Senate approves free tuition in SUCs

Students enrolled in state universities and colleges (SUCs) may soon be able to avail of free tuition after the Senate on Monday approved on third and final reading the proposed Affordable Higher Education for All Act.

The proposal passed the Senate with a vote of 18-0. The measure was authored by 10 senators led by Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, former chairman of the education committee.

“In line with the mandate of our Constitution, the State must uphold the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels,” Aquino earlier said.

At present, the senator said about 1,645,566 students are enrolled in different SUCs, where the average weighted annual tuition is P9,407.

If enacted into law, Aquino said the government will shell out around P16 billion every year to subsidize tuition fees in SUCs.

Aquino earlier said in a News To Go interview that the proposed law will cover 30 percent of the expenses of college students.

Under the bill, all Filipino citizens currently enrolled at SUCs and other covered institutions, as well as those who will enroll in the future in courses in pursuance of a bachelor's degree, certificate degree, or any comparable undergraduate degree in any SUC can qualify for the tuition subsidy “provided that they meet the admission requirements of the SUC.”

In line with this, the bill would establish an SUC Tuition Subsidy Fund, a fund for the implementation of the full tuition subsidy for eligible students, which will be administered by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

“This bill is for the Filipino youth who are struggling to finish their college education, and as well as their parents who are working hard to pay for the expenses of their schooling,” Aquino said. —ALG, GMA News