TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
S. No. 1042
.. 
oi li;‘: 
'■ -:-
25 AUG-6 P2:14
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
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"
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Quality, accessible, and inclusive education has always been among the 
priorities of the government pursuant to the Constitutional mandate that the State 
shall "establish and maintain a system of scholarship grants, student loan programs, 
subsidies, and other incentives which shall be available to deserving students in both 
public and private schools, especially to the underprivileged."
In 2017, Republic Act No. 10931, otherwise known as the "Universal Access to 
Quality Education Act," was enacted to make education, particularly higher and 
technical-vocational education, accessible to all through adequate funding and 
partnership with private educational institutions. By virtue of the said law. Tertiary 
Education Subsidy (TES) was established in all state universities and colleges (SUCs), 
local universities and colleges (LUCs), private higher education institutions (HEIs) and 
all technical-vocational institutions (TVIs).


In light of making education more inclusive, this proposed measure seeks to 
amend R.A. 10931 by also giving proportional budgetary allocation to poor and 
academically competent students who opt to study in private institutions even if there 
are existing public institutions in their areas. Further, TES beneficiaries with good 
scholastic records and who comply with residency requirements of HEIs and TVIs will 
continue to receive the benefits under the law until they complete post-secondary 
technical-vocational course or higher education degree program.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bili is highiy 
recommended.
INGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
cf t';
25 AUG-6 P2:14
SENATE
S. No. 1042
RCCEiVlD 3V
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
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"
4.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assem bled:
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Section 1. Section 7 of Republic Act No, 10931 or the "Universal Access to
2 
Quality Tertiary Education Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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"Sec. 7. TES for Filipino Students. - To support the cost of
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tertiary education or any part or portion thereof, a TES is
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hereby established IN ALL SUCS, LUCS, PRIVATE HEIS
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AND TVIS for all Filipino students who [shaW] enroll in THE
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undergraduate, post-secondary TERTIARY EDUCATION
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OR TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL TRAINING program[s]
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[of SUGg, LUCg, private HEIs and -all—TVIs] OF THEIR
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CHOICE. The TES shall be administered by the UniFAST
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Board and the amount necessary to fund the TES shall be
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included in the RESPECTIVE budgets of the CHED and the
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TESDA: Provided, That prioritization shall be given to
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QUALIFIED students in the following order: (a) students
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ENROLLED IN SUCS, LUCS and PUBLIC TVIs who are


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part of households included in the UPDATED OR MOST 
RECENT Listahanan 2.0, ranked according to the estimated 
per capita household income; [af>d] (b) students ENROLLED 
IN sues, LUCS and PUBLIC TVIs WHO ARE not part of 
the Listahanan 2.0, ranked according to estimated per capita 
household income based on submitted documentation of 
proof of income to be determined by the UniFAST Board 
\jPfovidcd, furthcFrlhut such prioritization shall not apply to
Filipino students in cities and municipalitics-with -no -existing
SUG- or LUG campus]; (C) STUDENTS WHO ARE 
ENROLLED IN PRIVATE HEIS AND TVIS IN CITIES AND 
MUNICIPALITIES WHERE THERE ARE NO 
ESTABLISHED SUC, LUC, OR PUBLIC TVI; AND (D) 
STUDENTS WHO ARE ENROLLED IN PRIVATE HEIS 
AND TVIS IN CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES WHERE 
THERE ARE ESTABLISHED SUCS, LUCS, OR PUBLIC 
TVIS: PROVIDED, THAT THE CHED, IN CONSULTATION 
WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES CONCERNED 
AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF 
THIS ACT, SHALL DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF 
SUBSIDIES TO BE GRANTED, AND THE ELIGIBILITY 
REQUIREMENTS FOR TES BENEFICIARIES.
"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 SUG or state-run TVI in 
their respective areas;
"(b) [An] [a]Allowance for books, SCHOOL supplies, 
transportation TO AND FROM SCHOOL, and [miscellaneous


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personal expenses including a] reasonable allowance for the
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documented rental or purchase of a [personal computer or
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laptop] DESKTOP OR PORTABLE COMPUTERS and other
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education-related expenses, IF APPLICABLE;
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"(c) An allowance for room and board costs incurred by the
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Student IF APPLICABLE;
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"(d) X X x; AND
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"(e) XXX."
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"ALL TES BENEFICIARIES SHALL CONTINUE TO
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RECEIVE SUCH BENEFITS OR SUBSIDY UNTIL THE
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COMPLETION OF THEIR RESPECTIVE
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UNDERGRADUATE, POST-SECONDARY TERTIARY
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EDUCATION 
OR 
TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL
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PROGRAMS: 
PROVIDED, THAT THE TES
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BENEFICIARIES SHALL COMPLY WITH THE
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RETENTION AND RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS IN
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ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES AND REGULATIONS
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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, amended
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accordingly.
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Sec. 4. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect immediately after its publication
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in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,