CHR supports bill on 'voucher system' for poor but academically qualified students

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) welcomed the passage on third and final reading of House Bill (HB) No. 7922 or "An Act Establishing A Voucher System for Poor and Academically Qualified Students of Private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Private Technical-Vocational Institutions (TVIs)."

Under the proposed law, the CHR said the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Board will administer a portable voucher system that will allow beneficiaries to study in private HEIS and TVIs in cities and municipalities where there are existing state universities and colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs), and public TVIs.

It said the bill seeks to amend Section 3 of the Republic Act No. 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA) by adding certain provisions that will provide a voucher system for poor and academically qualified students enrolled in private HEIs and TVIs.

This will be a positive step in ensuring that deserving Filipino students would have access to quality education, it also said as it pointed out that the bill is extremely crucial now that the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has approved its most recent round of tuition and other fee increases.

It cited that more than 50 private tertiary education institutions raised their tuition fees by an average of 4.74 percent. It also cited that stringent application and acceptance processes were imposed in various SUCs and LUCs due to the limited number of students these schools could accommodate, leaving other students with no choice but to enroll in other private HEIs and TVIs to pursue their undergraduate or technical-vocational studies.

"The proposed bill is a concrete way to uphold this right, especially of underprivileged qualified students, to help ensure that no student is left behind. Regardless of financial capacity or socio-economic background, all students must have access to quality higher education that promotes holistic development for the purpose of instilling the imperative role of Filipino youth in nation-building," the CHR said.

The CHR has commended some of the principal authors of the bill -- lawmakers Lani Mercado Revilla, Luis Raymund "LRay" Villafuerte, Salvador Pleyto, Manuel Jose M. Dalipe, and Jocelyn Sy Limkaichong, among others -- for making higher education more accessible to Filipinos.

With the "overwhelming" votes garnered by the bill, the CHR expressed hopes for the swift passage into law that would help ensure quality and inclusive education for everyone.