Expanded free college law widens aid for Filipino students 

Kirstin Kaye Amancio

More Filipino students from low-income families can now receive expanded government assistance college and technical-vocational education under a new law aimed at making higher education more accessible.

Republic Act No. 12325, or The Act Enhancing the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, was signed on September 4.

The law seeks to address financial barriers that may prevent students from staying in school and completing their degrees.

The law gives priority to qualified beneficiaries from Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Programs (4Ps) households in the distribution of tertiary education subsidies.

It also establishes a Private Education Assistance Program that will provide government grants to poor and deserving students enrolled in priority programs at qualified private higher education and technical-vocational institutions.

House Speaker Faustiono “Bojie” Dy III said the measure aims to ease the financial expenses students face beyond tuition, including transportation, food and books

“For many families, it is not enough for their child to simply enter college. The real success is seeing them graduate, find a decent job and improve the life of the entire family,” Dy stated.

The measure expands the existing free higher education framework under Republic Act No. 10931, which provides free tuition and other school fees to eligible students in state and local universities and colleges as well as state-run technical-vocational institutions.

The government is expected to monitor the implementation of the law, includinf the distribution of subsidies and compliance of concerned agencies, to ensure qualified students receive the assistance.