Palace: Duterte to consider economic managers’ views on free SUC tuition

President Rodrigo Duterte will first have to consult with his economic managers before deciding on the fate of a bill providing free tertiary education to students in state colleges and universities, Malacañang said on Thursday.

"The President will be asking from the economic managers — if and when [he decided on the matter] — how to go about it. You know the President had always wanted to give a comfortable life. And it has always been reflected doon sa mga programa ng ating Pangulo. Of course, sino ba ang may ayaw sana?" Presidential Communications Operations Office Assistant Secretary Marie Banaag said during a briefing in Malacañang.

Duterte in a media interview on Wednesday after giving a speech at the 113th founding anniversary of the Bureau of Internal Revenue said that he would decide on the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act before the deadline.

If the President does not act on it, the bill will lapse into law on August 5.

"If and when may mga advise na mahihirapan ang ating pamahalaan to cope up with it, he will consider that," she added.

Duterte's economic managers had already expressed opposition on the proposed bill, saying the government could not afford it.

Senator Franklin Drilon, who was invited to a meeting in Malacañang on Tuesday night, said that Budget Secretary Banjamin Diokno advised the President to veto Congress' proposal.

Banaag also pointed out that the government had to spend on a lot of things, particularly on the rehabilitation of Marawi City after it was attacked by pro-ISIS Maute group in May and on the repatriation of overseas Filipino workers.

"Maraming gastos, so nire-reconsider din ng ating Pangulo," she said. — MDM, GMA News