The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and lawmakers from the lower chamber on Wednesday opposed Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno’s proposal to review the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017 or Republic Act RA 10931, which provides for free college education.

During the House Committee Appropriations hearing on CHED’s budget for 2024, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said the measure helps students who could not afford to pay for their tuition to continue studying in college.

“I am against the proposal to stop the program because it benefits many poor but deserving high school graduates who cannot otherwise pursue college education without government financial assistance,” Rodriguez said.

He argued that Congress “can and should” keep funding the program

“Education is the best gift we can give to the poor,” he said.

For his part, Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel emphasized that education was a right and that more youth should be given a chance to study in colleges and universities.

“Education is a right and it has never been simply an investment or privilege given to those who are deserving. If we want to give the youth more opportunities to study in SUCs (state universities and colleges…we should not hold back on funds when it comes to this,” Manuel said.

CHED Chairman Prospero De Vera said that Congress has deliberated over the free college education law and insisted that it is the agency’s role to implement it.

Citing some studies, he said that it is proven that investing in higher education is beneficial.

De Vera warned lawmakers that if funds were not allocated for free tertiary education, it would be difficult to produce highly-skilled workers and could leave the country at a disadvantage.

In a forum, Diokno described the free college education program as “unsustainable”.

According to him, the free college education program is basically a “subsidy to those who can pay for their college education” and “consumes a lot of funds”.

Under the 2024 National Expenditure Program, education was granted an allocation of P924.7 billion, 3.3 percent higher than this year’s budget.

This includes P51.12 billion to implement RA 10931. Jaspearl Tan/DMS