SENATOR Christopher ‘Bong’ Go heralded a significant advancement in educational equity as the Free College Entrance Examinations Act became a law, waiving entrance exam fees at private higher educational institutions for qualified students.

Republic Act No. 12006, which was principally sponsored by then Chair of the Senate Committee on Higher Education and now Senate President Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero, opens up great opportunities for higher education to economically disadvantaged yet high-performing students across the country.

Go, who is one of the authors and co-sponsors of the measure, has been a vocal proponent of removing financial barriers in education.

The law targets natural-born Filipino students who are among the top 10 percent of their graduating high school class and come from families below the poverty threshold as defined by the National Economic and Development Authority.

“Education is the greatest equalizer. With this law, we ensure that financial limitations no longer hinder our youth’s pursuit of academic excellence,” Go added.

Under the new legislation, the Commission on Higher Education is empowered to oversee the implementation, ensuring that all private HEIs comply with the law.

Institutions that fail to adhere to the law will face sanctions, safeguarding the rights of qualified students to free access to college entrance tests.

“This victory is not ours but of every Filipino family who dreams of a better future through education. It’s a testament to what we can achieve when we put the needs of our people first,” he said.

He continued, “let us also be reminded that our work does not end here. We must continue to support our youth by providing them with the tools they need to succeed in their educational journeys.”