NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
SENATE 
S. No. 29
BILLS a INDEX
IntrocSuced by SENATOR RAM ON BONG RE VILLA/ jrv.
AN ACT
EXPANDING Tr’E COVERAGE OF THE TERTIARY EDUCATION SUBSIDY, 
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10931, OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE "UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO QUALITY TERTIARY EDUCATION 
ACT"
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article XIV Section 2 (3) of the Constitution provides that the State shall 
"establish and maintain a system of scholarship grants, student loan piogtains, 
subsidies, and other incentives which shall be available to desenying students in both 
public and private schools, especially to the underprivileged."
Republic Act No. 10931, otherwise known as the "Universal Access to Quality 
Education Act," was enacted on 2017 pursuant to that Constitutional mandate. It 
declared that quality education is an inalienable right of all Filipinos. Also, it recognizes 
the complementary roles of public and private higher education institutions (HEIs) and 
technicai-vocationai institutions (WIs) in the educational system.
This bill proposes the expansion of the coverage of the Tertiary Education 
Subsidy (TES) as provided under RA10931 by introducing the voucher system to allow 
indigent and academically competent students to enroll and study in private schools 
in cities and municipalities where there are existing state universities and colleges 
(SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs) and public TVIs.
The Department of Education (DepEd) is already implementing the voucher 
system as a program of financial assistance wherein subsidies in the form of vouchers 
are provided to qualified Senior High School (SHS) learners in participating private or


non-DepEd public SHSs. The subsidy is not given to the learner as cash and DepEd 
instead pays directly to the non-DepEd SHS where the learner enrols. It aims to 
increase access to SHS and provide greater choice to learners and their families in 
deciding the SHS program that caters to their needs and career goals.1
As stated in the updated Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017-2022, the 
United Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Boaid is 
encouraged to consider "implementing a voucher system and improve the loan system 
to aive students a choice in school (whether public or private) and educational tracks 
(whether TVET or higher education) prior to the enrollment period." Further, it stated 
that "[s]uch would also level the playing field among quality private and public HEIs 
and TVIs2."
Under this proposed bill, all TES beneficiaries shall continue to receive such 
benefits or subsidy until they complete their higher education degree program, 
provided that they do not fail in any of their subjects and comply with the residency
roni liromont'c
This measure was already approved on Third and Final Reading by the House 
of Representatives during the Eighteenth Congress.
In this light, the immediate passage of this bill is highly recommended.
Oly BON<
RAMO^BONG REVILLA, JR.
DepEd order Mo. 037, s. 2021. https://wwV'/.deped.g;ov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/DO.s2021 ,037.pdf
https://pdp.neda. gov. ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Pre-publication-copy-Updated-P DP-2017-2022


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE 
S. No. 29
bills'* index
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN AC!
EXPANDING THE COVERAGE OF THE TERTIARY EDUCATION SUBSIDY, 
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:
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Section 1. Section 7 of Republic Act No. 10931 or the "Universal Access to
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Quality Tertiary Education Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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"Sec. 7. TERTIARY EDUCATION SUBSIDY (TES) for Filipino
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Students. - To support the cost of tertiary education or any part or portion
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thereof, a TES is hereby established IN ALL SUCs, LUCs, PRIVATE HEIs
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AND TVIs for all Filipino students who [shall] enroll in the FIRST
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undergraduate, post-secondary TERTIARY EDUCATION program[s] [ef
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sues, LUCs, private HEIs and oil TV-ls] of their choice. The TES shall be
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administered by the UniFAST Board and the amount necessary to fund the
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TES shall be included in the RESPECTIVE budgets of the CHED and the
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TESDA: Provided, That prioritization shall be given to students in the
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following order: (a) students who are part of households included in the
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UPDATED Listahanan 2.0, ranked according to the estimated per capita
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household income; and (b) students not part of the Listahanan 2.0, ranked
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according to estimated per capita household income based on submitted
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documentation of proof of income to be determined by the UniFAST Board;


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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.
"THERE SHALL BE A PROPORTIONAL BUDGETARY 
ALLOCATION IN THE FORM OF A VOUCHER SYSTEM FOR POOR 
AND ACADEMICALLY COMPETENT STUDENTS WHO OPT TO 
STUDY IN PRIVATE HEIs AND PRIVATE TVIS IN CITIES AND 
MUNICIPALITIES WHERE THERE ARE EXISTING SUCs, LUCs AND 
PUBLIC TVIs. STUDENTS FROM LISTAHANAN HOUSEHOLDS 
SHALL BE PRIORITIZED AS BENEFICIARIES OF THE TES IN 
AREAS WHERE THERE ARE NO EXISTING SUCs, LUCs AND PUBLIC 
TVIs.
"ALL VOUCHERS ISSUED UNDER THIS ACT SHALL BE USED 
EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASSISTING POOR AND 
ACADEMICALLY COMPETENT STUDENTS WHO OPT TO STUDY IN 
PRIVATE HEIs AND PRIVATE TVIs IN CITIES AND 
MUNICIPALITIES WHERE THERE ARE EXISTING SUCs, LUCs AND 
PUBLIC TVIs.
"TO SUPPORT THE COST OF TERTIARY EDUCATION OR ANY 
PART OR PORTION THEREOF, [T]the TES may among others, [and-te 
suppertThe cost of tertiary cducation-of any part or portion thoreef;] 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] Allowance for books, SCHOOL supplies, transportation TO 
AND FROM SCHOOL, and [miscdlanoous pergonal expenses; 
including-a] reasonable allowance for the documented rental or 
purchase of a [personal -eemputcr or laptop] DESKTOP OR 
PORTABLE COMPUTER WHEN APPLICABLE [and -other 
education related-expenses];


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c) An allowance for room and board costs Incurred by the student
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WHEN APPLICABLE;
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d) X X X
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e) X X X
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ALL TES BENEFICIARIES SHALL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE
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SUCH BENEFITS OR SUBSIDY UMTIL THEY COMPLETE THEIR
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POST-SECONDARY TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL COURSE OR
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HIGHER EDUCATION DEGREE PROGRAM: PROVIDED, THAT THEY
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DO NOT FAIL IN ANY SUBJECT ENROLLED IN AND COMPLY WITH
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RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES
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OF THE HEIs AND TVIs.
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Sec. 2. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision or part not otherwise
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affected shall remain valid and subsisting.
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Sec. 3. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or
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inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified, or amended
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accordingly.
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Sec. 4. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,