Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino on Friday called on the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to submit updated and finalized guidelines for two key student aid programs—the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) and the Tulong Dunong Program (TDP)—before the plenary deliberations on the commission’s proposed 2026 budget.

During the budget deliberation of the Senate Committee on Finance (Subcommittee A) hearing on the education sector, Aquino emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in the distribution of scholarships and subsidies, which currently support around 1.75 million students nationwide.

“We want to be sure that the scholarships are given to students who truly deserve them. For me, they’re good programs and we want to provide more support to more students,” Aquino said in Filipino.

The senator asked CHED to finalize and submit the new guidelines in time for budget discussions on the Senate floor, noting the shared concern among lawmakers about the need for stricter and clearer implementation rules.

“We have time before the plenary session. I want to see the new guidelines completed and submitted,” Aquino said. “It’s important because, as you heard from Senators [Win] Gatchalian, [Loren] Legarda, and myself, we all want stricter and clearer guidelines.”

Aquino, who has long advocated for accessible and quality education, said the TES and TDP remain vital tools in helping underprivileged students pursue higher education, but stressed that reforms are needed to ensure that funding is effectively and fairly distributed.