Repubiic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
‘Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

9013

HOUSE BILL NO.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article I! Section 17 of the 1987 Constitution states, “The State shall give priority to education,
Science and technology, art, culture, and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social
Progress, and promote total human liberation and development.”

This is the guiding principle behind the crafting of the Comprehensive Free Public Education
Bill Thrust before Congress is a bill drafted collectively by youth and students in the Philippines to
holistically address the worsening state of the Philippine public higher education system. This proposed
bill not only seeks to make public education up to the tertiary level ultimately free and accessible to all,
but also to uphold the public character of our government-run higher education institutions, and address
the structural ills of the Philippine education system,

Current Higher Education Situation Highlights

Despite having Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education, majority of Filipino students in tertiary
‘education are in private schools, Eighty-eight percent (88%) of institutions that offer tertiary-level
degrees are privately run, and the remaining is composed of SUCs, LUCs and other government
schools.

Private higher education institutions in the country are now preparing to hike tuition and other school
fees (TOSF) for Academic Year 2019-2020. Around 700 private schools, universities and colleges will
submit applications for 6-8% TOSF increase to the Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission
on Higher Education (CHED), which have traditionally approved the annual round of fee increases at
the expense of students and families. Meanwhile, several State Universities and Colleges are
Circumventing the RA 10931 through being able to establish and collect Other School Fees due to
vague provisions on the law.

'f passed, this bill stands to benefit not only the students currently enrolled in SUCs and all
ether public universities and colleges covered by RA 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary
Education, but also millions of others who will be able to enter college without fearing the heavy costs.
Ata more fundamental level, the passage of this bill wll also result in the reversal of decades of attacks
‘on the right of every Filipino to education.

Believing that fundamental changes in education should address the basic ills that hound the
system, we need to collectively strive for a type of education that is not only free, but also empowering
and liberating

Passage of this bill is earnestly sought.



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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

. 9013
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by KABATAAN PARTY-LIST Representative Sarah Jane I. Elago

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING AND EXPANDING THE SCOPE OF THE FREE PUBLIC TERTIARY
EDUCATION THROUGH NO COLLECTION OF ALL OTHER SCHOOL FEES, AMENDING
FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10931, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE
“UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO QUALITY TERTIARY EDUCATION”

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 3(h) of Republic Act No. 10931, otherwise known as the “Universal Access
to Quality Tertiary Education’, is amended to read as follows:

“Section 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:
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(h) Other school fees refers to fees charges by HEIs and technical-vocational institutions
which cover other necessary costs supportive of instructions, specifically the following:
library fees, computer fees, laboratory fees, school ID fees , athletic fees, admission
fees, development fees, guidance fees, handbook fees, entrance fees, registration fees,
medical and dental fees, cultural fees and other similar or related fees] ALL OTHER
SCHOOL FEES.”

20% 20% 20%
SECTION 2. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part thereof is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain
valid or subsisting

SECTION 4. Repealing Clause. — Republic Act No. 10931 is hereby amended accordingly. All
laws, decrees, executive orders and rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 5. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Adopted,