Bicam: P2-B Tulong Dunong budget for 2026 to fall under CHED

The P2-billion fund for the Tulong Dunong Program will be placed under the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), according to a decision made on Saturday by Senate and House members reviewing the proposed 2026 national budget. 

“The Tulong Dunong Program in each [state] university will be transferred to CHED,” Senate Finance panel chairperson Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said during the first-ever live-streamed bicameral conference committee hearing.

It was House appropriations committee chairperson and Nueva Ecija 1st District Representative Mika Suansing who recommended centralizing all Tulong Dunong funds under CHED.

The program aims to ease the financial burden of financially challenged students pursuing higher education by providing stipends to cover tuition, living costs, and school expenses.

Beneficiaries receive P7,500 per semester or P15,000 per academic year. 

They should come from a family with less than P400,000 combined household gross income and should not be overstaying in the program.

During the deliberations, Palawan 2nd District Representative Jose Alvarez said the Tulong Dulong subsidy should be given not only to poor students but also to “deserving” ones who have high academic standing.

Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez said the financial assistance should not be poured into state universities and colleges, as their students are already covered by free tuition.

Rodriguez also expressed concern about the lack of Tulong Dulong allocations for Mindanao, noting that it is home to six of the country's poorest provinces. — VBL, GMA Integrated News