Kabataan party-list lauds signing into law of free tuition in SUCs bill

Kabataan Party-list Representative Sarah Elago on Friday welcomed the signing into law of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act providing for free tuition in state universities and colleges (SUCs).

"Ngayon malaking tagumpay ng mga kabataan, ng mga estudyante, ng mga guro at ng mamamayan na matagal nang lumalaban para sa karapatan sa edukasyon ang makasaysayan na pagpirma ng isang batas na nag-i-institutionalize doon sa free tuition at other school fees sa ating pampublikong pamantasan at kolehiyo," Elago said in a press conference at the University of the Philippines - Diliman.

Press conference with ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Elago on free tuition in SUCs pic.twitter.com/SzRz7meDQT

— Marlly Bondoc (@marllybondoc) August 4, 2017

"Kasama na diyan ang ating mga SUCs, ang mga CHED [Commission on Higher Education] -accredited na local universities and colleges at mga TESDA [Technical Education and Skills Development Authority] -run na tech voc institutes. Dagdag pa diyan ay 'yung tertiary education subsidy na kung saan may dagdag allowance pa 'yung ating mga financially disadvantaged na mga estudyante," she added.

Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra announced that President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law on Thursday a measure providing free tuition in state universities and colleges.

"I am pleased to announce that last night, August 3, 2017, the President signed into law the enrolled bill," he said.

Meanwhile, Elago said that the signing of the free tuition law is just an "initial victory," as students have to remain vigilant on the "possible limits" in the implementing rules and regulations.

"Ito ang hamon sa lahat sa pagkakapirma ng batas na ito. Kailangan pa natin bantayan ang pagsasagawa ng implementing rules and regulations nito," she said.

Elago added that this will be a challenge to Congress in assuring that there will be enough budget, since economic managers excluded this legislation in the 2018 proposed national budget.

"Hamon din sa Kongreso at sa taong-bayan na matiyak ba ito ay mapopondohan para sa susunod na taon. Nito lamang nakita natin na kung paano ang economic managers mismo ni Pangulong Duterte 'yung tumututol at nagtanggal ng pondo ng pagpapatuloy ng libreng tuition sa buong bansa," she said.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno earlier expressed opposition to the measure saying that the government cannot afford to shoulder its cost.

"We estimated the cost of this bill. It will cost us something around P100 billion. Hindi po kaya ng gobyerno 'yan," Diokno told members of the House committee on appropriations during the deliberations for the proposed P3.7-trillion national budget next year. —KG, GMA News