THE SENATE on Monday approved a measure making college entrance exams free for qualified Filipino students.

Senators, voting 22-0-0, approved on third and final reading Senate Bill No. 2441 or the proposed Free College Entrance Examinations Act, which would waive entrance examination fees in private higher educational institutions for disadvantaged graduates or graduating students who show potential for academic excellence.

“This free exam can be a recruiting tool aimed at the best and the brightest,” said Sen. Francis Escudero, chairperson of the Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education and sponsor of SBN 2441.

“The fee that we’re waiving is minimal, and this bill is supported by the association of private schools as well,” Escudero added.

The measure consolidates the bills filed by Senators Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., Mark Villar, Manuel Lapid, Christopher Lawrence Go, and Raffy Tulfo.

Under the Free College Entrance Examinations Bill, students are exempt from paying examination fees if they: are natural-born Filipino students; belong to the top 10 percent of their graduating class; and, belong to a family whose combined household income falls below the poverty threshold as defined by the National Economic and Development Authority or cannot afford to provide for their minimum basic needs duly certified as such by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Students may avail of the waived entrance exam fees once they satisfy all other requirements specified by the private HEI, the bill stated.

Escudero said the waiver would apply to any private HEIs within the country.

The Commission on Higher Education would be given the authority to determine and impose sanctions against private HEI officials and employees who fail or refuse to comply with the proposed law.

“Some entrance exam fees are equivalent to a minimum day’s wage such that taking the former will mean meals foregone. No family should starve for a day because food money has been traded for an examination fee,” the senator said.