Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday signed a law amending the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTE) as part of government efforts to expand access to affordable, quality higher education for Filipino students. Marcos signed Republic Act (RA) 12325, or an Act Enhancing the UAQTE, in a ceremony at Malaca±an Palace in Manila.
According to Philippines News Agency, the President stated that the new law underscores his administration's commitment to making tertiary education more accessible to students who face financial barriers in pursuing their studies, including beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). The original law made tuition and other school fees free in public higher education and state-run technical-vocational institutions while providing assistance to learners with limited financial means through the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES). The amendments ensure that government assistance reaches those who need it most, particularly students from poor and disadvantaged families, including qualified 4Ps beneficiaries.
The amendments seek to improve further the implementation of the country's free tertiary education program and provide greater support to qualified students pursuing higher education. The new law mandates all state universities and colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs), and state-run technical-vocational institutions (TVIs) to implement Equity and Inclusion Plans to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds through targeted measures, such as fee waivers and priority access to facilities.
Other key policy amendments include expanding the TES, establishing private education assistance, regularly adjusting grants, and enhancing accountability monitoring. Marcos emphasized that the government will continue to invest in education and skills development, which are essential to improving productivity, employment opportunities, and national competitiveness. The responsibility of the government is to help learners remain in schools or training until they complete their studies and acquire the skills they need to succeed.
The original UAQTE, or RA 10931, provides free tuition and other school fees for qualified students in state universities and colleges, local universities and colleges, and state-run technical-vocational institutions. RA 10931 also institutionalizes the Tertiary Education Subsidy and student loan programs to help students meet other education-related expenses. The amendments are expected to strengthen these mechanisms and help ensure more Filipino students enter and complete tertiary education.
The new law broadens TES coverage by including subsidies for internship or Related Learning Experience, professional licensure expenses, and allowances for students with disabilities. It allows for a one-year extension of the program completion under justifiable circumstances. RA 12325 also introduces a pilot program to support disadvantaged students in priority programs at private higher education institutions and TVIs, upholding the complementarity between public and private education.
It also requires the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education Act (UnIFAST) Board to review and adjust TES amounts every two years to account for inflation and changing education costs. Under the new law, a "single learner reference code" will be established to improve the targeting and monitoring of beneficiaries from secondary to tertiary education. The Commission on Higher Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority are also directed to establish formal committees to resolve student complaints.
The law also mandates a comprehensive annual report to Congress on program outcomes, including employment tracer studies and budget utilization.
