2018 to start free tuition fee for USCs

On August 3, President Rodrigo Duterte, signed the new law providing free education for over million students in public tertiary an vocational schools nationwide.

Republic Act 10931 or “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act” covers total of 112 State Universities and Colleges (SUC) nationwide, it also covers the fees a student will have, such as: library, computer, dental, laboratory, school ID, athletic, entrance, and all other fees similar or related fees. The new law also offers subsidies for less fortunate and establish student loan program.

At this case, student from all over the world will surely benefit in this project. More and more students will be having a greater future ahead of them. Philippines might gain greater economic income and it would be a win-win situation for us. Filipinos will be more globally competitive in terms of professional graduates. However will, the government be really able to sustain the new law that our president signed in?

Economic managers says that this would be impossible for the government to sustain around ₱100 billion of expenses to all the SUCs, and added that those who are in the middle and upper class students are the ones who will just benefit in this scheme.

However it was opposed by the opposition’s lawmakers by saying that it wouldn’t cost as much as hundred billion instead it would just take around ₱15 billion. Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate, state that they have proven that government has funds for USCs.

We can never get rid of the fact that the country are still facing many issues that connects with funds, and there are also many things that happened in the country that leads the country to spend more funds on, just like the war at Marawi and the expenditures for national defense. The governnment is also providing funds for free kindergarten and two more years in basic education.

It’s not just about having free tuition fee, but we also need to be assure that the government is acting upon the title of the R.A. 10931, Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act. Education is one of the precious resources that our government will be investing, and quality education will empower people to see through the reality, it would be the very great way to alleviate poverty and social equity. There should be no compromise to other services because of the new law. And free must not mean substandard.