Senator Bam Aquino on Friday, 17 October, vowed to secure funding for 3.5 million beneficiaries of the Libreng Kolehiyo Law in universities and colleges, local universities and colleges, and private learning institutions in the 2026 national budget.

“We will push for more scholarships and the 3.5 million students that get support for the government, we will do our best to add more scholars," Aquino said in a mix of Filipino and English.

At present, around 2.2 million students are enrolled in state universities and colleges (SUCs) and local universities and colleges (LUCs) under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.

Meanwhile, about 1.3 million students in private universities and colleges receive support from the national government through the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) and the Tulong Dunong Program (TDP) under the same law.

Aquino urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to release a clear schedule of scholarships and target numbers of beneficiaries moving forward so the Senate can monitor and allocate the amount needed for the law’s effective implementation in the coming years.

"The good thing about TES is that we look at how many beneficiaries we want to reach so that we are guided not only by budget allocation but also by the actual number of beneficiaries," he said.

“We want to see the amount for the succeeding years because it's getting bigger and bigger. We want to see if it's sustainable moving forward,” he added.

The Senator also urged CHED to simplify the guidelines for TES and TDP to accommodate more underprivileged students enrolled in private and public educational institutions.

"Those in poverty slightly above the poverty line still need help. There are many in need."