Several congressmen, including Bacoor City Rep. Strike B. Revilla, have thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for signing the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act into law last Thursday.
The President signed the bill into law despite the objections of his administration’s economic managers, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra said in a press briefing.
Revilla was among the lawmakers who proposed free tuition for students in state universities and colleges through House Bill 4701 that the Bacoor solon filed last December. The bill was eventually consolidated into HB 5633, which Congress approved in May and sent to Duterte for signing last July 5.
The law prescribes full tuition subsidy for all students in SUCs, universities and colleges funded by local governments, and state-run technical-vocational schools.
Revilla thanked 58 fellow congressmen and senators who advanced the proposal in the upper chamber. The Bacoor representative also singled out Zamboanga Sibugay 2nd District Rep. Ann Hofer, chairman of the House Committee on Technical and Higher Education, for shepherding the bill through the deliberations.
He likewise praised House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, the Senate leadership and all lawmakers for passing the bill—which was one of President Duterte’s campaign promises—unanimously.
“This measure shows the true and full compassion of the President for our youth and countrymen,” Revilla said. “This administration and our present crop of leaders have done in a year what has not been done before. That’s political will.”
“In the Philippines, two of every five high school students can’t go to college because of high tuition fees and expenses. After high school, they have no choice but to work instead of going to college,” he explained.
“This a big step to change our education system into a better one. We should not let poverty stops our youth from their dreams. They are our future,” Revilla said.
The Bacoor solon said the passage of the bill shows the mandate of the Constitution to stress the importance of education and the future of the country’s youth is alive and well.
Quoting Article 14, Section 1 of the Constitution, Revilla said: “The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels, and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all.”
“With this measure, we are one step closer to ensuring that our country and future generations will be breaking free from the bondage of ignorance and poverty,” he added.