Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste, Vice Chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, confirmed that leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate have agreed to allocate an additional ₱12.3 billion for free college education in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) nationwide.
Leviste, the son of Senator Loren Legarda, said the fund will benefit around 113 SUCs across the country, ensuring that more Filipinos aspiring for higher education will have access to free tuition.
Based on Leviste’s breakdown, ₱7.82 billion of the added funds will come from the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) Higher Education Development Fund, while the remaining ₱4.49 billion will be provided by Congress through the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Senators Win Gatchalian, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, and Bam Aquino, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, have already expressed support for the measure.
Gatchalian, together with Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo, spearheaded the passage of the free college education law in the House of Representatives, while Aquino—regarded as the “Father of Free College Education”—led its approval in the Senate.