Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No._-_ 1970

Introduced by Representative MARCELINO R. TEODORO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Republic Act No. 10931, or the “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education
Act,” affirms the State’s obligation to make quality higher education accessible to all,
especially to underprivileged Filipinos. It established mechanisms such as
‘scholarships, student loans, and subsidies to support this mandate.

Recognizing the significant role of private institutions in the country’s education
system, this bill seeks to expand the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) by
implementing a voucher system. This will allow financially disadvantaged but
academically qualified students to pursue their studies in private Higher Education
Institutions (HEIs) and Technical-Vocational Institutions (TVIs).

As of 2020, 87.5% of the 1,975 higher education institutions in the Philippines
are privately owned, accounting for more than half of the total student enrollment.
Similarly, 90% of TVET institutions are private, enrolling a substantial share of
learners. These figures underscore the importance of enabling students to access.
both public and private institutions under a more inclusive support framework.

Through this expanded TES coverage, the bill aims to strengthen public-private
partnerships, broaden educational choices, and ensure that students are not limited
by geographic or institutional constraints. It enhances equity and promotes a more
balanced and responsive higher education system.

This version of the measure was the one approved on the Third and Final
Reading during the Nineteenth Congress.

Given its significance, the immediate passage of this bill is eamestly
recommended.


Noh. Tho

MARCELINO R. TEODORO
Representative
1* District, Marikina City


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BiLLno._: 1970

introduced by REP. MARCELINO R. TEODORO

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A VOUCHER SYSTEM FOR POOR AND ACADEMICALLY
QUALIFIED STUDENTS OF PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AND
PRIVATE TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10931, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE
“UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO QUALITY TERTIARY EDUCATION ACT”

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

SECTION 1. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 10931, or the “Universal Access to Quality
Tertiary Education Act,” is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:
00

1) POOR AND ACADEMICALLY QUALIFIED STUDENT REFERS TO
A STUDENT WHO BELONGS TO A HOUSEHOLD RANKED AS
“POOR’ BY THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND
DEVELOPMENT BASED ON PROOF OF INCOME AS PRESENTED.
TO THE UNIFAST BOARD AND WHO CONSISTENTLY MEETS THE
ACADEMIC RETENTION REQUIREMENTS OF THE CONCERNED
HEI OR TVI FOR A REGULAR UNIT LOAD;

10x


(L) PROOF OF INCOME REFERS TO ANY DOCUMENTATION USED
TO VERIFY, AUTHENTICATE, OR ASSESS THE ANNUAL INCOME
OF A PERSON OR HOUSEHOLD;

(M) PROPORTIONAL BUDGETARY ALLOCATION REFERS TO A
BUDGETARY ALLOCATION WHICH SHALL SUBSIDIZE THE FULL
COST OF TUITION AND MISCELLANEOUS FEES IN THE FORM OF
PORTABLE VOUCHERS FOR POOR AND ACADEMICALLY
QUALIFIED STUDENTS;

1x

(Y) VOUCHER SYSTEM REFERS TO A SYSTEM THAT GRANTS
PORTABLE VOUCHERS TO POOR AND ACADEMICALLY
QUALIFIED STUDENTS PRIOR TO THE START OF THE ACADEMIC
YEAR TO ALLOW THEM TO STUDY OR TRANSFER TO PRIVATE
HEIs OR PRIVATE TVis IN CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES WHERE
THERE ARE EXISTING SUCs, LUCs, AND PUBLIC TVIs.”

SEC. 2. Section 3 (i) and (j) are amended to be denominated as Section 3 (j) and (k)
respectively. Section 3 (k) to (u) are amended to be denominated as Section 3 (n) to
x)

‘SEC. 3. Section 7 of Republic Act No. 10931 is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 7. TERTIARY EDUCATION SUBSIDY (TES) for Filipino Students. - To
support the cost of tertiary education or any part or portion thereof, a TES is
hereby established IN ALL SUCs, LUCs, PRIVATE HEls, AND TV\s for all
Filipino students who [shall] enroll in THE FIRST undergraduate-post-
secondary TERTIARY EDUCATION program|s] [of SUCs, LUCs, private HEIs,
and all TVis] OF THEIR CHOICE. The TES shall be administered by the
UniFAST Board and the amount necessary to fund the TES shall be included
in the RESPECTIVE budgets of the CHED and the TESDA: Provided, That
prioritization shall be given to students in the following order: (a) students who
are part of households included in the UPDATED Listahanan [2.0] 3,
LAUNCHED ON AUGUST 1, 2022 BY THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL
WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT, ranked according to the estimated per
capita household income; and (b) students not part of the Listahanan [2.0] 3,
ranked according to estimated per capita household income based on
[submitted documentation of] THE proof of income to be determined by the
UniF AST Board: Provided{.] further, That such prioritization shall not apply to
Filipino students in cities and municipalities with no existing SUC or LUC
campus AND PUBLIC TVI: PROVIDED FINALLY, THAT FILIPINO
STUDENTS ENROLLED IN UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS IN PRIVATE


HEls IN CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES WHERE AN SUC OR LUC EXISTS,
BUT DOES NOT OFFER COMPARABLE OR EQUIVALENT DEGREE
PROGRAMS, SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR TES.

TO SUPPORT THE COST OF TERTIARY EDUCATION OR ANY
PART OR PORTION THEREOF, [T]the TES may, among others, [and to
support the cost of tertiary education or any part or portion thereof] cover
the following:

(a) Tuition and other school fees in private HEls, and private [or LGU-
operated] TVIs, which shall be equivalent to the tuition and other schoo!
fees of the nearest SUC or state-run TVI in their respective areas;

(b) [An] [alAllowanceS for books, SCHOOL supplies, transportation TO
AND FROM SCHOOL, and [miscellaneous personal expenses including a]
reasonable allowance for the documented rental or purchase of a [personal
computer or laptop) DESKTOP OR PORTABLE COMPUTER, WHEN
APPLICABLE [and other education-related expenses];

(c) An allowance for room and board costs TO BE incurred by the
student, WHEN APPLICABLE;

(a) 7x

) Ox

ALL TES BENEFICIARIES SHALL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE SUCH
BENEFITS OR SUBSIDY UNTIL THEY COMPLETE THEIR POST-
SECONDARY TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL COURSE OR HIGHER
EDUCATION DEGREE PROGRAM: PROVIDED, THAT THEY COMPLY
WITH RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
RULES OF THE HEls AND TVIs.

SEC. 4. A new Section denominated as Section 7A is hereby inserted after
Section 7 of Republic Act No. 10931 to read as follows:

SEC. 7A. VOUCHER SYSTEM FOR POOR AND ACADEMICALLY
QUALIFIED STUDENTS OF PRIVATE HEls AND TVis. - THERE SHALL
BE A PROPORTIONAL BUDGETARY ALLOCATION TO SUPPORT
POOR AND ACADEMICALLY QUALIFIED STUDENTS THROUGH A


PORTABLE VOUCHER SYSTEM TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE
UNIFAST BOARD THAT SHALL ALLOW BENEFICIARIES TO STUDY IN
PRIVATE HEIs AND PRIVATE TVs IN CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
WHERE THERE ARE EXISTING SUCs, LUCs, AND PUBLIC TVIs.

THE ELIGIBILITY OF STUDENTS UNDER THE VOUCHER
SYSTEM SHALL BE DETERMINED BY THE UNIFAST BOARD, BASED
ON REASONABLE ECONOMIC AND ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS,
NOT LATER THAN THE START OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR AS
DETERMINED BY THE CHED, AND, IN THE CASE OF TECHNICAL-
VOCATIONAL STUDENTS, NOT LATER THAN THE PERIOD
DESIGNATED BY THE TESDA, AND PRIOR TO THE START OF THE
SPECIFIC TRAINING PROGRAM OR COURSE.

STUDENTS OF PRIVATE HEIs AND PRIVATE TVIs WHO ARE
TES GRANTEES CAN NO LONGER QUALIFY FOR THE VOUCHER
SYSTEM. ALL VOUCHERS ISSUED UNDER THIS ACT SHALL BE
USED EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASSISTING POOR AND
ACADEMICALLY QUALIFIED STUDENTS WHO OPT TO STUDY IN
PRIVATE HEls AND PRIVATE TVIs IN CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
WHERE THERE ARE EXISTING SUCs, LUCs AND PUBLIC TVIs.”

FOR THIS PURPOSE, AND WITHIN SIXTY (60) DAYS FROM
THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT, THE UNIFAST BOARD SHALL
COMMISSION A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE COST
OF TUITION AND MISCELLANEOUS FEES FOR PRIVATE HEls AND
TVis IN THE COUNTRY, WHICH SHALL BE THE NOMINAL VALUE OF
THE VOUCHER UNDER THE SYSTEM. THE AMOUNT OF TUITION
AND MISCELLANEOUS FEES SHALL BE REVIEWED EVERY THREE
(3) YEARS TO ALLOW FOR ADJUSTMENTS DUE TO INFLATION.”

SEC. 5. Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the CHED shall issue
the rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this

SEC. 6. Republic Act No. 10931, otherwise known as the "Universal Access to Quality
Tertiary Education Act’, is hereby amended. Alll laws, presidential decrees, executive
orders, rules and regulations, and issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent
with the provisions of this Act are repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 7. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,