FORMER senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino yesterday said he will prioritize the crafting of measures to expand the coverage of Republic Act 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act or Free College Education law, if he lands a Senate seat in the May 12 mid-term elections.
Aquino made the assurance during his meeting with student leaders of the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP) in Cagayan de Oro City.
Aquino is the principal sponsor of Free College Education law, which grants free tuition and miscellaneous fees for students of state and local universities and colleges, and scholarships for those studying at private higher education institutions.
RA 10931 was signed into law in 2017.
He said expanding the law would mean more students being covered with free college education, ensure that subsidies for other school ex-penses are funded, and guarantee that students will be employed after graduation.
“In other countries, the Department of Education and the Department of Labor and Employment are under one agency because they know that this process should lead you towards the right employment,” Aquino said.
“Ang gusto natin bago pa maka-graduate, may job offer na. At hindi yan mangyayari kung hindi integrated iyong ating market, yung ating com-merce, at yung ating mga school. Kailangan ng espasyo ng mga school to be able to tweak within the framework of CHED ano yung puwede gawin para mas responsive tayo sa merkado (What we want is for stu-dents to have job offers even before they graduate. That will not happen if our market, commerce, and schools are not integrated. Schools need space to be able to tweak within the framework of CHED [Commission on Higher Education] on what they will do to be more responsive to the market),” he said.
Likewise, Aquino said backs the decision of some schools to suspend classes on February 25, a Tuesday, in time for the 39th EDSA People Power anniversary which Malacañang declared as a special working day.
“Kasama ako sa inyong paninindigan at pagpapahalaga sa paggunita ng makasaysayang pangyayaring dapat pinapahalagahan at hindi kina-kalimutan. Patuloy tayong kumilos upang manatiling buhay ang ala-ala ng EDSA People Power, kung saan sama-samang tumindig at lumaban ang sambayanang Pilipino para sa kalayaang tinatamasa natin ngayon (I am one with your stand to commemorate the historic event that should be cherished and remembered by the people. Let us sustain the memo-ries of the EDSA People Power when millions of Filipino fought for the freedom we now enjoy),” he said.
