Davao City first district Rep. Karlo Nograles recently called on Congress to assist the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in ensuring only ‘deserving’ students benefit from the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education law, which provides free tuition at state colleges and universities.

“The funds we have set aside are simply too precious,” he said. “Only deserving students, or those who truly want to study, will benefit from the free college tuition program.”

Nograles believes the House of Representatives should hold hearings regarding the law every semester.

Following the ratification of the free tuition law, the House allotted P40 billion to fund the program in its first year; however, during Senate deliberations back in August 2017 Senator Paolo ‘Bam’ Aquino claimed costs would be P16 billion annually, with a 10 percent increase every year.

At the time the law passed, four Negros schools were eligible to provide free tuition, namely, Carlos Hilado Memorial State College, Central Philippines State University, Northern Negros State College of Science and Technology, and Negros Oriental State University./PLL, WDJ