ALUBIJID, Misamis Oriental — Former Senator Bam Aquino vowed to address shortcomings in the Free Tertiary Education Law (RA 10931), which he authored during his time in the Senate, after receiving numerous complaints about its implementation.

Aquino, currently on a campaign tour of Mindanao, visited this municipality on Wednesday and told DAILY TRIBUNE that if reelected to the Senate, he would ensure the full enforcement of RA 10931.

When asked which political bloc — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s or former president Rodrigo Duterte’s — he supported, Aquino said he and fellow senatorial candidate Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan would remain independent.

“There’s no need to choose (a political bloc),” he said, stressing that he and Pangilinan would “serve the people, not political interests.”

Aquino acknowledged the concerns of parents whose children continue to pay miscellaneous fees in school, clarifying that students enrolled in state universities and colleges (SUCs) should not be paying the fees.

He noted, however, that the issue persists for students in private schools, which he aims to address.

“There are three aspects to the Comprehensive Free Tertiary Education Law — free tuition and miscellaneous fees for students in state universities; scholarships for students in private schools; and subsidies,” Aquino said.

“There is not much to amend. The problem lies in the low funding for the free education law. It’s not necessarily about amendments but ensuring adequate funds and increasing the budget to cover all three aspects of the law,” he added.