Good news, students: 'Free college entrance exam act' lapses into law
The future looks bright.
The bill waiving the fees for private college entrance examinations has lapsed into law, the Malacañang announced on Friday, June 28.
The Free College Entrance Examinations Act or Republic Act (RA) 12006 mandates private higher education institutions to exempt the fees for the college entrance examinations of qualified students.
A graduate or graduating student is eligible if he or she meets all the following conditions:
- Is a natural-born Filipino citizen
- Belongs to the top 10 percent of his or her graduating class
- Comes from a family whose combined household income falls below the poverty threshold as defined by the National Economic and Development Authority, or cannot afford to provide for their minimum basic needs of food, health, education, housing, and other essentials certified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development
- Is applying for college entrance examination to any private higher educational institutions within the Philippines; and
- Satisfies all the requirements specified by the private higher school
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is authorized to determine and impose sanctions against private schools that will be found violating the law.
The Implementing Rules and Regulations of the law will also be promulgated by the CHED within 60 days from its effectivity to ensure its effective implementation.
In a press release, Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero stated that passing this law “aims to alleviate the financial burdens for deserving students.”
He said that the cost of certain entrance exam fees, equal to a day's minimum wage, and "could result in foregoing meals for an entire family."
"Hopefully, the new law will address this issue. No family should go hungry for a day because they've traded food money for an examination fee," the senator stated.
RA 12006, which lapsed into law last June 14, was filed as Senate Bill No. 2441, which consolidated the other bills filed by Senators Bong Revilla Jr., Mark Villar, Lito Lapid, Bong Go, and Raffy Tulfo.
Under the 1987 Constitution, a proposed bill automatically becomes law when a President does not act on it within 30 days after it was submitted to him.