Lacson vows review of Free Tertiary Education Act if elected

FILE PHOTO: Then-Senator Panfilo Lacson. (Voltaire Domingo/ Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — If elected, former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has vowed to push for a review of  or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act or the Free Tertiary Education Act as he saw the need to reduce requirements imposed on students.

Lacson, in a statement on Monday, said he received information from free tertiary education applicants that some have faced difficulty meeting requirements under the current law.

The former senator is seeking a Senate return, running under the administration-backed Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas.

“We will revisit the Free Tertiary Education Act and streamline it if needed. If the information is true that many requirements are imposed on applicants, it indicates the program does not want beneficiaries. The requirements may need to be simplified,” Lacson said in an interview in Pangasinan, transcripts of which were sent to reporters.

“The law decrees that it be simple. Could it be that the implementing rules are complicated? We must revisit it and if needed, make the needed amendments. So we will visit the Free Tertiary Education Act,” he added.

According to Republic Act No. 10931, Filipino students can avail of free tertiary education in public school institutions if they meet the following requirements:

• pass the entrance examination and admission and retention requirements of the state university and colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs), or technical-vocational institution (TVIs)
• have no existing bachelor’s degree or its equivalent
• have Filipino citizenship
• finish the degree on time
• enroll in the required units per year

Lacson said that the examinations for the free tertiary education must be competitive so that it will not be abused — noting that the government needs to ensure that people will not use connections to some politicians just to benefit from the law.

“If they become beneficiaries through that route, they are likely to keep failing because they are not motivated to study well,” he said.

The administration has vowed to continue supporting free tertiary education, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. saying last March 2024 that education remains the government’s highest priority.

READ: Marcos renews commitment to free tertiary education

However, there are concerns similar to those raised by Lacson — that some sectors may have taken advantage of connections just to get free tertiary education.  In December 2024, Sen. Loren Legarda filed a bill seeking to prioritize graduating high school students coming from poor families in the government’s free tertiary education program.

READ: Bill prioritizes 4Ps beneficiaries in free college program

Through Senate Bill No. 2905, certain provisions of R.A. No. 10931, will be amended by having students from families supported by the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), or the government’s conditional cash transfer program.