SEN. Bam Aquino said that 19,000 nursing and allied health sciences students stand to receive a one-time P25,000 financial aid for their related learning experience (RLE) expenses.
The senator said the grant of the financial assistance was the fulfillment of his campaign promise with the help of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
In his meetings with nursing students during the 2025 senatorial campaign, Aquino promised to address their concerns over the high cost of RLE, which is similar to on-the-job training and is required for graduation.
During his stint as chairman of the Committee on Basic Education, Aquino said he secured P500 million in the 2026 national budget to help cover the RLE expenses of allied health sciences students.
Aquino on Monday attended the CHED’s launch of the online portal for the submission of applications and supporting documents for the Allied Health Experiential Assistance for Deserving Students grant.
Aquino said the grant, established in 2026 through CHED Memorandum Order 11, will help "ease the financial burden on students and their families, especially amid rising prices of goods and petroleum products."