MANILA: Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday (Sept 4) signed a law amending the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTE) as part of government efforts to expand access to affordable, quality higher education for Filipino students.
Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported that Marcos signed Republic Act (RA) 12325, or an Act Enhancing the UAQTE, in a ceremony at Malacañan Palace in Manila.
The President said the new law underscores his administration’s commitment to making tertiary education more accessible to students who face financial barriers to pursuing their studies, including beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Programme (4Ps).
"The original law made tuition and other school fees free in public higher education and state-run technical-vocational institutions while providing assistance to learners with limited financial means through the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES),” he said.
"Today, we take that another step further. The amendments ensure that government assistance reaches those who need it most, particularly students from poor and disadvantaged families, including qualified 4Ps beneficiaries.”
The amendments seek to improve further the implementation of the country’s free tertiary education programme and provide greater support to qualified students pursuing higher education.
The new law mandates all state universities and colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs), and state-run technical-vocational institutions (TVIs) to implement Equity and Inclusion Plans to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds through targeted measures, such as fee waivers and priority access to facilities.
Other key policy amendments include expanding the TES, establishing private education assistance, regularly adjusting grants, and enhancing accountability monitoring. - Bernama-PNA
