The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for the 40.11 percent increase in its budget, now totaling PhP47 billion, which will expand government support for free tuition and financial assistance for college students.
In a Palace briefing on Tuesday, CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis said the budget increase is an indication of President Marcos’ commitment towards fully implementing the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Law and improving Filipinos’ access to higher education.
“We are really very grateful kasi lahat po ng pangako ng ating Pangulo sa SONA 2025 ay na-realize na at marami talagang pasalamat kami sa kaniya kasi ngayon lang po namin nakita. Ako po ay nandoon sa Higher Education for the last 20 years pero ngayon ko lang nakita kung gaano kapursigido ang ating Pangulo sa pagpapatupad ng mga nakalaan sa ating UniFAST Law,” Agrupis said.
Of the PhP47 billion budget, Agrupis said that PhP40 billion is allocated for the implementation of the UniFAST Law, which includes the free higher education or free tuition fee for all students enrolling in state-funded universities, local universities, and colleges, and assistance to students who are going to enroll in private universities in areas without public higher education institutions.
Agrupis added that the budget hike will also help in providing tertiary education subsidies to students in need.
“On top of that, may mga tertiary education subsidy. Nagagalak po ako na lahat po ng ongoing na enrolled ng state-funded university at mga tertiary education na subsidy na kulang noong NEP ay nabigyan na po,” she reported.
The CHED official also said that funding for the Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program (MSRS) increased, which will help support the administration’s goal of establishing at least one medical school in every region to improve nationwide healthcare access.
“Iyong mga medical students natin kasi sa ngayon, we have 26 college of medicine and our target—ang target ng Pangulo ay lahat ng region ay may college of medicine para atendahan ang kalusugan ng ating kapwa Pilipino. Tumaas po siya so both institutional and expansion of scholarship,” Agrupis said.
Agrupis also mentioned the Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program for Senior High School (SHS) who graduated with High to Highest Honors or those with a general weighted average of at least 95% and come from low- to middle-income households.
“We have 20,000 slots of this…Students who are encouraged to enroll in the priority program kahit private or state-funded, mayroon na po silang pag-asang matupad ang kanilang mga ambisyon at makatulong sa pagbuo ng Bagong Pilipinas,” Agrupis said.
“So, ito po lahat ay katuparan sa mga pangako ng ating Pangulo, sa kaniyang binitiwang promise during the SONA,” she added.
Agrupis said their agency, along with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), will work hard to functionalize the trifocal education system in the country.
“We will be providing a seamless pathway sa lahat at any point in their educational journey, wala pong maiiwan,” she said. | *PND*
