President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, expanding government aid for college and vocational students.
The amendments seek to ensure that students from disadvantaged and underserved groups, including qualified beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) receive government assistance.
The law also creates Private Education Assistance to support disadvantaged students in priority programs at private colleges and technical-vocational schools.
“Poor and deserving students taking priority programs who are not covered by existing grants may also receive government support to pursue their students in a qualified private higher education and technical-vocational institutions,” Marcos said in his speech.
The original law covers free tuition and other fees at public colleges and state-run technical-vocational schools, and offers subsidies for students with limited financial means.
