CAMARINES Sur Fifth District Representative Luis Raymund Villafuerte has filed a measure providing relief from certain ineligibilities to free tertiary education and free technicvocation education training affected by national or local emergencies.

Villafuerte’s House Bill 8728 pushes for the amendment of Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.

The proposed measure seeks to withhold the imposition of ineligibilities outlined in the law.

The solon said with the already prolonged battle against the Covid19 pandemic, it is important to ensure that quality education remains accessible for all.

“Many households are suffering from joblessness and lack of the necessary tools to participate in distance learning,” Villafuerte said in his explanatory note.

This bill, in particular, proposes that certain ineligibilities provided in Section 6 of the law will not be imposed on students based upon proof that the ground/s arose due to a condition or circumstance, such as, but not limited to, financial distress, lack of proper and adequate remote learning resources, mental health issues, contracting a disease or disability, etc., experienced concerning a national or local emergency lasting for three months or more.

These ineligibilities are for free higher education beneficiaries, failure to complete their undergraduate degree within a year after the period prescribed in their program; and for free TVET beneficiaries, failure to pass in any course of their program.