PASAY CITY, Philippines — The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is scheduled to begin releasing a one-time financial grant of ₱25,000 to 19,000 nursing and allied health students starting October, following commitments made during a Senate budget hearing on Friday, September 25.
The assistance program, titled the Allied Health Experiential Assistance for Deserving Students (AHEAD) Grant, is backed by a ₱500-million allocation in the 2026 national budget. It aims to offset costs associated with students’ Related Learning Experience (RLE) and clinical training requirements.
During the hearing, Senator Bam Aquino pressed CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis for a definitive disbursement schedule after confirming the agency had already secured the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO).
“Ma’am, iyong RLE natin, alam ko may SARO (Special Allotment Release Order) na daw ‘yon. When are you releasing the RLE scholarships?” Aquino asked.
Agrupis stated that while program guidelines were finalized and the SARO was issued on September 9, disbursements remained pending receipt of the Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA). Aquino then requested an official commitment on the record.
“Your commitment, Chair Shirley, on the record: First week of October, magsisimula na po tayong mag-release ng scholarship sa mga qualified. Tama po?” Aquino pressed.
Agrupis confirmed the timeline, outlining a phased rollout stretching into November.
“I want to put it on record. First week of October, first release; second week to third week, and fourth week to third week of November. Magki-Christmas po sila nang masaya,” Agrupis replied.
Out of 60,424 total applicants, CHED identified 28,071 qualified candidates; however, current funding limits the grant to 19,000 beneficiaries.
Aquino, who serves as the principal sponsor of the Free College Law, emphasized that free tuition alone is insufficient to address broader financial burdens such as food, transportation, and specialized training fees.
He urged CHED to ensure its proposed ₱35.45-billion budget for 2027—of which ₱27.79 billion is dedicated to free tertiary education—provides adequate support for students to complete their degrees.