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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Gov't spends another P3.8 B to fund tuition-free college program

Gov't spends another P3.8 B to fund tuition-free college program

Published Oct 25, 2023 02:04 am

At A Glance

  • The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released P3.84 billion for the government's tuition-free college education program.<br>The funding is specifically for the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education - Tertiary Education Subsidy (UAQTE-TES) under the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).<br>Approximately 141,000 eligible tertiary education students nationwide will benefit from the funding.<br> The aim is to support and develop the skills of the youth and democratize access to quality education.<br>President Bongbong Marcos has emphasized the importance of education and supporting the youth.<br>Free and subsidized tuition fees alleviate financial burdens and allow parents and working students to allocate their money to other essential needs.<br>The DBM will ensure that the program receives the necessary funding.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released nearly P4 billion to fund the government’s tuition-free college education program.

Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said she approved a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) amounting to P3.84 billion for the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education – Tertiary Education Subsidy (UAQTE-TES) last Sept. 29.

Pangandaman said the funding, which is under the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), will benefit around 141,000 eligible tertiary education students nationwide.

“Like I always say, our youth are the torchbearers of our future. That is why it’s important that we support them by developing their skills and uplifting their spirits,” Pangandaman said in a statement on Wednesday, Oct. 25.

“That is also the marching order of President Bongbong Marcos because he knows the importance of education So, on our part, we will continue to help democratize access to quality education,” she added.

Pangandaman explained that free and subsidized tuition fees are a big deal because they allow parents and working students to use their money for other important needs like food, electricity, water, and medical expenses.

“This will lighten the burden on their shoulders. DBM will ensure that this program will continue to get the funding it rightfully deserves,” the DBM chief added.

The amount released shall cover the payables of CHED to various Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs) in municipalities and cities with ‘No State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and No Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs)’ under the UAQTE-TES for Academic Year 2021-2022.

As of Dec. 31, 2022, the CHED-Higher Education Development Fund (HEDF) stood at P10.967 billion under Automatic Appropriations.

Before the recent release, the DBM had previously provided P799.098 million last Feb. 3 for CHED programs and projects. It also released P1 billion last Aug. 29 for the Student Monetary Assistance for Recovery and Transition (SMART) Program.

As a result, the estimated balance after the Sept. 29 release is approximately P5.33 billion.

As coordinated with CHED, the corresponding Notice of Allocation (NCA) may be requested upon obligation, subject to the submission of a Special Budget Request, together with the complete and consistent supporting documents.

RA No. 10931, also known as the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, promotes free tuition and other school fees in SUCs, LUCs, and State-Run Technical-Vocational Institutions (TVIs).

It also establishes the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) and Student Loan Program, strengthens the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education, and provides the necessary funding.

According to the law, all Filipino students who will enroll in courses leading to a bachelor's degree in any SUCs and LUCs will be exempted from paying tuition and other school fees.

The TES, meanwhile, is a grant-in-aid program of the government that supports the cost of tertiary education of Filipino students who enroll in their first undergraduate-post-secondary program in SUCs, LUCs, private HEIs, and TVIs.

It is one of the major components of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.

“Creating a progressive change in our society can only be achieved if we start to believe in the capabilities of these young people,” Pangandaman said.

Related Tags

free college education Department of Budget and Management Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman
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