PASIG City Rep. Roman Romulo urged the government not to push through with the planned implementation of a qualifying test to screen applicants for the free college program.

“We should not diminish dreams and hopes of aspiring, talented and intelligent deserving students who want a better life for their families,” Romulo said.

The lawmaker said that a standardized qualifying test is inequitable and harmful to the middle and working class.

Instead, he suggested a review process on the financial capability of families.

In this way, the amount of government support college students get will be determined by their actual need.

“I am opposed to the idea of having standardized qualifying tests for free tuition to public state universities,” Romulo said.

“What we need to set in place is a review process of the financial capability of families and set these as standards and guidelines on how much government support can be given to sustain the student until graduation,” he said.