YOUTH leaders on Monday strongly opposed the statement of President Rodrigo Duterte that one of his administration’s achievements was the passage of the free college education law.

Kabataan Partylist National Spokesperson Raoul Manuel said that the youth do not owe Duterte anything.

“Una, hindi utang na loob ng kabataan kay Du30 ang free educ program kasi ipinaglaban iyan ng kabataan for years,” Manuel said in a tweet.

In 2017, Duterte signed the Universal Access for Tertiary Education Act which seeks to provide free tuition for students in 112 state universities and colleges.

In his final State of the Nation Address on Monday, Duterte said that he fulfilled most of his promises to the Filipino people, particularly in education and health.

“When I ran for the presidency, I just made fundamental processes and strangely you can count them by the fingers of your hand. To offer free education, the universal healthcare, nandiyan na po,” Duterte said.

“My administration has worked with the  Congress to pass a landmark legislation that had remained unpassed for so many years. The Universal Access for Tertiary Education Act, which provides free education to college students in state universities,” he added.

Manuel stressed that Duterte did not change the education system in the country as it remains commercialized.

“Pangalawa, hindi binago ng rehimen ang pagiging commercialized ng educ system. Tinatrato pa rin bilang negosyo ang edukasyon sa bansa,” he said.

Meanwhile, League of the Filipino Students National Spokesperson Carwyn Candila argued that the series of protest actions conducted by the students was the reason for the passage of the law.

“The youth is not, and shouldn’t be, thankful to Duterte for free education. Masang kabataan ang nagprotesta, nag-walk out, nangalampag, at literal na binatengga ang CHED para matamasa nila ang libreng edukasyon. Si Duterte lamang ang pumirma. Ang kabataang Pilipino ang nakibaka,” Candila said.