PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed a law that extends support for financially struggling students to finish their college degrees and technical-vocational programs.
Speaking at the signing of Republic Act (RA) 12325, which enhances the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, in Malacañang on Friday, the president stressed the need for expanded government support, particularly for students coming from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds.
“We hope to see them grow and thrive, and reach their full potential. But even the strongest seeds cannot flourish without fertile ground,” he said.
He recognized that while the free tuition for tertiary education removed financial barriers for learners to pursue their college education, other fees such as books, transport and other fees hinder students from finishing their chosen programs.
“While we have opened the doors of our public colleges, universities and technical-vocational institutions, the responsibility of the government does not end there,” Marcos said.
In the first semester of academic year 2026–2027, the number of students benefiting from free higher education reached 2.6 million, compared to 2 million students in the previous semester.
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairman Shirley Agrupis told reporters the expansion now has a specific budget allotted for students from single parents, persons with disabilities and others.
“That’s the biggest pain point in the law, because students in higher education do not live with free fees; transportation, accommodation and daily subsistence. That’s why this new act was passed to increase their allowance,” Agrupis said.
The new law “is designed to really increase the subsidy on top of the free higher education,” she added.
A total of P7,500 in allowance has been received by students per school year under the CHED Tulong Dunong Program.
The increased government subsidy, Agrupis said, will depend on the upcoming agreement and the 2027 budget.
She said she hopes the allowance can be doubled.
Under the 2027 proposed budget, P35.45 billion was allocated for CHED.
The president also said the Department of Science and Technology’s Science Education Institute increased the number of undergraduate scholars from around 45,000 scholars in School Year 2022 to 2023 to 48,520 in School Year 2025 to 2026.
Sen. Bam Aquino welcomed the enactment of amendments to the country’s Free College Law, particularly provisions providing financial assistance to nursing and allied health sciences students facing costly on-the-job training requirements.
Aquino said RA 12325 would strengthen government support for students who need financial assistance most.
“Those amendments to RA 10931, or the Free College Act, are good. First of all, it will ensure that those young people who really need it will get help,” Aquino said after attending the ceremonial signing of the law at Malacañang.
Aquino, the principal sponsor of RA 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, in 2017, said the amended law includes assistance for internship and Related Learning Experience (RLE) programs — an issue he had pledged to pursue during his 2025 senatorial campaign.
“The thing we fought for, the assistance to nurses for their RLE, or related learning experience, is also included in the new law,” said Aquino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.
Aquino, a co-author of RA 12325, pushed for the inclusion of RLE financial assistance during the bicameral conference committee. The provision aims to help nursing and allied health sciences students cope with expenses associated with clinical training and other required experiential learning.
RLE-related costs can range from P20,000 to P80,000, according to Aquino, creating a significant burden for families and, in some cases, forcing students to abandon their studies.
“This is the fulfillment of our campaign promise to advance financial assistance for nursing and allied health sciences students,” he said.
