Pres Duterte signs free tuition law for 112 SUCs

(Photo Courtesy by Pinoy Trending News)

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed the law providing free tuition for 112 state universities and colleges (SUCs) nationwide or also known as Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act on Thursday, August 3.

Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra announced during a press conference that Duterte signed into law the enrolled bill after the president had series of meetings between lawmakers and economic managers. According to reports, Budget Secretary Diokno, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia earlier said that if the law was passed, this would benefit mostly middle-class to high-income students who make up the majority of college students.

(Photo Courtesy by Philippine Star)

Duterte was convinced that the benefits of the bill will outweigh its hefty cost despite his economic advisers’ opposition to the said bill according to Guevarra. There were many issues and comments that circled about the passing of the free tuition bill. One of these was the statement of Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno who had claimed that the policy would require funding of P100 billion, which the government cannot afford at the moment.

But according to Guevarra: "The P100-billion estimate of the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) seems to be on the very high side because that is on the basis, on the assumption that all aspects of the free tuition bill will be implemented all at the same time."

Guevarra emphasized the impact and the importance of this law and told reporters: "Free tertiary education in state universities and colleges is a pillar or cornerstone of the President's social development policy so he weighed everything and came to the conclusion that the long-term benefits that will be derived from a well-developed tertiary education will definitely outweigh any possible short-term budgetary challenges."