Senator Loren Legarda sponsored a bill to overhaul the country’s free college tuition law, citing data that show the poorest students are increasingly being shut out of government subsidies.

Legarda, co-chair of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), presented Senate Bill No. 1894 to the plenary. The measure seeks to amend the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act to prioritize equity and accountability.

Data from EDCOM II revealed a sharp decline in support for the most vulnerable. The share of Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) grantees from the poorest households plummeted from 74 percent in 2018 to 30 percent in 2022.

Furthermore, Legarda cited that in 2024, only 1 percent of senior high school graduates from the 4Ps — the government’s flagship poverty alleviation program — were able to access the subsidy as college freshmen.

“We are a nation that tells its children: Education is the greatest path toward equality,” Legarda said. “If talent is equal, opportunity must also be equal.”

The proposed bill mandates guaranteed subsidy slots for 4Ps graduates who are admitted to recognized colleges. Remaining slots would be allocated based on income, ensuring that financial aid reaches those with the highest need.

To address the rising cost of living, the measure requires that subsidy amounts be reviewed every two years and prohibits any reduction in aid once it has been granted.