and in the Filipino family. This measure allows more
Filipinos to afford a college education or technical-vocational course, which should open up more opportunities for
employment and livelihood. A free tertiary education also relieves parents and breadwinners of a major expense,
allowing them to spend on other needs, like healthcare and housing, or set aside more for savings.

Who will get free tuition in the current version of the law?

All students who are enrolled or will enroll in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), accredited Local Universities
and Colleges (LUCs), and publicly-run Technical-Vocational Institutions (TVIs) are entitled to a tuition and other
fees-free education as long as they fulfill the admission and retention standards of the schools and this measure.

Who are not eligible to a tuition-free post secondary education?

 For SUCs and LUCs:

 Students who already have a bachelor’s degree, or comparable undergraduate degree, who failed to comply
with the admission and retention standards of the SUC/LUC,
 Students who failed to complete the degree program within a year more after the prescribed period of the
program are no longer qualified for the free tuition.

 For state-run TVIs:

 Students who already have a bachelor’s degree or any comparable undergraduate degree or diploma for
techvoc courses equivalent to National Certificate (NC) III
 Students who failed any course within the techvoc program.

The students in this list can still enroll in their respective schools, but they would have to pay for the tuition and
other fees.

What is StuFAP? What does it cover?

Student Financial Assistance Programs (StuFAPs) are programs that provide financial assistance to students.
StuFAPs come in 3 forms- scholarships, grant-in-aid programs, and student loans.

The Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) for Filipino Students is a fund that is created to strengthen the StuFAPs. This
will be the fund that will be utilized to provide assistance to students in need who are enrolled in higher education
institutions. This will be administered by the Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education
(UniFAST).

Accessing this fund is different from the free tuition scheme in SUCs, LUCs, and state-run TVIs.

What is the loan program?

One of the new features of the bill is the creation of a pool of money for student loans. The student loan program
will be available to all Filipinos to supplement other costs that are brought about by studying in a Higher Education
Institution (HEI) or TVI or to address unexpected situations to ensure that students will not drop out of school. This
pool of money will be facilitated by the UniFAST.

What is the status of the bill? When will this be rolled out?

The Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act was signed into law by President Duterte on August 3,
2017. (The bicameral conference report was ratified by both houses last May 30, 2017.)

The legislators intend for the law to be implemented in time for the second semester 2017-2018.

Common Concerns & Misconceptions

1) “Free tuition is a subsidy for the rich”

It is true that only 12% of the poorest of the poor are in SUCs. The large percent of the poorest of the poor aren’t in
college because of financial and other limitations. But what the bill hopes to do is support the majority of SUC
students who may not be of the “poorest of the poor” but still face financial difficulties in paying for a higher
education.

These are some estimates based on data from the Annual Poverty Indicator Survey (APIS) 2014:

 49% of students in SUCs come from the bottom 50% of the population, from income levels determined by
PIDS to need full support (tuition + other educational expenses + living allowance) to finish college.
 Up to 71% of students in SUCs come from families that do not have disposable income, with monthly
family income of approx. P27,000 or less. Their families are struggling to send their children to school.
 On the other hand, only up to 28% of students in SUCs come from families that can COMFORTABLY
send ONE child to school, with monthly family income of more than P29,000.
 Only up to 17% of students in SUCs come from families with monthly family income higher than P40,000.
 Only up to 7% of students in SUCs come from families with monthly family income of more than P78,000.

Based on another report from Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) providing data
from 58 SUCs, 77% of students enrolled in SUCs have family income within the minimum wage range or lower.

Based on APIS 2014, 40.7% of students aged 16 to 17 will not continue their studies because of financial concerns
or high cost of education. This is the reason why only 1 out of 4 students who enter college will graduate.

SUC students who can afford the tuition have the option to opt-out of free tuition, and pay the full tuition fee
instead.

2) We need to focus on basic education before we focus on college-level.

We are not taking away any of the budget from K-12 implementation.

The budget that is allocated for K-12 implementation, as coursed through the Department of Education, will remain
intact to continue improving basic education facilities like building more classrooms, hiring more teachers, and
improving the overall quality of K-12 delivery.

The budget for free tuition in SUCs will come through a different budget allocation and will be coursed through
CHED and SUCs. Reforms in the higher education sector are complementary to the reforms in the basic education.

3) Students and their families won’t value their education anymore because it’s free.
Students are still subject to admission and retention standards of the schools they enroll in and will not be able to
avail of their free education should they get a failing mark. Students would need to pass their subjects and study hard
to secure that college diploma.

We are hopeful that students will value their education not just because of how much money was spent but also
because of the opportunities it will open up once students graduate. Many Filipino families believe that a college
education is key to unlocking higher paying jobs and a more prosperous future.

4) SUCs will have less money for salaries.

Salaries of SUC staff come from the budget for Personal Services, which each SUC receives directly from the
General Appropriations Act.

The SUCs will receive their budget, including the budget for free tuition and miscellaneous fees, from the
Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

SUCs will still receive the same amount of money that they would receive if they were collecting tuition from
students.

5) SUCs might raise miscellaneous fees to earn money from students.

SUCs and government-run TVIs will not be allowed to charge the students with tuition and other fees, including
miscellaneous fees.

6) Is Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act sustainable?

As long as education remains a priority, the government should be able to allocate a budget for free college
education.

Due to the economic performance of our country in the past years, we are now enjoying a more robust budget. Our
budget is set to grow by around 10% annually and the money used for subsidizing higher education for all SUC
students is only a fraction in the increase in national budget.

Lastly, almost all Senators are committed to push for this bill, and since the power of the purse is in Congress, it
means a commitment to allocate funding in the next budget cycle.

FAQs from Parents & Students

1) Can I still apply for other scholarships, grants in aid and loan?

Yes. To cover book costs, transport, board and lodging, etcetera, you can still apply for other scholarships through
different StuFAP programs or private scholarships.

The free tuition does not prevent you from applying for other scholarships.

2) What if I do not pass the entrance exam? Puwede bang magbayad na lang ng tuition fee?

No. To enter the university you must pass the entrance examination even if you will opt-out of the free tuition and
pay.

3) SUCs might start accepting too many students, bringing down the quality of education.
SUCs will not be allowed to accept more students than their facilities and teaching staff can handle. They are limited
to their currently set student population, until they can justify the expansion of their facilities.

If the SUC wants to increase their student population, they would need to defend it before Congress and CHED
during their budget deliberations.

FAQs from Schools

1) Can SUCs still apply for other budget allocation for our school?

Yes! SUCs can still apply for capital outlays, maintenance and other operating expenses, and personnel services by
submitting a proposal during the deliberation period for the General Appropriations Act (the National Budget) for
whatever expansion or project your school has.

For Local Universities and Colleges, the primary source of the budget will still be from the local council. If
qualified, the CHED will just cover the tuition and other fees of students enrolled, but the rest of the expenses will
still be sourced through the local council.

For TVIs, the budget will still be under the TESDA. Acquisition of new equipment or expansion of a program will
still be the discretion of the head agency.

2) Where do the schools get the tuition allocation?

The SUCs will receive their budget directly from DBM. The budget for LUCs will be coursed through CHED. And
the budget for TVIs will be coursed through TESDA.

A Guide to the Universal Access to Tertiary Education Act of 2017

It’s been two weeks since President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act (R.A.) No. 10931, or
the Universal Access to Tertiary Education Act of 2017. Talks have all but subsided, yet people
are still unsure as to what it is, who can (and consequently cannot) avail of it, and arguably the
most important point of all: when it starts.

We’re not legal experts so you can still consult your lawyer friend if you want, but if you don’t
have time to do so, here’s our guide to R.A. 10931:

What is it?
In simple terms, R.A. 10931 gives anyone enrolled in a state university or college (SUC),
CHED-recognized local college or university (LCU), or a state-run technical-vocational
institution (TVI) a pass when it comes to paying their tuition and other school fees under
Sections 4 and 5 of R.A. 10931. For the record, there are 112 SUCs in the country, according to a
2016 report by CHED, so let’s leave it at that.

The tuition fee is straightforward, so we’ll leave it at that. The phrase “other school fees”, on the
other hand, are as follows (taken from Paragraph H, Sec. 3):
  library fees
 computer fees
 laboratory fees
 school ID fees
 athletic fees
 admission fees
 development fees
 guidance fees
 handbook fees
 entrance fees
 registration fees
 medical and dental fees
 cultural fees
 other similar or related fees

This means one thing: come the first term of 2018-2019, if you’re enrolled in an SUC, LCU, or
TVI, all you need to pay for is your food, transportation, and lodging (if applicable). Books and
other requirements set by your instructors will not be covered, but there are ways around that,
which we will leave for another day.

The main agency in charge of implementing R.A. 10931 is the Unified Student Financial
Assistance for Tertiary Education or UniFAST Board, which falls under the eyes of the
Commission on Higher Education.

Who can (and cannot) avail?

Obviously, you can’t just walk to an SUC/LCU/TVI and demand they let you take your degree
or tech-voc course. There are requirements which should be met, first of which is you have to be
a Filipino student.

For SUCs and LCUs:

– Pass the entrance exam and complete the requirements for admission
– Comply with retention policies set by the university or college
– Not have an existing bachelor’s degree or comparable undergraduate degree
– Finish your degree either on time or a year after you’re supposed to graduate

For state-run TVIs:

– Should not have a bachelor’s degree
– Should not have completed a tech-voc course equivalent to at least a National Certificate III
(NCIII) or above
– Should not have failed in any course during your time at the TVI

If you don’t meet these requirements, you’ll be asked to pay for tuition and other school fees.
Simple as that.
What if I’m enrolled in a private school or don’t have access to an
SUC/LCU/state-run TVI?
Apart from the Student Loan Program for Tertiary Education in Sec. 8, Sec. 7 of R.A. 10931 also
gives any Filipino student access to a Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES).

As the name implies, it’s a government subsidy that covers your tuition and other school fees in
private schools or TVIs operated by your local government. This subsidy is equivalent to the
tuition and other school fees of the nearest SUC or state-run TVI in your area.

It also gives you access to an allowance for books, supplies, transportation, and other personal
and education-related expenses, which happens to include a “reasonable allowance for the
documented rental or purchase of a personal computer or laptop.” A separate allowance will be
given for board and lodging.

However, not everyone can avail of the TES. If your town or city has an existing SUC or CHED-
accredited LCU campus, then you can’t avail of TES. There’s also the matter of a priority list,
ranked as follows:

1. Students who are part of the households under the Department of Social Welfare and
Development’s (DSWD) Listahan 2.0, ranked according to your per capita household
income
2. Students not part of Listahan 2.0, still ranked according to your per capita household
income

Both the TES and student loans will be determined and monitored by the UniFAST Board.

CHED asked to consider requiring

financially able students to pay tuition
Albay 1st District Representative Edcel Lagman argues the free tuition law is 'social justice
legislation' that must benefit who it is intended for – the poor

FREE TUITION LAW. CHED Commissioner Prospero de Vera III and Chairperson Patricia
Licuanan face the House appropriations committee on August 10, 2017. Photo by Mara
Cepeda/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – Lawmakers want the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to

explore the possibility of requiring financially able students to pay for their tuition in state
universities and colleges (SUCs) under the new law.
Albay 1st District Representative Edcel Lagman made the appeal to CHED as it defended its
proposed P13.523-billion budget for 2018 before the House appropriations committee on
Thursday, August 10.

Lagman asked CHED Chairperson Patricia Licuanan to conduct a study if it would be better for
students from middle to upper classes to be required to pay for their own tuition instead of just
giving them the choice to voluntarily opt out of the provisions under the Universal Access to
Quality Tertiary Education Act.

"I'm just getting information or data or some standards where some students who can afford to
pay may not avail of this program not just on a voluntary basis but as part of the law, because
this is a social justice legislation," said Lagman.

Bagong Henerasyon Representative Bernadette Herrera-Dy also suggested CHED may look at
the University of the Philippines' bracketing system as a model for the free tuition law's
implementing rules and regulations.

"I'm a product of UP, but of course, I think the bracket system is effective in the sense that if I
know that my parents can pay for it, then what I can pay for can subsidize other students who
cannot pay for their college tuition," said Dy in Filipino.

Licuanan said CHED would look into the suggestions. (READ: Who will benefit from the free
tuition law?)

"If perhaps this is something that the Congress decides that it wants to do, then some study has to
be done," she said.

The CHED chairperson, however, said the current form of Republic Act (RA) No. 10931
mandates the government to offer free tuition for all in SUCs, whether poor or rich students.

"Right now, as the law stands, I think it was intended that it be applied to everyone. And so as
I've said, if we are to implement the law as it is, that's what we have to do," said Licuanan.

CHED's proposed budget for 2018 currently does not contain allocations for the implementation
of RA 10931. President Rodrigo Duterte was not expected to sign it into law, given his economic
managers' strong opposition to the measure.

CHED Commissioner Prospero de Vera III said the government would spend an estimated P16.8
billion for the first year of implementation of the free tuition law in 112 SUCs. Another P3
billion to P4 billion will be used for technical-vocational education.

House appropriations panel chairperson Karlo Nograles said they are considering realigning part
of the budgets of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department
of Agrarian Reform, and Department of Transportation to help fund the measure.
De Vera said SUCs may also be asked to tighten their admission policies in order to stem
possible effects of the free tuition law.

Who can avail of free college tuition under

new law?
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into a law a bill granting free tuition and other
fees for students in state universities and colleges (SUCs), as well as local universities and
colleges (LUCs) and technical-vocational institutions (TVIs).

According to Republic Act 10931 or the “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act”,
the following are eligible for free tuition and other school fees:

1. Students in SUCs and LUCs, provided that they passed the entrance examination and other
admission and retention requirements

- SUCs refer to public higher education institutions established by national laws which are
financed and maintained by the national government and are governed by their respective
independent boards of trustees or regents.

- LUCs refer to Commission on Higher Education-accredited public higher education institutions

established by local government units through an enabling ordinance financially supported by the
LGU concerned.

2. Students in state-run technical-vocational institutions (TVIs) under the Technical Education

and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). TVIs provide non-degree programs aimed at
preparing technicians, paraprofessionals and other categories of middle-level workers.

The law also provides a mechanism for students with financial capacity who want to opt out of
the subsidy program for tuition and other fees. SUCs, LUCs, and state-run TVIs shall report the
tuition payments and contributions collected to CHED and TESDA, respectively.

Meanwhile the following are ineligible to avail of the free tertiary education:

1. In SUCs and LUCs:

- Students who have already attained a bachelor’s degree or comparable undergraduate degree
from ay higher education institution whether public or private.

- Students who fail to comply with the admission and retention policies of the SUC or LUC.
- Students who fail to complete their bachelor’s degree or comparable undergraduate degree
within a year after the period prescribed in their program.

2. In state-run TVIs:

- Students who have obtained a bachelor’s degree as well as those who have received a
certificate or diploma for a technical-vocational course equivalent to at least National Certificate
III and above.

- Students who fail in any course enrolled in during the course of the program.

The law states that students ineligible of the free tertiary education shall be charged the tuition
and other school fees, as determined by the respective boards of the SUCs and LUCs, and in the
case of state-run TVIs, to be determined by the TESDA.

SUPPORTING THE COST OF TERTIARY EDUCATION

The law also provides support even for students who are studying in private higher education
institutions.

Section 7 of the law states that a tertiary education subsidy shall be established for Filipino
students enrolled or who shall enroll in undergraduate post-secondary programs of SUCs, LUCs,
private higher education institutions, and private and state-run technical-vocational institutions.

The tertiary education subsidy may cover the following:

1. Tuition and other school fees in private HEIs and private or LGU-operated TVIs which shall
be equivalent to the tuition and other school fees of the nearest SUC or state-run TVI in their
respective areas.

2. Allowance for books, supplies, transportation and miscellaneous personal expenses, including
a reasonable allowance for documented rental or purchase of personal computer or laptop and
other education-related expenses.

3. Allowance for room and board costs incurred by the student

Allowance for expenses related to the disability of a disabled student.

4. One-time cost of obtaining the first professional credentials or qualifications.

According to the law, the subsidy shall be administered by the Unified Student Financial
Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) board.

UniFAST refers to the harmonized state-run and administered system of higher education and
technical-vocational scholarships, grants-in-aid student loans, and other modalities of student
financial assistance program under Republic Act No. 10687.
Priority shall be given to students who are part of households included in the Listahanan 2.0
ranked according to the estimated per capita household income.

Students who are not part of Listahanan 2.0 will be ranked based on their submitted
documentation of proof of income.

Such prioritization, however, shall not apply to Filipino students in areas with no existing SUC
or LUC campus.

Listahanan 2.0 refers to the information management of the Department of Social Welfare and
Development that identifies the countries poorest.

STUDENT LOAN PROGRAM

The law also provides for the creation of a student loan program for tertiary education which
shall be administered by the UniFAST Board. The amount necessary to fund the program shall
be included in the budget of CHED and TESDA.

Those who availed of the loan for their undergraduate degrees may still avail of another cycle of
student loan for their pursuit of graduate studies, including medicine and law only after they have
fully paid the previously availed loan.

Those who did not avail of the loan program for their undergraduate studies may avail of it to
pursue graduate studies, including medicine and law.

Those who did not avail of the loan for their undergraduate studies may avail of the loan
program for their review expenses for licensure examinations administered by the Professional
Regulation Commission.

Repayment of the loan amount or a percentage thereof will be incorporated in the person’s
monthly Social Security System (SSS) or Government Service Insurance System (GSIS)
contribution. The schedule of the repayment and the interest rates shall be formulated by the
UniFAST Board.

Payment of the loan amount shall begin “once the beneficiary secures any gainful employment
with compensation, remuneration or earnings that reaches the Compulsory Repayment
Threshold.

Duterte’s economic team had wanted him to veto the law, citing the costs providing free
education in state-run institutions will entail.

However, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra, who announced Duterte’s
decision to sign the bill into a law, said “free tertiary education in SUCs is a very strong pillar or
cornerstone of the President’s social development policy.”
“He weighed everything and came to the conclusion that the long-term benefits that will be
derived from the well-developed tertiary education on the part of the citizenry will definitely
outweigh any short-term budgetary challenges,” Guevarra added.

Duterte signs bill granting free tuition in

SUCs
MANILA - (UPDATE 3) President Rodrigo Duterte has signed the bill granting free tuition in
state colleges and universities, Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra said.

Duterte signed the law ahead of the 30-day period given under the Constitution before the bill
lapses into a law.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, reacting to the passage of the bill, emphasized that it will be
"prospective, not retroactive."

He said he will first have to estimate the cost of the program's implementation in the first
semester of school year 2018-2019 to determine how much can be funded from the 2018 budget.

"We may have to consider disallowing use of income by SUCs. If worse comes to worst, we may
consider asking for supplemental budget," he said in a statement.

The President signed the bill despite the reluctance of some members of his economic team on
the proposed measure due to the cost that will be entailed in funding free tertiary education.

Guevarra, however, said the President considered the long-term benefits that the free tuition and
other fees will give to the public.

“Free tertiary education in SUCs is a very strong pillar or cornerstone of the President’s social
development policy,” Guevarra said in a news conference in Pasay City.

“He weighed everything and came to the conclusion that the long-term benefits that will be
derived from the well-developed tertiary education on the part of the citizenry will definitely
outweigh any short-term budgetary challenges.”

Diokno earlier said the government may not be able to shoulder the cost of granting free tuition
in SUCs. He said the government may have to shell out P100 billion annually if the bill passes
into law.

Guevarra, however, said Diokno’s estimate may have been based on the the assumption that all
the aspects of the law, including the non-mandatory provisions, will be implemented all at the
same time.
Citing data from the Commission on Higher Education, Guevarra said an initial amount of P16
billion may be needed to fund the mandatory provisions of the law, such as the grant of free
tuition and miscellaneous fees.

“That’s manageable,” he said in a chance interview.

He added that Congress, which is now deliberating the proposed budget for 2018, will now have
to put into consideration the newly passed law.

“The President has already submitted the National Expenditure Program, but during the budget
deliberations, anything can still happen. Certain adjustments can be made, possibly a reallocation
can be done,” Guevarra said.

He added the government is also hoping to get official development assistance and grants from
local and international donors for the implementation of the law.

While the law will take effect 15 days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation,
the benefits under it may be felt in the next enrolment.

Guevarra said the grant of other educational expenses such as books, board and lodging, student
loans, and scholarships, will have to be subsidized by a fund to be established by the Unified
Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UNIFAST) board.

“As far as I understand, these are not the mandatory provisions. When the student enrols in a
state college, it does not mean he will have all of this at the same time,” he said.

He also noted that those who will be given free educational expenses apart from tuition should
belong to the “bottom 20 percent” of the student population.

Can gov't shoulder free college tuition?

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday disagreed with Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno's
claim that the government cannot shoulder the cost of the proposed free tuition in state
universities and colleges (SUCs).

"(Diokno's) figure is way off the mark," Gatchalian, Senate Committee on Education vice
chairman, said in a statement.

Diokno earlier said the free tertiary education program will cost the government P100 billion
annually.

The cost of subsidizing tuition in public technical-vocational institutions, and state universities
and colleges is approximately P30 billion, Gatchalian said.
"Certainly, the government can afford to make this investment for the benefit of millions of
young Filipinos," he said.

Socioeconomic and Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia's conclusion that subsidizing tuition in
state universities and colleges would have minimal impact is also wrong, Gatchalian, an
administration ally, said.

"By lessening the burden of educational costs on working-class households, we are giving them
the chance to build a secure and happy future for themselves and their families," Gatchlian said.

"This is in line with the country's long-term socioeconomic goal of building a strong middle-
income society," he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to sign into law the legislative measure that would guarantee
free tuition in state universities and colleges.

"I will decide before the deadline," Duterte told reporters at the sidelines of the Bureau of
Internal Revenue's anniversary celebration in Quezon City.

Economic experts 'disappointed' after

Duterte OKs free tuition in SUCs
"The approval is disappointing given the powerful arguments advanced by his economic
managers about the anti-poor aspects of the law," FEF president Calixto Chikiamco said.

He added: "However, he's in the best position to balance the economic and political demands of
his office, especially so in the light of a much-needed tax reform bill still pending in the Senate."

Members of FEF – a public advocacy organization – include former and present Cabinet
secretaries and undersecretaries, leading figures in the academe, respected media personalities
and opinion makers, and prominent members in the business and finance community.

FEF had earlier called the proposal to increase funding for free tuition in SUCs as "anti-poor"
and a move that will hurt private higher education institutions.

In a February 6 statement, the group said funding free tuition in SUCs is anti-poor for two
reasons:

 it considers only tuition in the cost of higher education

 it will benefit higher income students who are more academically prepared than students from
poor families.
Duterte signed the bill into law on Thursday, August 3, following a meeting between lawmakers
and economic managers in Malacañang.

According to Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra, Duterte was convinced that
the law's benefits outweigh the cost of its implementation

Earlier this week, no less than Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said government cannot
shoulder the estimated budget requirements of providing free tuition in state universities and
colleges.

"We estimate that the cost of this bill, it will cost us something around P100 billion. Hindi po
kaya ng gobyerno 'yan (The government cannot shoulder that)," he said.

Some lawmakers later argued that figures shown by the economic managers were misleading and
that only around P14 billion would be needed to fund the law.

A study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies sided with the President's economic
managers, pointing out that the measure could result in poor families subsidizing students from
richer families.

On Friday, Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Judy Taguiwalo lauded
the passage of the bill.

"This is a very positive step forward in our collective efforts as a people to democratize access to
education and help ease the financial burdens of so many Filipinos who want to improve the
quality of their lives and their chances at a better future by gaining college degrees," Taguiwalo
said in a statement.

Herself a college professor at the University of the Philippines prior to her appointment,
Taguiwalo congratulated the students and parents who rallied for free college education.

"We deeply recognize the value of education and with the passage of this law, we hope more
Filipinos will become empowered to build better futures for themselves, their families, and this
country," she said.

Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor Chairperson Terry Ridon also thanked the President
for signing the measure. Ridon has campaigned for free education as representative of the
Kabataan Party-list in the House of Representatives.

"Millions of urban poor families aspiring for a better future of the children and families will
benefit from the new law. In fact, this is a culmination of decades of struggle of the student and
youth movement in the Philippines," he said.

"As we enter the golden age of infrastructure under the Build Build Build program, it is in the
best interest of the nation to have new engineers and professionals from our state schools
contributing their talent and expertise to the development of the country," he added.