Rules set for P12.31 billion in free college program

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) have issued guidelines for the release of P12.31 billion to plug funding deficiencies in the government’s free college program across state universities and colleges (SUCs).

Under Joint Memorandum Circular 2026-01, the agencies said the combined fund aims to cover funding deficiencies for SUCs’ free college program for Academic Years 2022-2023, 2023-2024 and 2024-2025.

These will be drawn from the General Appropriations Act of 2026 and unused balances of the Higher Education Development Fund.                                                             

Of the total, P7.82 billion will come from unused HEDF balances from previous years and P4.49 billion will be sourced from the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education appropriations.

The circular provides guidelines that seek to establish a uniform process for SUCs in billing their free higher education deficiencies, aiming to “ensure the timely and transparent release of allocated funds.”

Only SUCs with complete submission of the required documentary requirements will be included in the Special Budget Request, according to the DBM.

The document also provided a computation of allocation based on the actual billings submitted by SUCs to DBM in previous years, net of payments made for free higher education deficiency in some SUCs last 2022 and subject to final evaluation and validation by CHED and the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education Board.

CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis and DBM acting Secretary Kim Robert de Leon signed the directive, which took effect immediately upon publication.