House approves 5 percent discount to poor students

THE House of Representatives on third and final reading have approved a five percent discount for poor students in the secondary and tertiary levels.

House Bill 4373 or the Underprivileged Post-Secondary and Tertiary Students’ Discount Act of 2011 specifically provides underprivileged students five percent discount on tuition fees, miscellaneous expenses and other school fees, snacks and meals in food establishments, medicines, school supplies and books.

Those covered by this measure include: students enrolled in technical-vocational courses in the post-secondary level, those taking up degree programs in the college or tertiary level whose parents have a gross annual income of not more than P100,000 subject to the review of the National Economic and Development Authority every three years.

Rep. Marcelino Teodoro of Marikina City, principal author of the bill, noted that his measure is in accordance to the State’s mandate to protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels as well as establish and maintain a system of scholarship grants, student loan programs, subsidies and other incentives available to deserving students in both public and private schools, especially the underprivileged.

For his part, House Committee on Higher and Technical Education Chairman and Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara of Aurora cited that granting discounts to underprivileged will lessen their financial burden and help them cope with the rising cost of education.

Under the measure, the five percent discount for students would automatically stop if the student fails a semester, fails to finish a course within two years, stops schooling for one semester or is convicted of any crime. –Llanesca T. Panti, Manila Times