The government has released additional funding to address unpaid costs under the country’s free higher education program, providing financial relief to state universities and colleges that had previously covered the expenses using their own resources.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released P9.753 billion to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to address funding deficiencies in the Free Higher Education Program (FHEP) covering 108 state universities and colleges (SUCs). The allocation covers academic years 2022–2023, 2023–2024, and 2024–2025.
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Funding Relief for State Universities
DBM Acting Secretary Kim Robert De Leon said the release follows the administration's directive to keep education among its priorities while managing the government's limited fiscal resources.
“Every peso in the national budget has competing demands. Our responsibility is to make sure that limited government resources are directed where they are most needed, without compromising other equally important programs and services,” he said.
The funds will be coursed through CHED's Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST), which is tasked with facilitating their release to the affected SUCs based on applicable guidelines.
For universities and colleges that previously used institutional funds to cover FHEP-related expenses, the allocation provides an opportunity to recover those resources and redirect them toward other legitimate needs. These can include academic and research initiatives, student services, laboratories, libraries, information technology resources, and improvements to learning facilities.
SUCs may also use available resources for medical, dental, guidance, athletic and cultural services, as well as the rehabilitation, improvement or expansion of academic and other university facilities, subject to applicable budgeting, accounting and auditing rules, and the availability of appropriate funds.
The Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act recognizes many of these services and facilities as important components of quality higher education.
More Assistance for College Students
The funding release comes alongside a broader push to provide additional educational assistance to Filipino students. Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said the administration intends to expand scholarships and other forms of support to help more young people complete their college education.
During his visit to Cebu on Aug. 13, Recto gave the assurance to beneficiaries of the Bagong Pilipinas Barangay Presidential Scholars Program (BPBPSP), emphasizing that financial hardship should not prevent students from completing their studies.
“For the president, education is an investment in the bright future of every family and of the entire nation,” he said.
Under the program, five fourth-year college students in every barangay will receive P20,000 each in financial assistance. Cebu City has 5,330 scholars from 1,066 barangay under the program.
“The president has great trust in you, which is why you were chosen to be presidential scholars,” Recto told the presidential scholars.
Malacañang said 210,000 students from over 42,000 barangay nationwide will benefit from the program this year. Each barangay receives P200,000 from the Presidential Socio-Civic Projects Fund, with P100,000 designated for five presidential scholars.
Other government assistance includes free basic education, free tuition in state universities and colleges, and scholarships covering medicine, science, graduate studies, specialized courses, and other fields.
For Filipino families, continued funding for free higher education and scholarships can reduce one of the biggest barriers to completing college: the cost. Beyond helping individual students stay in school, stronger educational support can give families more opportunities to improve their income prospects while allowing SUCs to preserve resources for better facilities, services and academic programs, benefiting communities and the country's future workforce.
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