SEN. REVILLA FILES BILL SUBSIDIZING TERTIARY EDUCATION IN PRIVATE HEIs
To provide greater coverage of the government’s Tertiary Education Subsidy, Senator Revilla filed Senate Bill No. 29 that seeks to amend Republic Act No. 10931 or the “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act”.
The bill aims to expand the coverage of the Tertiary Education Subsidy as provided in the original law by introducing a voucher system that will allow indigent and academically competent students to enroll and study in private higher educational institutions (HEIs) and technical-vocational institutions. Similar to the voucher system the Department of Education is already implementing, financial assistance in the form of vouchers will be provided to qualified tertiary students. The subsidy will not be given to the learner in cash, and instead, will be paid directly to the private HEIs.
The bill aims to have a “proportional budgetary allocation” in order to increase the access of Filipino students to tertiary education and promote the complementarity between public and private higher education institutions and technical-vocational education institutions.
When enacted, the measure will help achieve and operationalize a provision in the updated Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 which encourages the United Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Board to “implement a voucher system and improve the loan system to give students a choice in school (whether public or private) and educational tracks (whether technical-vocational education track or higher education) prior to the enrollment period”.
The bill likewise provides that all beneficiaries of the Tertiary Education Subsidy shall continue to receive such benefits until they complete their higher education degree program or post-secondary technical-vocation course as long as they do not fail in any subject enrolled in and comply with the residency requirements.
Sen. Revilla vowed to push for the passage of the measure to help more families send their children to college or in technical-vocational training courses. “We should fast-track the passage of this bill with the noble intention of ensuring that the youth, especially those belonging to the poor, will have more doors of opportunities opening for them through quality education”, he said.
REVILLA PINALAWAK PA ANG TERTIARY EDUCATION SUBSIDY
NAGHAIN ng Senate Bill No. 29 si Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. na naglalayong amyendahan ang umiiral na Republic Act NO. 10931 o ang ‘Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act’ upang mapalawak pa ang Tertiary Education Subsidy ng pamahalaan.
Nais ni Revilla na mas madami pa makinabang sa Tertiary Education Subsidy na dati-rati ay gumagamit ng voucher system upang ang isang kuwalipikadong mag-aaral ay makapag-enroll sa pribadong higher educational institutions (HEIs) at technical-vocational institutions.
Kahalintulad ng ipinatutupad na voucher system ng Department of Education (DepED), ngayon ay magkakaroon ng “proportional budgetary allocation”, na ang layunin ay magpatulod ng tulong pinansiyal sa pamamagitan din ng voucher na ibibigay sa mga mahihirap at kuwalipikadong tertiary students o cash na direkteng ibabayad na sa pribadong HEIs.
Nakapaloob sa naturang panukala na itaas ang access ng mga kababayan nating mag-aaral sa tertiary education at maitaas ang ugnayan sa pagitan pampubliko at pribadong higher education institutions at technical-vocational education institutions.
Kung magiging ganap na batas ay malaki ang maitutulong nito na makamit at maipatupad ang probisyon sa pinakahuling Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 na humihikayat sa United Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Board na ipatupad ang voucher system at pagaanin ang loan system.
Malaking pagkakataon din ang ibibigay nito sa mga mahihirap na estudyante na makapamili ng eskuwelahang papasukan, maging pribado man, pampubliko o kahit technical-vocational education track o higher education, bago pa man ang enrollment period.
Nilalaman din ng naturang panukala na ang lahat ng benepisyaryo ng Tertiary Education Subsidy ay tuluy-tuloy na matatanggap hanggang sa makumpleto nila ang kanilang higher education degree program o post-secondary technical-vocation course maliban na lamang kung hindi maiipasa ang ilang subject o masasangkot sa anumang usapin.
“Hangad ko ang agarang pagpasa nito para mas marami pang kabataang Pilipino, lalo na ang mga nasa laylayan. Maraming pintuan ang magbubukas para sa kanila kung maisasakatuparan ang mga layunin ng panukalang ito, at tiyak na makakatulong ito sa mga walang kakayahang magulang na maipadala ang kanilang mga anak sa kolehiyo o kahit sa anong technical-vocational training courses” saad ni Revilla.
-30-