Pangilinan files 'Bawat Pamilya May College Gradweyt' bill

SENATOR Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Wednesday filed a bill seeking to fund the studies until college graduation of one member of every eligible Filipino family.

Senate Bill 2495, or the "Bawat Pamilya May College Gradweyt Act", seeks to "ensure that at least one member of every eligible Filipino family shall be assisted to pursue and successfully complete college education."

The bill gives priority to first-generation college students, or students who are part of households included in the Listahanan 2.0, and students who are not part of the Listahanan 2.0 but belong to low-income households.

"Alam natin ito: Mas mabilis makakaalpas sa kahirapan ang pamilya kung mayroong kahit isang graduate ng kolehiyo sa pamilya. Dapat tutukan ito," Pangilinan said.

Listahan 2.0 is the Department of Social Welfare and Development's data bank of about 5.2 million poor households. It is also known as the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR).

Under the bill, Pangilinan said "beneficiaries of the program shall be entitled to receive full tuition and other school fees subsidies and allowances," as provided for in the bill.

Pangilinan said "it is the policy of the State to protect and promote the rights of all students to quality education at all levels" and that the State "shall likewise ensure that students from eligible Filipino families, especially the poorest and most vulnerable, shall be given utmost priority and adequate support to successfully pursue and complete tertiary education." The "Bawat Pamilya May College Gradweyt Program" amends Republic Act 10931, or the "Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act." It is to be implemented by the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary education (UniFAST) board.

The UniFAST board, under the bill, is to promulgate appropriate guidelines and monitor the progress of student beneficiaries until they have successfully completed tertiary education.

Under the bill, the UniFAST board is also being expanded to include the following: the secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as ex officio member; president of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges as member; chairman of the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations as member; president of the Association of Local Colleges and Universities as member; president of the Government Service Insurance System as a non-voting member; and president of the Social Security System as a non-voting member.