SAN PABLO CITY, Laguna – House Appropriations Committee chair and Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei B. Nograles on Friday assured city government officials, 80 barangay leaders and media that access to tertiary education by students in the country’s 114 State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) will be implemented this June given the national government’s PHP40 billion in the 2018 budget.
“Napopondohan na po itong libreng tuition at libreng miscellaneous sa kolehiyo (The free tuition and free miscellaneous fees for college are already funded),” Nograles said during a the meeting with officials and press conference Friday.
Nograles was in this city on invitation by San Pablo City Mayor Loreto “Amben” Amante and Laguna 3rd District Representative Sol Aragones to grace the graduation rites at the Dalubhasaan ng Lungsod ng San Pablo (DLSP), the city-run higher educational institution here.
The solon also met with Amante, Rep. Aragones, Vice-Mayor Angie Yang and this city’s Liga ng mga Barangay (village league) president Carmelita Amanate prior to his meeting with the city’s 80 village chiefs and city hall department heads.
Nograles expounded on the Republic Act 10931 signed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Aug. 3, 2017, which now put in place universal and inclusive access to quality tertiary education in all SUCs, local universities and colleges (LUCs) and tech-voc institutions accredited by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
"Tuloy na tuloy na po ito for the school years 2018-2019. Ngayong June na po ang libreng tuition at libreng miscellaneous (This is certain and is now effective for school years 2018-2019. Staring June, we have now free tuition and free miscellaneous fees).”
He said the legislative process had the Senate bill’s version, which initially covered only the educational access in SUCs. But the House of Representative’s (HOR) version, which he and Rep. Aragones took part in the crafting found the Upper House version as limited.
“Pinalawak po namin sa version ng House of Representatives, hindi lamang yung SUCs, kundi pati na rin ang mga local universities and colleges (LUCs), pati yung sa TESDA-run technical-vocation institutions (We have expanded the version at the House, not only covering SUCs but also LUCs, as well as the TESDA-run technical-vocational institutions),” he said.
The new law, he said, includes provisions on Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) for those who wish to study in the private educational institutions and universities as well as on the student loan program.
He also shared some difficulties during the passage of the bill because of the broader scope and coverage that entailed a much bigger budget needed to implement the free access to tertiary education act.
He said aside from the tertiary education subsidy, the new law also provides student loan program, unified student financial assistance system and funds from the national government in line with President Duterte’s thrust to expand access to tertiary and an inclusive education for all Filipinos, especially among the poor students.
“Pinirmihan ni Presidente Duterte ito, dahil nakikita niya ang malaking pakinabang at kapakanan para sa ating mga kabataan (The President signed the bill because he knew of the great advantage and many would benefit from the youths),” Nograles said citing there were those who advised the President then not to sign due to the big budget involved and where to source the fund.
The President has ordered the appropriations for adequate funding and other mechanisms to broaden participation rate among all socio-economic classes in the tertiary level and gives priority to indigent students who hardly have access to higher education.
He said the President has trusted the House to source the funds given its Constitutional exclusive “power of the purse” for the appropriation and the budget and Congress also consulted the CHED for the appropriations to the tune of PHP40 billion in accordance with operations and implementation of the new law.
“Sa pagpupuyat at pagsusumikap po natin, nakapaghanap po tayo ng PHP 40 billion at yan ay nakapaloob sa 2018 Budget kaya sure na sure po tayo na ngayong June, dahil tayo po ang naglaan ng pondo para maimplement (We strived hard and were able to source the PHP 40 B now appropriated in the 2018 Budget and we’re sure that this June, this will be implemented),” he explained.
He also announced the good news that with the inclusion of the LUCs in the new law, the Dalubhasaan ng Lungsod ng San Pablo (DLSP), a city-run higher educational institution here, is already included and the students will benefit from the free higher education law.
“Lahat ng estudyante, ang kaabataan ng DLSP sagot na po ng national government at ang CHED ang magbabayad ng tuition at miscellaneous doon sa DLSP (All students and youths at the DLSP will be covered by the national government and CHED will pay for their tuition and miscellaneous fees to DLSP),” he assured.
He added that with this new development, Mayor Amante could now look forward to just defray the expenses for the daily needs of the city resident students.
He also assured that the DLSP’s proposed infrastructure project worth PHP50 million to renovate the college auditorium will be funded in the 2019 budget through the assurance of Sen. Loren Legarda who chairs the Senate Finance Committee and its House counterpart through Nograles’ support.
He also enjoined the support of the constituents for the pro-people legislations in Congress that will redound to benefit all Filipinos in the inclusive development projects and programs under the Duterte administration.
Meanwhile, Rep. Aragones also expressed appreciation to her colleague lawmakers in the House on the budget for the improvement of the city’s sports oval, a venue in the recent Calabarzon regional sports competition. (PNA)
