Senator Bong Go has pressed the Senate to prioritize expanded access to free tertiary education.
Building on the law enacted during the Duterte Administration, Go as chair of the Senate Youth Committee, filed a bill to expand it further to reach more students in need.
Speaking during the public hearing of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education, the veteran legislator reaffirmed his commitment to advancing measures that strengthen inclusivity in education and break down persistent barriers for poor and disadvantaged Filipino youth.
“Prayoridad ko ang edukasyon ng ating mga kabataan na pundasyon ng kanilang mga pangarap.”
“Education is a right, not a privilege, kaya tuloy tuloy lang po ang ating trabaho. Bilang Chairman ng Committee on Youth, prayoridad ko ang edukasyon ng ating mga kabataan na pundasyon ng kanilang mga pangarap. Ito ang susi sa kanilang magandang kinabukasan,” the seasoned lawmaker explained.
The senator looked back on the landmark reform initiated under the Duterte administration, where he once served as Special Assistant to the President.
He credited the signing of Republic Act No. 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, as a turning point in ensuring that millions of students could study without the heavy financial burden of tuition fees.
Go noted that the law was made possible through the efforts of its principal author, Senator Win Gatchalian, its principal sponsor, Senator Bam Aquino, then Senator Alan Peter Cayetano who was part of the 17th Congress before becoming Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and Senate Majority Floor Leader Joel Villanueva who served as both co-sponsor and co-author, among others.
Go emphasized that these lawmakers fought hard to ensure the measure’s passage, which President Rodrigo Duterte ultimately signed into law.
He then candidly recalled the tense deliberations at the time, particularly the resistance from economic managers who raised fiscal concerns. He noted how close the measure came to being vetoed but stressed that political will and persistence won the day.
“Muntik na po itong na-veto dahil may concerns nga ang economic managers, pero alam po ni (CHED) Chairman Popoy de Vera ‘yan, na ipinaglaban po natin ito until the last minute. Naalala ko noon, meron pong free scholarship din po sa Davao City noon, so sabi ko, kung nagawa ni Mayor Duterte noon sa Davao, eh bakit hindi niya gustong gawin sa buong Pilipinas. Ipinaglaban po natin ito hanggang sa hatinggabi na hindi po ma-veto kahit ayaw ng mga finance managers dahil sa kakulangan po sa pondo,” Go recounted.
“Finally, bilang Special Assistant to the President noon, na ipaglaban ito at ipaliwanag sa Pangulo along with the CHED, napirmahan po niya ito at naging batas ito,” he added.
Go, however, underscored that the work remains unfinished. He explained that access to education continues to be a challenge, particularly for students living in remote areas without public universities or colleges, or for those whose desired programs are not available in existing public institutions.
“Even with RA 10931 in place, we acknowledge that access to education can still be improved and expanded, especially for students in areas where public institutions either do not exist or do not offer the courses they wish to pursue. Persistent barriers may prevent many young Filipinos from fully realizing their academic aspirations, such as geographic isolation, limited program offerings, and resource constraints in public schools,” he said.
This is where Go pointed to his recently filed Senate Bill No. 169, which seeks to expand the coverage of the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES).
“I filed Senate Bill 169 by seeking to expand the Tertiary Education Subsidy or TES coverage. This measure proposes the inclusion of qualified poor students enrolled in private higher education institutions (HEIs) and TVIs, especially in localities where comparable programs are not offered by nearby public institutions. Lalong lalo na po yung mga nasa malalayong lugar, na wala pong state universities at colleges,” he declared.
Go explained that SBN 169 would also propose a voucher system to allow academically qualified but economically disadvantaged students to pursue education in private schools if necessary for their desired academic path.
He highlighted the urgency of passing the measure by pointing to alarming data on the dropout rate in higher education. Drawing from the report of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), Go emphasized how economic realities continue to derail the dreams of many students.
“Bitbit nila ang pangarap na mabago ang tadhana ng kanilang mga pamilya.”
“Sa pagbisita ko rin sa iba’t ibang kolehiyo sa bansa, napag-alaman namin na marami sa ating mga estudyante ngayon ang unang miyembro ng kanilang pamilya na nakatungtong sa kolehiyo. Bitbit nila ang pangarap na mabago ang tadhana ng kanilang mga pamilya. Ngunit nakakalungkot pong malaman na ang national dropout rate ng bansa sa higher education ay umabot na po sa 39%, as recently reported by the Second Congressional Commission on Education or EDCOM 2. Ang karaniwang dahilan ay ang kakulangan sa pangtustos sa araw-araw na pamasahe at iba pang gastusin,” Go explained.
Citing national hero Jose Rizal, Go reminded his colleagues that youth empowerment through education remains central to nation-building.
“Mr. Chair, as Dr. Jose Rizal once said, ‘Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan.’ At parati kong sinasabi ‘yan bilang Chairman ng Senate Committee on Youth. Yung edukasyon po ay puhunan natin hanggang sa pagtanda natin, hindi po ito nawawala. If we fail to support them in finishing their education, we risk failing not just these students, but also the future of our nation,” he said.
Go then stressed his continued support for government scholarship programs and other initiatives that uphold inclusivity.
“Para maipagpatuloy ng mga kabataan, lalo na po ng mga mahihirap ang kanilang pag-aaral, sinusuportahan po natin ang scholarship programs ng gobyerno. Tumutugon ito sa misyon natin na mapagkalooban sila ng inclusive and quality education,” he concluded.
