Quezon City First District Representative Juan Carlos “Arjo” Atayde is seeking to have a moratorium on the payment of student loans administered by higher educational institutions so that students will no longer worry paying their loans during times of calamities and emergencies.

The neophyte lawmaker filed the House Bill 7279 last 21 February before heading into its first reading six days later in the Committee on Higher and Technical Education chaired by Baguio City Representative Mark O. Go.

He said the bill seeks to halt the payment of all the fees, charges, and costs relating to student loans and technical-vocational training institutions or by the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education during emergencies.

It will cover all students residing in areas declared to be under a state of calamity or emergency who are enrolled in state universities and colleges, local universities and colleges, private HEIs and public and private TVIs.

“We have to find a way to help our students and their families, when natural or even these man-made calamities hit them hard. We just have to make everything easy for them including a moratorium on the payment of student loans,” Atayde said.

“It is a burden on a student and their family especially in difficult times like aftermath of typhoon, fire and earthquakes, among other disasters. In order of spending, student loans will be their least priority since spending will go mostly to basic necessities for survival,” he added.

If passed into law, the moratorium shall be effective for the duration of the state of calamity or emergency and for 30 days after its lifting. No penalties shall be collected on the deferred payments.

“To provide adequate relief and protection to our students in times of calamities and emergencies, this measure shall allow the deferral of student loan collections for a reasonable period during and after the onset of disasters,” said Atayde.

The Quezon City lawmaker cited also the availability of the moratorium which shall not adversely affect the status of the students concerned with regard to their eligibility for re-enrollment on the succeeding semesters or terms, or their eligibility for graduation.

“The proposed legislation doesn’t prevent public and private HEIs from implementing more favorable forms of payment relief or assistance to students affected by disasters, prohibiting students from voluntarily waiving the moratorium on student loan payments, or availing subsidies and assistance from the government,” Atayde said.