Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

MANILA &mdash; President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday signed the Amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which expands benefits and allowances for the Philippines&rsquo; tertiary education students.This new law will provide &ldquo;especially the most disadvantaged&hellip; an equal chance at a quality tertiary education,&rdquo; the President said in a speech, underscoring that the measure would help more Filipino families to have &ldquo;at least one child who completes a bachelor&#39;s degree or a technical-vocational education and training (TVET) program.&rdquo;&ldquo;Free tuition removed a major barrier to tertiary education, but families still face the cost of books, transportation, daily expenses, and other requirements that can prevent students and trainees from completing their studies,&rdquo; Marcos said.&nbsp;&ldquo;While we have opened the doors of our public colleges, universities, and technical-vocational institutions, the responsibility of government does not end there,&rdquo; he said.&ldquo;We must help all our learners remain in school or training until they complete their studies and acquire the skills that they need to succeed,&rdquo; he added.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1355231543267088%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" class="fr-draggable"></iframe>&nbsp;</div>The amended policy mandates local government units to &ldquo;support students from disadvantaged backgrounds through targeted measures like fee waivers and priority access to facilities.&rdquo;It also broadens government aid to &ldquo;internship subsidies, professional licensure costs and allowances for students with disabilities.&rdquo;Schools are mandated to allow each student a &ldquo;one-year extension for program completion under justifiable circumstances.&rdquo;Grants will be subject to an adjustment review every two years &ldquo;to account for inflation and changing education costs.&rdquo;&ldquo;We often speak of our youth as the seeds of our nation&#39;s future. We hope to see them grow and thrive, and reach their full potential, but even the strongest seeds cannot flourish without fertile ground,&rdquo; Marcos said.&ldquo;That is why expanding access and improving the quality of our tertiary education are among the most important investments we can make in our people and in the future of our country,&rdquo; he said.The number of free higher education beneficiaries increased to 2.6 million students in the first semester of 2026 from 2 million students in previous academic years, the President said.The number of Philippine colleges included in the World University Rankings for Innovation also rose to 140 this year, from only 12 in 2022, he said.&ldquo;This is a result of deliberate choices that have been made by government,&rdquo; he said.&ldquo;Today&rsquo;s ceremonial signing reaffirms our long-term commitment to expanding access to quality tertiary education for each and every Filipino,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&ldquo;We will sustain this support year after year, because every learner who completes a college degree or TVET program brings greater opportunity to a family and strengthens our nation with a more skilled, productive, and empowered citizenry.&rdquo;The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said that it hoped to further increase the semestral allowance of each beneficiary to P15,000.&ldquo;This will be dependent on the fiscal space of the government,&rdquo; CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis told reporters on the sidelines of the signing event in Malaca&ntilde;ang.&ldquo;If ever there is a tremendous increase in the funding for benefits, it may take effect in the next fiscal year na,&rdquo; she said.Agrupis also underscored the need to have more educators qualified to teach at the tertiary level.&ldquo;It always boils down to the funding&hellip; We really need to increase the funding to have a massification and produce a critical mass of PhD,&rdquo; she said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/08/04/17/questions-and-answers-on-the-free-college-tuition-law">Questions and answers on the free college tuition law </a></div><div> </div>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday signed the Amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which expands benefits and allowances for the Philippines’ tertiary education students.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday signed the Amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which expands benefits and allowances for the Philippines’ tertiary education students.

Marcos signs law expanding benefits for tertiary education students

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Marcos signs law expanding benefits for tertiary education students

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 04, 2026 09:33 AM PHT

|

Updated September 04, 2026 12:23 PM PHT

Read More:

Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act

education

college

technical vocational

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Commission on Higher Education

CHED

Amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act

tertiary eeducation

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