SENATOR Raffy Tulfo has filed a bill seeking to establish a comprehensive tertiary student welfare and development program aimed at strengthening support systems for college students.

Tulfo’s Senate Bill No. 1536, or the proposed Tertiary Student Welfare and Development Act, seeks to ensure broader access to mental health services, as well as expanded career and employment opportunities for students in higher education.

The measure proposes the creation of a Comprehensive Tertiary Student Welfare and Development Program that builds on—but operates independently from—the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.

It is anchored on three key pillars: expanded and more equitable financial support through an enhanced Tertiary Education Subsidy; the institutionalization of mental health and wellness services in all higher education institutions; and structured education-to-employment pathways, including government-supported internships, licensure exam assistance, and career placement programs.

Tulfo stressed that by aligning financial assistance with mental health care and concrete career opportunities, the measure ensures that free education is not only an end in itself, but also a pathway to dignity, well-being, and meaningful participation in national development.