SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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RECEIVtO 'at. 
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Prepared Jointly by the Committees on Education Arts and Culture and Finance with 
Senators Recto, Villanueva, Ejercito, Aquino IV, Gatchalian, Pangilinan, Angara, 
Legarda as authors thereof
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A FULL TUITION SUBSIDY FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED IN STATE 
UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES (SUCs), AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREOF
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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SECTION. 1. Short Title. -  This Act shall be known as the "Free Higher Education
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for All Act."
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. -  it is hereby declared that accessible and quality
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education is an inalienable right of the Filipino. Therefore, it shall be the policy of the
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State to make higher education accessible to financially disadvantaged but deserving
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students. Towards this end, the State shall renew its constitutionally mandated duty to
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make education its top budgetary priority by providing free higher education for
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students in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs).
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SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. -  As used un this Act, these terms shall mean:
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a) Cost of Tertiary Education refers to (1) tuition, and Other School Fees, (2)
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Educational Expenses, and (3) the cost of living allowance;
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b) Educational Expenses refer to expenses related to the education of a student,
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such as books, school supplies, and electronic devices necessary for education,
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but excluding tuition and miscellaneous and Other School Fees;
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c) Higher Education refers to the stage of formal education, or its equivalent,
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requiring completion of secondary education and covering programs of study
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leading to bachelor and advanced degrees;
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d) Higher Education Institution (HEI) refers to an institution of higher learning,
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primarily offering bachelor and advanced degree programs;
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e) Other School Fees refer to those fees which cover other necessary costs
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supportive of instruction, including, but not limited to, medical and dental,
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athletic, library, laboratory, and miscellaneous fees;
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f) State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) refer to public HEIs established by national
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laws which are financed and maintained by the national government, and are
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governed by their respective independent boards of trustees or regents;


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g) Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) refers to the post-secondary
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education or training process which involves, in addition to general education,
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the study of technical and related fields and the acquisition of practical skills
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relating to occupations in various sectors, comprising formal (organized
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programs as part of the school systems) and nonformal (organized classes
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outside the school system) approaches;
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h) Technical-Vocational Institutes (TVIs) refer to learning institutions offering post-
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secondary TVET
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i) 
Tertiary Education refers to the stage of education following the secondary cycle
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which subsumes post-secondary nondegree diploma, TVET, and Higher
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Education programs; and
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j) 
Tuition Fee refers to the fee representing direct costs of instruction, training and
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other related activities and for the students' use of the instruction and training
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facilities;
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k) Unified Student Financial Assistance System fo r Tertiary Education (UniFAST)
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refers to the harmonized, state-run and administered system of Higher
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Education and technical-vocational Scholarships, Grants-in-Aid, Student Loans,
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and other modalities of StuFAP created by Republic Act No 10867;
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I) 
Student Financial Assistance Program (StuFAP) refers to a system of Scholarships,
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Grants-in-Aid, Student Loans, subsidies and other incentives which are or shall
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be made available to eligible students;
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m) Grant-in-Aid refers to a modality of financial assistance to poor but eligible
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students which generally requires a minimum level of competence to complete
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Tertiary Education;
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n) 
Scholarship refers to a modality of financial assistance given to eligible students
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on the basis of merit and/or talent, such as laudable academic performance, and
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special technical proficiencies and skills and intellectual pursuits of a Scholar that
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give rise to research and development, and innovations as well as other creative
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works;
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o) Student Loan refers to a modality of student financial assistance consisting of
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short-term or long-term loans which shall be extended to students facing
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liquidity problems, regardless of economic status, which shall be paid by the
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student, his/her parents, guardians, or co-makers;
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SEC. 4. Eligibility to the Full Tuition Subsidy. -  All Filipino citizens who are either 
currently enrolled at the time of effectivity of this Act, or shall enroll at any time 
thereafter, in courses in pursuance of a bachelor's degree, certificate degree, or any 
comparable undergraduate degree in any SUC shall qualify for a full tuition subsidy; 
Provided, That they meet the admission requirements of the SUC; Provided further. That 
all SUCs shall create a mechanism to enable students with the financial capacity to pay 
for their education in the SUC to opt out of the tuition subsidy or to make a donation to 
the school.
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SEC. 5 . Exceptions to the Full Tuition Subsidy. — The following are ineligible to 
avail of the full tuition subsidy in SUCs:
a) Persons who have already attained a bachelors degree or equivalent degree 
from any higher education institution, whether public or private; and


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b) Persons who have been dishonorably discharged from any higher education
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institution, whether public or private, for any reason other than financial
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difficulty in paying tuition and other fees.
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SEC. 6. sue Tuition Subsidy Fund. -  The SUC Tuition Subsidy Fund, hereinafter
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referred to as the Fund, is hereby established. The Fund shall be used solely for the
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purpose of implementing the full tuition subsidy under the provisions of this Act. Tuition
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for units enrolled by persons eligible for the tuition subsidy under the provisions of this
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Act, payable to SUCs, shall be sourced from this Fund.
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SEC. 7. Administration o f the Fund. -  The Fund shall be administered by the
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Commission on Higher Education (CHED), which shall have the following powers and
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functions:
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a) Manage and administer the Fund;
b) Devise a reporting mechanism to be implemented by the SUCs which will 
detail the exact amount of tuition subsidy availed of by persons eligible for 
the full tuition subsidy under this Act;
c) Formulate and implement an efficient and transparent mechanism to ensure 
the payment of the tuition subsidy, utilizing money from the Fund, to the 
respective SUCs, pursuant to this Act;
d) Resolve and mediate disputes concerning the ineligibility or disqualification 
of persons from the full tuition subsidy under the provisions of this Act or any 
other provision of this law; and
e) Any other powers or functions necessary for the implementation of the 
provisions of this Act.
SEC. 8. Requirements fo r SUCs. -  SUCs are hereby mandated to fulfill the 
following before accessing the Fund:
a) Establish a qualifying mechanism, which shall be meritocratic and equitable. 
This shall include but not be limited to a qualifying examination and an 
affirmative action mechanism for financially disadvantaged students;
b) Determine and publish the maximum number of students the SUC can 
accommodate 
per 
campus 
and 
degree 
program. 
For 
the 
initial 
implementation of this Act, the maximum number of students SUCs may 
accept shall be equivalent to the total number of students that were enrolled 
in the school year prior to the effectivity of this Act. For subsequent years, 
SUCs may increase their number of students subject to conditions set by and 
upon the approval of CHED;
c) Submit the following documents to assist the CHED in implementing this Act:
i. 
Previous enrollment rate, student demographics and other relevant 
information;
ii. 
Graduation rate, performance in previous licensure examinations, 
and employability rate of graduates;
iii. 
Gross tuition receipts;
iv. 
Teachers' welfare and training profiles; and


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V. 
Other educational quality indicators, including but not limited to 
physical learning infrastructures, teacher-to-student ratio and student 
housing; and
d) Formulate and submit to CHED and oversight committees in both Houses of 
Congress a detailed SUC Development Plan updated every ten years, which 
shall include plans for facilities and infrastructure development and 
expansion.
The submissions to CHED shall be subject to the Commission's determination of 
completeness. Provided, That CHED shall have the right to request for additional 
information from the SUCs. Provided further, that any plans of expansion shall be 
approved and defended before CHED and Congress during the SUCs' budget hearing.
SEC. 9. Tuition Report. -  The President of each SUC shall submit to the CHED, 
within five (5) days after the last day of late registration for each semester, a report 
detailing the names of persons eligible for the full tuition subsidy in their institution, as 
well as the amount of tuition due based on the number of units enrolled.
SEC. 10. Payment from the Fund. — The CHED shall ensure the full payment of 
tuition due to the state university or college, as reported under this Act, no later than 
thirty (30) days after the submission of the report to the CHED; Provided, That the CHED 
shall reserve the right to withhold or disallow the payment of any reported fees which 
are perceived to be anomalous or irregular until further investigation has been 
conducted.
SEC. 11. Strengthening Student Financial Assistance Programs (StuFAP). -  The 
CHED, through UniFAST, shall strengthen all scholarships, grants-in-aid, student loans, 
subsidies and other incentives, to other educational expenses and cost of living 
allowance that will be incurred by students in pursuing higher education in SUCs. 
Moreover, StuFAP programs shall also be made available to cover the cost of tertiary 
education, fully or partially, to students who wish to pursue tertiary education in other 
HEIsorTVIs.
SEC. 
12. Appropriations. 
-  The 
amount 
of 
Fifteen 
Billion 
Pesos 
(P 
15,000,000,000.00) is hereby initially appropriated from the Presidential Social Fund for 
the SUC Tuition Subsidy Fund and to implement the provisions of this Act. Thereafter, 
such amount necessary to effectively carry out the provisions of this Act shall be 
included in the annuai General Appropriations Act.
SEC. 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -  Within sixty (60) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the CHED shall promulgate the implementing rules and regulations 
necessary for the implementation of this Act.
SEC. 14. Separability Clause. -  Should any provision herein be declared 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this Act.
SEC. 15. Repealing Clause. -  All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations or 
other issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed 
or modified accordingly.


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SEC. 16. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the
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Philippines.
Approved,