Up to 230,417 incoming Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) beneficiaries from Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) households have no funding under the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP), Senate President Win Gatchalian flagged.
“Mas kailangan nila ng educational assistance. It’s not enough that they’re not paying tuition, we need to give them extra boost so they can finish their school or else they will drop out,” Gatchalian emphasized.
“We will need P3.1 billion to absorb more than 230,000 students from 4Ps,” Gatchalian said.
Overall, the TES has a deficit of P12.023 billion under the 2027 NEP, which corresponds to 709,709 unfunded slots.
For 4Ps students who will be deemed ‘ongoing’ beneficiaries next year, there is a shortage of P4.21 billion to cover 70,471 slots. There is no allocation for unfunded 4Ps beneficiaries carried over from fiscal year 2026, which requires P2.39 billion to cover 177,036 slots. There is also a shortage of P2.32 billion to cover 231,785 slots for beneficiaries hailing from places with no state or local university or college.
In selecting TES beneficiaries, Republic Act No. 12325 provides that priority shall be given to students from 4Ps households, who are enrolled in higher education institutions recognized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) or technical-vocational institutions registered with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
Republic Act No. 12325, which was recently signed into law, strengthens the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (Republic Act No. 10931) or the free higher education law.
Kawalan ng pondo para sa mga papasok na TES Beneficiaries mula sa 4Ps, pinuna ni Gatchalian
Pinuna ni Senate President Win Gatchalian na sa ilalim ng 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP), walang nakalaang pondo para sa 230,417 incoming Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) beneficiaries mula sa mga pamilyang kabilang sa Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)
“Mas kailangan nila ng educational assistance. Hindi sapat na hindi sila nagbabayad ng tuition, kailangan natin silang suportahan upang matapos nila ang kanilang pag-aaral at hindi sila mag-drop-out,” ani Gatchalian.
“Kailangan natin ng P3.1 billion upang mapondohan ang mahigit 230,000 na mga mag-aaral,” dadgag na pahayag ng senador.
Sa kabuuan, may P12.023 bilyong kakulangan ang TES sa ilalim ng 2027 NEP, katumbas ng 709,709 slots na walang pondo.
Hindi rin napondohan ang P4.21 bilyong kinakailangan para sa 70,471 slots ng 4Ps students na ituturing na ‘ongoing’ beneficiaries sa susunod na taon. Wala rin sa NEP ang kinakailangang P2.39 bilyon para sa 177,036 slots ng unfunded 4Ps beneficiaries na carry-over mula fiscal year 2026. Hindi rin napondohan ang P2.32 bilyong kinakailangan para sa 231,785 slots ng mga beneficiaries mula sa mga lugar na walang state o local university o college.
Sa pagpili ng TES beneficiaries, itinatakda ng Republic Act No. 12325 na bibigyan ng prayoridad ang mga estudyanteng mula sa 4Ps households na naka-enroll sa higher education institutions na kinikilala ng Commission on Higher Education (CHED) o sa technical-vocational institutions na rehistrado sa Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
Pinalalakas ng RA 12325, na kamakailan lamang nilagdaan bilang batas, ang Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (Republic Act No. 10931), o ang free higher education law.
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Photo by Mark Cayabyab / OSP WIN GATCHALIAN
