P1B being considered for private schools

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Despite eligible public universities and colleges now providing free tuition for students, Senator Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’ Angara recently affirmed government scholarships would still be provided.

During a recent visit to Central Philippine University in Iloilo City, Angara said the Senate is pushing a bill providing a minimum P1 billion for private school students, which the senator called “not even a lot” compared to the funding provided for state universities and colleges and  local universities and colleges under the 2019 national budget.

He pointed out, the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act will create a “deluge of students into our educational institutions,” adding, “It will be years before we are able to absorb these students.”

Angara said providing government funding for private schools is a “great way to give back.”

He said his father, the late Senate President Edgardo Angara, authored similar legislation with the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act, which enabled students from low-income families to attend private institutions.

“When the government had no funds, who raised our kids?” he asked. “It is the private schools and universities.”

In addition, Angara revealed the government will get to spend P46 billion to fund free college education in 2019, the biggest budget for free college education in the country’s history./DGB, WDJ