Commission on Higher Education chairperson Prospero de Vera III on Tuesday expressed strong objection to Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno's proposal to screen students before they could qualify for a free college education.

De Vera said that admission tests like the University of the Philippines College Admission Test could prove "disastrous" if done in other state universities and colleges, or SUCs, in the country.

Diokno earlier said that the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Law, mandating free college education, is an "unsustainable and anti-poor" program.

He said the government should focus more on improving the country's education system if it really wants to uplift the lives of the poor.

The Finance chief also proposed a review of the free college education, calling it "wasteful."

"It's (screening test for free college education) going to be disastrous," De Vera said.

He said college admission tests should focus more on equity so that more indigent students would be given the opportunity to avail themselves of the free college education program.