Senator Joel Villanueva warned that a ₱9.757-billion cut to the government’s free tuition subsidy could undercut the implementation of a reform law he authored, as the Commission on Higher Education’s overall budget fell by more than a quarter for 2027.
CHED’s proposed 2027 budget stands at ₱35.453 billion, down ₱12.916 billion or 26.7% from its 2026 level. Inside that reduction, the allocation for Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education, the government’s free tuition fund, falls from ₱37.547 billion to ₱27.790 billion.
The cut lands as Republic Act No. 12325, the law enhancing the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, moves toward implementation.
“We must also prepare for the implementation of Republic Act No. 12325, enhancing the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which we authored and co-sponsored,” Villanueva said during the CHED and SUCs budget briefing.
Only 12.6% of Tertiary Education Subsidy grantees in the first semester of Academic Year 2025-2026 came from 4Ps households, a gap RA 12325 was designed to close by directing subsidies more precisely toward disadvantaged learners.
“We authored this reform because the subsidy was not reaching the students who needed it most. A smaller budget makes that job harder, not easier,” Villanueva said.
Villanueva took note of other CHED programs that received additional funding allocations, with the commission’s Student Financial Assistance Programs having a proposed ₱3.185 billion budget for 2027 from this year’s ₱2.154 billion, which will allow it to expand beneficiaries from 42,128 to 49,243.
Villanueva expressed relief that the Doktor Para sa Bayan program, or the Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program, received ample funding for next year. With an allocation of ₱1.232 billion, the program will support 4,557 continuing scholars and provide scholarships to 700 incoming medical students.
“We take note of the increase in our scholarship and financial assistance programs. More of our students are getting help, and we intend to keep pushing that number up,” Villanueva said.
