Senator Bam Aquino on Friday vowed to expand the number of college students benefiting from the free tertiary education law under the proposed 2026 national budget.
Aquino, the principal author of Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, assured that the government will continue supporting the current 3.5 million beneficiaries.
“We will push for more scholarships and ito pong 3.5 million students na may suporta sa gobyerno, we will do our best na itaas pa ito,”
Aquino said during the budget hearing of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
According to Aquino, about 2.2 million students enrolled in state and local universities and colleges (SUCs and LUCs) are covered by the law, while another 1.3 million students in private universities receive assistance through the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) and the Tulong Dunong Program (TDP).
He urged CHED to release a clear schedule of scholarship programs and the target number of beneficiaries to help the Senate monitor funding and ensure the program’s sustainability.
Aquino also called on CHED to simplify the guidelines for TES and TDP to reach more students from low-income and near-poor families.
“Iyong mga nasa poverty or slightly above the poverty line, kailangan pa rin ng tulong. Marami pong nangangailangan,” he said.