Free tuition, fees in SUCs more important amid Train — Aquino

Senator Bam Aquino on Sunday lamented that free tuition for state-run educational institutions has not yet been fully implemented despite the impending price hikes of goods brought by the government’s new tax reform package.

Aquino called out the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) for failing to fully implement the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA) this second semester.

The act, which became effective last Aug. 18, 2017, aims to provide free tuition and other miscellaneous expenses in state universities.

Aquino said that the implementation of the act was needed to be fully implemented as the public started to feel the effect of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) law.

“Mahalagang maipatupad na ang free college law sa public universities and colleges, lalo pa’t nararamdaman na ng taumbayan ang epekto ng TRAIN sa presyo ng mga bilihin,” the senator said in a statement as reference to the TRAIN that was recently enacted into law by the government.

“Tumataas na nga ang presyo ng bilihin, pinagbabayad pa rin ng mga eskuwelahan ang ating mahihirap na pamilya samantalang libre na dapat ang tuition, pati miscellaneous fees,” said Aquino, principal sponsor and co-author of the UAQTEA, added.

Aquino was one of the senators who voted against the ratification of the Train law.

The Train law, which aims to reduce the taxes in employees but imposes higher taxes on sweetened beverages, fuel products, cars, took effect on Jan. 1. /cbb