HB2642 - AN ACT AMENDING SECTIONS 3 AND 7 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10931, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO QUALITY TERTIARY EDUCATION АСТ", ТО ENHANCE THE EFFICIENCY, EQUITY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE TERTIARY EDUCATION SUBSIDY PROGRAM

Education remains the most dependable ladder out of poverty. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority 2023 Labor Force Survey, workers with a bachelor's degree earn on average 103 percent more than those whose schooling ends at senior high school. Yet for many capable Filipinos, the cumulative weight of tuition, mandatory fees, and daily subsistence costs still keeps college out of reach. Republic Act No. 10931, known as the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, created the Tertiary Education Subsidy, or TES, to bridge this divide. Seven years into implementation, however, audit findings continue to reveal delayed stipend releases and an inequitable distribution scheme that leaves Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, or 4Ps, graduates and other learners from the poorest households waiting in line even when funds are already appropriated. Guided by the companion bill filed by Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam " A. Aquino IV, this measure refines the TES so that assistance reaches students who need it when they need it and in amounts that genuinely defray the hidden costs of pursuing a degree. It sharpens equity by automatically admitting all qualified 4Ps graduates into the TES roster and by ranking all other applicants strictly according to verified per capita household income. It promotes efficiency by migrating disbursement to an integrated digital platform linked to PhilSys and supported by a public dashboard that highlights any release pending beyond thirty days. It strengthens accountability by requiring semester level utilization reports, enforcing five year outcome evaluations, and imposing definitive sanctions on institutions that misuse or withhold funds. Enactment of this bill promises tangible gains. Low income students will see out of pocket expenses fall from day one. Subsidy schedules will become predictable, allowing tuition, boarding, and licensure costs to remain current. Grantees can be expected to record lower first year attrition and higher on time graduation. Policymakers, auditors, and the public will have real time data to trace every peso committed to student aid. As principal author I recall how a delayed allowance or an undisclosed fee once threatened to derail my own college journey and those of many classmates. By reinforcing the TES with clearer rules, streamlined delivery, and rigorous oversight, this measure aims to convert every peso of public investment into diplomas, inclusive growth, and a workforce equipped for the demands of a modern economy. Closing administrative gaps and sharpening the program's pro poor focus will ensure that quality tertiary education remains not merely a statutory promise but a tangible reality for all Filipino youth. For further reading: https://docs.congress.hrep.online/legisdocs/basic_20/HB02642.pdf https://www.congress.gov.ph/house-members/view/?member=L031&name=DIMAGUILA%2C+WALFREDO+%22ARMAN%22+R.%2C+JR.&page=0

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