Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No._ 40 _

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”

EXPLANATORY NOTE

One of the most notable Constitutional guarantees of the 1978 Philippine
Constitution is the right of the people to quality education. None else but Article XIV,
Section 1, of the Constitution expressly provides that the State shall “protect and promote
the right of all citizens to quality educational at all levels, and shall take appropriate steps
to make such education accessible to all.”

Pursuant to the effort to improve access to education, a well-designed voucher
program will aide in resolving the concern that many academically gifted students from
Poor backgrounds remain unable to obtain quality education due to financial limitations.
Through this piece of legislation, the academically qualified students will gain an avenue
to fully realize their potential.

Furthermore, this proposed measure will ensure access to quality education and
expand educational opportunities beyond public schooling, which would ultimately
empower deserving students to attend private educational institutions of their choice.

In view of this, the passage of this measure is earnestly ‘sought.


HOMERNESTO “ERNIX” M. DIONISIO, JR.
Representative
First Congressional District of Manila


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No.__40__

Introduced by HONORABLE ERNESTO “ERNIX” M. DIONISIO, JR.

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 the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 10931 or the “Universal Access 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 TOAHOUSEHOLD RANKED AS “POOR”
BY THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT
BASED ON PROOF OF INCOME AS PRESENTED TO THE UNIFAST
BOARD, AND WHOCONSISTENTLY MEETS THE ACADEMIC
RETENTION REQUIREMENTS OF THE CONCERNED HE! OR TVI FOR
A REGULAR UNIT LOAD;

xxx


(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 VOUCHERSFOR POOR AND ACADEMICALLY
QUALIFIED STUDENTS;

XxX

(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.”

SECTION 2. Section 3 (i) and (j) are amended to be denominated as Section 3 (j) and (k)
37 respectively. Section 3 (k) to (u) are amended to be denominated as Section 3 (n) to
@).

SECTION 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 HEIs AND TVIs for all
Filipino students who [shall] enroll in THE FIRST undergraduate post
- secondary TERTIARY EDUCATION program[s] fof 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 UniFAST 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
PROGRAMSIN PRIVATE HEIs IN CITIESAND — 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 HEIs, and private or LGU-
operated] TVIs, which shall be equivalent to the tuition and other school
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 [another education-related
expenses],

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

(d) xxx
(e) 0x

ALL TES BENEFICIARIES SHALL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE SUCH
BENEFITS OR SUBSIDY UNTILTHEY 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 HEIs AND TVIs.”

SECTION 4. Anew 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 HEls AND PRIVATE TVis_ 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 UNIFASTBOARD, 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 HEIs AND PRIVATE TVis IN CITIES AND.
MUNICIPALITIES WHERE THERE ARE EXISTING SUCs, LUCs AND
PUBLIC TVs.”

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 HEIs AND TVs 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.”

SECTION 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 Act.

SECTION 6. Republic Act No. 10931, otherwise known as the “Universal Access to
Quality Tertiary Education Act’, is hereby amended. All 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.

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

Approved,