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FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
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ABOUT FREE COLLEGE AND THE PROPOSED CUT TO ITS FUNDING
Free tuition can make college possible for a family that could never afford the fees. Keeping a child in school still means finding money for transport, meals, supplies and other requirements.
Free tuition can make college possible for a family that could never afford the fees. Keeping a child in school still means finding money for transport, meals, supplies and other requirements.
Republic Act No. 12325, approved September 4, expands the law governing free tertiary education and student assistance. At the same time, Senator Joel Villanueva has raised concern about a proposed reduction in a major education funding allocation for 2027.
Parents need to understand which benefits the law provides, which fund is being questioned and how the final budget could affect delivery. A proposed cut does not mean free college has been abolished, and the funding figures need to be read program by program.
1
FREE TUITION AND STUDENT ALLOWANCES ARE DIFFERENT FORMS OF SUPPORT
The free higher education law exempts qualified Filipino students in state universities and colleges and covered local universities and colleges from tuition and other school fees. Admission, retention and other eligibility requirements still apply.
That does not automatically pay for everything a student needs to finish a degree. A student may still need transport money each day, a place to stay near campus or supplies for the course.
The Tertiary Education Subsidy, or TES, is a separate form of assistance for qualified poor students. It can help with living and study costs, and eligible students in recognized private institutions may also receive support under its rules.
A family should therefore ask two questions: whether the student qualifies for free tuition, and whether the student qualifies for additional assistance. Being admitted to a public college does not by itself establish entitlement to every allowance.
WHAT TO WATCH
Watch your school’s official notices on tuition coverage, subsidy applications and release schedules. Ask which program covers each expense so the family can budget for costs that remain.
2
THE EXPANDED LAW GIVES PRIORITY TO POOR STUDENTS
Under the amended law, TES prioritizes enrolled students from households on the updated Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, or 4Ps, list, ranked by household income per person. Remaining slots go to other poor students using the prescribed income assessment.
The law also allows support for required internships and related learning experience. These include course activities in which students learn through supervised practical work, with assistance subject to the program’s guidelines.
For a family, the usefulness of that support depends on whether it arrives when the expense is due. A student facing a required training fee needs clear information on qualification, coverage and payment dates.
WHAT TO WATCH
Watch the implementing guidelines and the school’s instructions for students seeking assistance. They should explain the documents needed, the expenses covered and how beneficiaries will receive their grants.
3
THE REPORTED ₱9.8-BILLION REDUCTION IS A BUDGET PROPOSAL
During the education budget briefing, Villanueva said the proposed allocation for Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education would fall from ₱37.547 billion in 2026 to ₱27.790 billion in 2027. The difference is ₱9.757 billion, commonly rounded to ₱9.8 billion.
He also said CHED’s proposed overall budget would fall from ₱48.369 billion to ₱35.453 billion. Those are separate comparisons: one concerns the identified program allocation, while the other concerns the commission’s overall budget.
The reported program figure should not be treated as the entire national budget for every public college and education benefit. Public colleges and student assistance receive funding through different allocations.
Congress can still change the proposed budget before it becomes law. These figures do not mean a student’s current grant has already been reduced by that amount or that tuition charges have returned.
WHAT TO WATCH
Watch the amounts retained in the final budget and CHED’s explanation of the students and expenses they will cover. The final allocation will show whether lawmakers restored, retained or changed the proposed funding.
4
SOME SEPARATE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS HAVE PROPOSED INCREASES
Villanueva also pointed to proposed increases in CHED’s separate Student Financial Assistance Programs. The reported allocation would rise from ₱2.154 billion to ₱3.185 billion.
That means the funding picture varies by program. An increase in a particular scholarship does not establish that every student affected by a reduction elsewhere can transfer to it.
Each program has its own qualifications and purpose. A family relying on a subsidy needs to know whether that specific assistance remains funded, how many students it can support and when payments will be released.
WHAT TO WATCH
Watch the final allocations alongside beneficiary targets and eligibility rules for each program. Those details will show who gains access to support and where a funding gap may remain.
5
A LAW’S PROMISE NEEDS MONEY AND TIMELY DELIVERY
The amended law requires the necessary funding to be included in the annual national budget. It also requires mechanisms to monitor whether grants reach qualified students and to address complaints about implementation.
The concern about a smaller allocation is that there may be less money available to deliver the required support. Its actual effect depends on the final budget, expected enrollment, program costs and how the funds are distributed.
It would be misleading to claim from the headline alone that every public college student will lose free tuition. Families need a clear account of which beneficiaries could be affected and what the government will do to meet its obligations.
WHAT TO WATCH
Watch CHED’s funded beneficiary targets, grant release schedules and published application instructions. For a student, the clearest evidence of delivery is receiving the promised assistance in time to keep studying.
BOTTOM LINE
Free tuition remains in the law, and the reported 2027 reduction is still a proposal. The dispute concerns whether the final funding will be enough to deliver the education support the government has promised.
Families should check the program their child relies on, the qualification rules and the payment schedule. Congress and CHED need to show how the final budget will keep eligible students in school and bring assistance to those who need it.
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