By Jel Santos
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said it “fully” supports the TRAIN law, because it funds the Free Higher Education law that benefits students and their families.
CHED Commissioner Prospero de Vera III
(RTVM / MANILA BULLETIN)
CHED Commissioner Prospero De Vera said the “TRAIN law does not only increase the take-home pay of Filipinos by reducing income tax , but it also funds the Free Higher Education law that puts more money in the pockets of students and their families.”
He said that the Duterte Administration put close to P8 billion in the pockets of parents of around 900,000 students enrolled in 112 State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in the country from the Free Tuition initiative of the government in academic year 2017- 2018.
According to De Vera, P16 billion was added in the pockets of the families of some 1.3 million students in the 112 SUCs and 78 CHED-recognized Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) after President Duterte signed RA 10931 or the “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA)” law in August 2017.
He said Filipino families can now spend the money for their household needs.
“Some 300, 000 poor students will get an additional of P40, 000 to P60, 000 per year through the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES). With a funding of P16 billion, the TES will be used for their books, food and other education expenses in either public or private universities,” he said.
“The TES will provide more money in the pockets of students and their families.”
Aside from the aforementioned benefits, he said that the families will have extra money due to TRAIN law’s new income tax schedule.
“Individuals earning a gross annual income of P250, 000or less will have 0 percent tax rate. This leads to a greater take home pay for the average Filipino income earner,” he ended.