MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday said proposed Basic Education Voucher Program Act would uphold every Filipino child’s right to accessible and quality education.
The measure seeks to institutionalize a government-funded voucher program that may be used by qualified K to 12 learners to enroll in any Department of Education (DepEd)-recognized private school of their choice.
The senator said the bicameral conference committee last week approved the reconciled version of the measure, harmonizing Senate Bill 1981 and House Bill 4744.
Once ratified by both chambers, the bill will be transmitted to Malacañang for the signature of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“The Constitution guarantees the right of every Filipino to accessible and quality education at all levels and mandates the State to take appropriate steps to make such education available to all,” Cayetano said in a statement.
“I'd like to see the day when we were born in the Philippines, regardless of your surname, whether your rich or poor, if you want to go to the best private school sa inyong province or city, you’ll have the opportunity to do that," Cayetano said in Filipino and English.
Unlike the expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) program, the proposed voucher system will give learners and their families "more say in choosing a school" and will cover all levels from Kindergarten to Grade 12.
The measure also includes a quality assurance framework, as well as safeguards and penalties proposed by Cayetano against "ghost" learners, delays, and other fraudulent practices.
To help families make informed school choices, the Department of Education will maintain a public database of participating private schools, covering their tuition, program offerings, capacity, and key performance indicators.
