Congress will seek alternative revenue sources for the Commission on Higher Education should the proposed abolition of the travel tax become law, according to Parañaque City 2nd District Representative Brian Yamsuan.
Currently, CHED receives 40 percent of the total gross travel tax collections to help finance its Higher Education Development Fund, which supports scholarships, institutional development, research, and tourism education.
Yamsuan noted that under the proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program, part of the HEDF remains reliant on remittances from the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.
“Kami ay magtatrabaho sa Kongreso para hanapan kayo ng alternative sources of funding once mangyari po ang pagsasabatas ng abolition ng travel tax,” Yamsuan assured CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis during a recent House Committee on Appropriations hearing.
The assurance follows warnings from Agrupis that losing travel tax revenues without a replacement would strip the HEDF of 85.6 percent of its budget.
The House of Representatives passed its version of the travel tax abolition bill on March 16, while Senate President Win Gatchalian identified the Senate counterpart as a priority measure expected to pass within the year.
“Kami bilang member ng BARSc, sisiguraduhin ko po na sa susunod na pagpupulong with (committee on appropriations) Chair Mika (Suansing) ay gagawa po kami ng paraan upang maibalik ang pondo para hindi maantala ang magagandang programa ng CHEd,” Yamsuan said.
During the hearing, Yamsuan also praised CHED’s financial aid initiatives, specifically the Tulong Dunong Program, which provides qualified tertiary students with up to ₱15,000 per academic year. However, he urged the agency to conduct more consultations with local universities and colleges to help them meet national standards.
Currently, only 116 out of 170 LUCs hold the required Certificate of Program Compliance from CHED, leaving students from unaccredited institutions or programs ineligible for the financial grant.