CHIZ: FREE COLLEGE EDUCATION NOW MORE ACCESSIBLE TO POOR STUDENTS

Senate President Francis "Chiz" G. Escudero announced on Friday (June 28) that the "Free College Entrance Examinations Act," now officially known as Republic Act 12006, is now a law.

The veteran legislator hailed its passage, saying the legislation, which aims to alleviate financial burdens for deserving students, was a significant milestone in the pursuit of accessible higher education.

In his statement, Escudero emphasized the importance of equal opportunities for all aspiring college students: "Our proposed legislation, which compels private higher education institutions (HEIs) to waive college entrance examination fees and charges for eligible students seeking college admission, has now been fully enacted."

The Senate President received confirmation from Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin that Senate Bill 2441, the bill he championed during his tenure as chairman of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education, has lapsed into law last June 14.

SBN 2441 consolidated the bills filed by Senators Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., Mark Villar, Manuel "Lito" Lapid, Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go, and Raffy Tulfo.

"This is another milestone in our quest to make education accessible for everyone. Now, we can look forward to a more equitable and inclusive educational landscape. RA 12006 stands as a testament to the power of Executive-Legislative collaboration and the unwavering dedication to providing quality education for all," Escudero stressed.

Under the "Free College Entrance Examinations Act," students are exempt from paying examination fees and charges if they are a natural-born Filipino student; belong to the top 10 percent of their graduating class; and, if they belong to a family whose combined household income falls below the poverty threshold as defined by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) or cannot afford to provide for their minimum basic needs duly certified as such by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Students may avail of the waived entrance exam fees once they satisfy all other requirements specified by the private HEI, the Act stated.

Escudero said the waiver would apply to any private HEIs within the country. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is given the authority to determine and impose sanctions against private HEI officials and employees who fail or refuse to comply with the provisions of the law.

"Certain entrance exam fees are equivalent to a day's minimum wage, which means that taking the exam could result in foregoing meals for an entire family. Hopefully, the new law will address this issue. No family should go hungry for a day because they've traded food money for an examination fee," the senator stated.