The biggest state university in the country, the University of the Philippines, announced that no collection of fees will be made by the university for the first semester. This follows an earlier move by the university not to collect tuition fees during their enrollment in July.
According to an Inquirer report, these new guidelines are being implemented as part of the recently signed law on Universal Access to Tertiary Education. The UP Board of Regents, the highest decision-making body of the university approved these guidelines which are for immediate implementation.
Free Tuition And Other Fees: Who Are Qualified
Unlike before, when undergraduates in UP need to apply for the Socialized Tuition Fee Assistance Program, the new law provides for free tuition for all Filipino undergraduates no matter their socio-economic status. There are however exceptions such as students who do not meet requirements in admission and retention, those who already exceeded the maximum residency requirement, and those who are taking up law or medicine courses.
According to a GMA report, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno countered an earlier announcement by Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who said that only “poor and deserving students” should avail of free tuition. Diokno said that the law covers every qualified undergraduate student of state universities and colleges or students in state-run vocational schools. The law however also says that those students who can afford to pay can opt out of the subsidy program.
What Are The Other Provisions Of The Law?
Among the fees included in the subsidy are tuition and other school fees, allowance for books, school supplies, transportation and other expenses such purchase of personal computer or laptop, allowance for room and board and even expenses for acquiring a professional license for the first time.
The law also puts into place a student loan program for tertiary education. This program will be administered by the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) board, according to an ABS-CBN report.