A Metro Manila congressman is eyeing a P5,000 annual allowance for all qualified students enrolled in public and private schools, covering elementary, high school, and college.

Not only that, but Parañaque City 2nd district Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan is also proposing a P10,000 incentive for students who have excelled academically.

Yamsuan's proposed stipends are provided for in House Bill (HB) 2657, which aims to equip Filipino students with the resources they need and to encourage them to stay in school and complete their education.

“The stipend we are proposing should not be seen as a doleout. Hindi po ito ayuda kundi investment in our country’s greatest asset—our people, most especially our youth,” he said.

HB No.2657 or the proposed BAON Para sa Estudyante Act covers students in the elementary, junior and senior high school, and college levels enrolled in all public and private schools, including learners under the Alternative Learning System (ALS).

Under it, each qualified student shall receive an annual stipend of P5,000, while those recognized as dean’s listers will be given P10,000 each at the start of every school year.

“I am reminded of the proverb that says ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.’ The BAON Para sa Estudyante Act is a program that would enable our students to learn how to fish. We are simply equipping our children with the means to shape their own future and create opportunities for themselves and their communities,” explained Yamsuan.

He said BAON stands for "Bigay Ayuda at Oportunidad sa Nakababata".

Yamsuan said funding his proposal may come at a high price for the government, but the return on this investment---a well-informed, educated citizenry from which the nation will choose its future leaders--far outweighs the cost that it would entail.

The bill contains a provision that directs the Department of Education (DepEd), and the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) “to study and consider the adoption of a tiered system based on income brackets to ensure that students with the most urgent financial need are prioritized".

“At the core of this bill is my simple belief that quality education includes access to the resources needed for learning. While tuition is free in public schools and students may be granted with free tuition as scholars in private institutions, the cost of other school-related expenses such as uniforms, food, transportation, books and other learning materials, remains a heavy burden for many families,” Yamsuan said.

Speaking from experience, Yamsuan recalled that even as a scholar in college, he had to work part time to be able to cover his school expenses.

He said the localized implementation of his proposed BAON Para Sa Estudyante Act in Parañaque’s second district has demonstrated how students in dire financial straits were able to continue with their studies. Some 3,600 students have so far benefited from it, according to the solon.

BAON has also helped ease the economic woes of solo parents in the district.

“Other student beneficiaries said the grant will help them cover expenses for transportation and food during their final examinations, and school supplies needed for degree programs that require additional materials, such as courses in architecture and engineering,” Yamsuan said.

For school year 2025-2026, DepEd said its latest available data showed 24.9 million enrollees in the elementary, junior high school, and senior high school levels.