Legarda Hails Enactment of Free SUCs Tuition Law

Senator Loren Legarda today hailed the signing into law of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which institutionalizes the provision of full tuition fee subsidy for students enrolled in all of the country’s state universities and colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs) and in state-run technical-vocational institutions.

“The President’s enactment of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act is a manifestation of his commitment to provide access to higher education and better opportunities for the poor,” said Legarda, co-author and co-sponsor of the measure.

“This law addresses the concerns of poor families who have no means to bring their children to college. I am glad that we have already institutionalized what we advocated for in the 2017 budget,” she said.

“In the 2017 budget, we were able to fund the free tuition in SUCs. I will also make sure that this is funded under the 2018 budget,” Legarda stressed.

“I urge the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to work on the immediate implementation of the law so that it becomes effective in the next school year. Moreover, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), being the agency that crafts the budget, should be part of the committee that will draft the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the law,” she added.

The free tuition in SUCs is being implemented in the current school year due to the intervention of Legarda, who, as chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, pushed for the additional P8.3 Billion allocation under the CHED budget.

Aside from the free tuition in SUCs, Legarda also ensured funding for universal healthcare and free irrigation for farmers during her term as Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance.