CHED URGED TO SIMPLIFY RULES FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION SUBSIDIES
/ 18 October 2025
SENATOR Bam Aquino has called on the Commission on Higher Education to simplify the policies governing the distribution of educational subsidies to tertiary students, saying this will ensure smoother and faster delivery of government assistance.
During the Senate deliberations on CHED’s proposed budget for next year, Aquino vowed to secure sufficient funding for the 3.5 million beneficiaries of the Free College Education Law in state universities and colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs), and private higher education institutions.
Aquino, who authored Republic Act No. 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, also pushed for the expansion of the program’s reach so that more students can benefit from free and subsidized college education.
Currently, around 2.2 million students enrolled in SUCs and LUCs are enjoying free tuition and other school fees under the law.
Meanwhile, about 1.3 million students in private colleges and universities receive financial support through the Tertiary Education Subsidy and the Tulong Dunong Program.
Aquino also urged CHED to release a clear and updated schedule of scholarship programs, including their target number of beneficiaries.
He said this would help the Senate monitor the implementation of the free college law and ensure adequate budget allocations in the coming years.
“The simpler the rules, the faster we can get assistance to students who need it most,” Aquino stressed, emphasizing the importance of accessibility and efficiency in delivering educational aid to Filipino learners.
