04/09/2026
CHED PRESS RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
PBBM Signs Expanded Free Higher Education Law for Disadvantaged Learners
CITY OF MANILA โ President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed Republic Act No. 12325, or โAn Act Enhancing the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act,โ expanding government support for poor and disadvantaged Filipino learners pursuing higher education and technical-vocational education.
Signed on September 4 at Malacaรฑang, the new law amends Republic Act No. 10931 (Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act) to expand and better target government assistance for disadvantaged learners, with qualified students from Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) households given first priority.
The stronger prioritization seeks to ensure that government assistance reaches more learners from the poorest families. The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) found that while free higher education significantly increased college participation among poor households, many 4Ps learners still had difficulty accessing TES. In Academic Year 2024โ2025, only 4,746, or 1.23 percent, of 384,388 4Ps senior high school completers accessed TES as first-year beneficiaries.
The measure forms part of President Marcosโ push to make quality education more accessible and help more Filipino learners overcome the financial barriers that can keep them from completing their studies.
โTodayโs ceremonial signing reaffirms our long-term commitment to expanding access to quality tertiary education for every Filipino. We will sustain this support year after year, because every learner who completes a college degree or TVET program opens greater opportunities for their family and helps build a more skilled, productive, and empowered nation,โ President Marcos said.
CHED Chairperson and UniFAST Board Chair Shirley C. Agrupis witnessed the ceremonial signing together with Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Kiko Benitez, reflecting the One Education approach of DepEd, CHED, and TESDA in providing more connected support for Filipino learners from basic education to higher and technical-vocational education.
Chairperson Agrupis said CHED and UniFAST will work with partner agencies to ensure that the expanded benefits of the law reach the students who need them most.
โFree tuition opened the doors of higher education to millions of Filipinos, but getting into college is only the first step. We also have to help our students stay in school and finish, especially those whose families struggle with the everyday costs of pursuing a degree,โ Chairperson Agrupis said.
The law also expands the assistance that qualified TES beneficiaries may receive. This includes additional support for internships and Related Learning Experience (RLE), as well as other allowances for economically disadvantaged students who face added costs in pursuing their education.
Students who qualify for TES will continue receiving the subsidy for the regular duration of their program. Those unable to finish on time because of economic hardship, health concerns, disasters, or other reasons may also receive up to one additional year of support, subject to evaluation and approval.
The amended law also creates Private Education Assistance (PEA) for poor and deserving students who wish to enroll in priority programs offered by qualified private higher education institutions and technical-vocational institutions.
Public colleges, universities, and state-run technical-vocational institutions will also be required to put in place measures to help disadvantaged students enter and finish tertiary education. These may include waived admission examination fees, assistive technologies, and priority access to available dormitories.
CHED, TESDA, UniFAST, and other concerned agencies will next prepare the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) to guide the implementation of the expanded benefits under RA No. 12325. # # #
