Senator Loren Legarda has introduced a new legislative measure aimed at fostering fairness and inclusivity in the distribution of the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) as outlined in Republic Act No. 10931, known as the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act. The TES program is designed to financially assist eligible Filipino students attending state and local universities, private higher education institutions, and technical vocational schools.
Legarda’s Senate Bill No. 2905 comes in response to findings from the Second Congressional Commission on Education, which indicated a significant decline in the proportion of TES grants awarded to students from the poorest families, dropping from 74.24% in the 2018-2019 academic year to just 30.74% in 2022-2023. Over the same period, the allocation of subsidies to students at private non-state learning institutions rose sharply from 25.76% to 69.26%.
Legarda expressed concern that this trend undermines the original purpose of RA No. 10931, which is to prioritize support for the most disadvantaged. Her bill proposes automatic TES eligibility for students from households enrolled in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) who have completed senior high school and are accepted into recognized higher education institutions. The remaining TES slots would then be distributed according to household per capita income to promote equity.
Furthermore, Senate Bill No. 2905 incorporates measures for ongoing monitoring and quality assurance, mandating regular evaluations and institutional assessments to ensure the TES program effectively addresses the divide between poverty and educational opportunity.
Legarda emphasized the critical role of education in breaking the cycle of poverty, stating that by focusing assistance and improving student financing, the bill aims to prioritize those in greatest need, thereby enhancing both individual empowerment and the broader social and economic progress of the nation.