President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has signed a new law that expands access to free tertiary education in the Philippines, according to Philippine News Agency. The measure amends the existing Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act to broaden its coverage.
The new legislation is designed to widen the scope of government subsidies for college and vocational students, with a particular focus on prioritizing the poorest students for financial aid. The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) has stated that the amended law could help more students complete their college degrees, as reported by the Manila Bulletin.
The original law, signed in 2017, provided free tuition and other school fees for students enrolled in state universities and colleges. This latest amendment aims to extend that support further, although specific details of the expanded coverage were not included in the summary of the announcement. The signing took place on September 4, 2026, according to the Philippine News Agency.
The move comes as part of the administration's broader efforts to improve educational outcomes and make higher learning more accessible to Filipinos from various economic backgrounds. By amending the existing framework, the government intends to address gaps in the current system that may have prevented some students from benefiting from the program.
What to watch next is the specific implementing rules and regulations, which will determine how the expanded subsidies are distributed and which students will be first in line for the new benefits.
