Senate minority lauds approval of law on free tuition in SUCs, vows to work on funding

August 5, 2017

The Senate minority bloc on Saturday lauded President Rodrigo Duterte’s signing of the landmark law granting universal access to college education.

"We laud the President's decision to sign the law even when there was some hesitation from his economic managers. The challenge now, however, is to ensure that the new law will be effectively and completely implemented in 112 state colleges and universities nationwide,” they said in a statement.

“The new law will only become a reality if government allocates enough and accessible funding for SUCs nationwide. The executive branch and Congress must work closely to make tertiary education accessible to all through tuition subsidies and financial assistance,” they stressed.

“We hope that his economic managers would not bungle its implementation. Their cooperation is crucial to ensuring the success of this landmark law

The Senate minority bloc is composed of Senators Franklin Drilon as the minority leader, Francis Pangilinan, Benigno Aquino IV, and Leila De Lima, all belonging to the Liberal Party; Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV; and Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros.

Congress provided P8.3 billion to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for tuition fee subsidy in the current General Appropriations Act.

But the Department of Budget and Management has removed provisions for free tuition in SUCs in the 2018 National Expenditures Program submitted to Congress during the President’s second State of the Nation Address.

Aquino the principal author and sponsor of the measure in the Senate, estimated the law would require about P20 to P25 billion to be implemented nationwide, way below Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno’s P100 billion estimate.

The minority bloc assured the public it would ensure that adequate budget would be included in the next year’s appropriation act.

“We are glad that the president saw just how important this law is to ensuring that every young Filipino will have a greater opportunity to finish their studies, and to improve their lives and that of their families," Drilon said.

Drilon also congratulated the "inspiring persistence and passion" of Aquino, who pushed for the passage of the bill even when he was stripped of chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture.

“I would like to thank my colleague Senator Aquino, for his pivotal role in this fight to bring quality education closer to all Filipinos, no matter their status or condition in life. This law will bring a positive effect to the lives of not only young Filipinos today, but in the years to come as well,” Drilon said.

Minority senators de Lima and Pangilinan also co-authored the law, he noted. DMS