High school graduates from Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) households now have a stronger pathway to a college education, with a new law providing qualified students with financial assistance to pursue their chosen degree programs, House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Representative Nonoy Libanan said.
Libanan explained the Expanded Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act assures high school graduates from 4Ps families of financial support, provided they meet the academic requirements for admission to a recognized higher education institution.
“We want their children to have a fair chance to go to college, finish a degree and build a better future for themselves and their families.”
“This is a major opportunity for our 4Ps families. We want their children to have a fair chance to go to college, finish a degree and build a better future for themselves and their families,” the veteran legislator said.
Under the new law, financial assistance may cover tuition and other school fees, as well as reasonable allowances for books, school supplies, transportation and miscellaneous personal expenses.
“When applicable, students may also receive assistance for room and board, as well as the documented rental or purchase of a personal computer,” the seasoned lawmaker noted.
He added that qualified students in cities or municipalities without a state university or local government college may pursue their preferred programs in private higher education institutions and still receive financial assistance under the law.
“If the student’s chosen college program requires a professional license or certification, the financial aid will also help cover the one-time cost of obtaining the necessary credentials or qualifications, including applicable expenses for review classes and documentation,” Libanan said.
He said the new law complements the government’s long-term investment in the education and human-capital development of poor Filipino families through 4Ps.
The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, or 4Ps, provides conditional cash grants to qualified poor households to help them meet their children’s health, nutrition and education needs. The program’s broader objective is to develop the capabilities of children and help families break the intergenerational cycle of poverty.
After 18 years of implementation, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said 4Ps has served 4.4 million Filipino families. Nearly 3 million households remain active beneficiaries, while almost 1.6 million Pantawid families have already reached self-sufficiency, according to the agency.
The DSWD also reported that 39,879 former 4Ps beneficiaries have passed professional board examinations, including 257 who emerged as topnotchers. In 2026 alone, 99 former 4Ps beneficiaries earned topnotcher honors in various professional licensure examinations.
The results are particularly encouraging in the field of education. The DSWD reported that 72 former 4Ps monitored children landed among the top ranks of the March 2026 Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET), including two who placed No. 1 in the elementary and secondary levels. Since 2019, a total of 154 former 4Ps monitored children have passed the LET.
For Libanan, these achievements demonstrate what can happen when children from poor families are given sustained support to remain in school, complete their education and pursue professional careers.
“These young Filipinos are proof that poverty should never be a barrier to excellence.”
“These young Filipinos are proof that poverty should never be a barrier to excellence. Give our children the opportunity, and they can excel just like anyone else,” he said.
Libanan said expanding access to higher education is critical to ensuring that the gains made through 4Ps continue beyond the beneficiaries’ school years.
“Education remains one of the most powerful tools for breaking the cycle of poverty. By helping our 4Ps children reach college and earn professional qualifications, we are giving them a better chance to lift their families and communities to a higher standard of living,” he said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the Expanded Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, or Republic Act No. 12325, into law on September 4.
