Around 5.7 million students in State and Local Universities and Colleges (SUCs and LUCs) will benefit from the Free College Law in 2026, according to Senator Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV.
The Senate version of the 2026 budget allocates ₱26 billion for SUCs, ₱6.7 billion for LUCs, and ₱4.4 billion to cover prior-year deficiencies, bringing total Free College funding to ₱67 billion.
In addition to free tuition, the budget sets aside ₱27.3 billion for Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) and ₱2.7 billion for the Tulong Dunong Program (TDP) to help students cover other educational expenses.
About 1.5 million students, including 490,000 from the 4Ps program, will receive allowances ranging from ₱15,000 to ₱27,000.
Aquino emphasized that these programs provide crucial financial support, helping students stay in school and complete their studies.
Source: PhilNews24 | November 29, 2025
5.7M STUDENTS IN SUCS, LUCS TO BENEFIT FROM FREE COLLEGE LAW IN 2026 BUDGET
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