What is UniFAST, and Why Was It

Established?
The Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education Act, or
UniFAST — also known as Republic Act No. 10687 — was signed into law in
15 October last year.
UniFAST reconciles, improves, strengthens, expands, and puts under one
body all government-funded modalities of Student Financial Assistance
Programs (StuFAPs) for tertiary education – and special purpose education
assistance – in both public and private institutions. These modalities include
scholarships, grants-in-aid, student loans and other specialized forms of
StuFAPs formulated by the UniFAST Board.

The UniFAST law – and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) – are
intended to make the implementation of StuFAPs in the tertiary level more
effective, efficient, and politically-neutral or free of political labeling.

Tertiary Education
“Tertiary Education” follows secondary education or high school. It includes
post-secondary non-degree diploma, Technical-Vocational Education and
Training (TVET) and higher education programs like baccalaureate degrees
(college) and graduate education (master’s, Ph.D., etc.).

Special Purpose Education Assistance

“Special Purpose Education Assistance” refers to research and scientific
studies in the college and masteral/doctoral level funded by StuFAPs. It
includes funding assistance for the following:
• Writing and publication of books, manuscripts, theses, dissertations,
scientific and technical journals
• Production, filming and documentation (through digital technology) of
research and studies
• Development of instructional and academic materials, and science models

 
The UniFAST Board
The UniFAST Board consists of the Chair of CHED as UniFAST Chair; the
Director-General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA) and the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology
(DOST) as Co-Chairs; the Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd),
representatives from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE),
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and the National
Youth Commission (NYC) as members. The chair, co-chairs and members
are with the UniFAST Board by virtue of their permanent positions in their
respective offices/ departments.

The various StuFAP operationalizations which UniFAST coordinates are

implemented by CHED, TESDA and the following departments: DOST, DOLE,
Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD), Department of
National Defense (DND), Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of
Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources (DENR); the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the
Peace Process (OPAPP); both Houses of Congress, and other government
instrumentalities such as the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples
(NCIP), among others.

The government financial institutions (GFIs) implementing the StuFAPs

include Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), Development Bank of the
Philippines (DBP), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), and the
Social Security System (SSS).
 Free education program for aspiring 4Ps
college students must be coursed
through CHED – DSWD
by Social Marketing | Jun 14, 2019 | Featured, News
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VI clarifies
that beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) who wish to enroll
in colleges in the region and avail the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) must apply at
the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) through their respective schools and
must qualify for the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education
(UniFAST).
The Field Office has received reports from concerned citizens that there are state
colleges and universities allegedly offering free full tuition fees to aspiring tertiary
students included in the 4Ps.
DSWD Field Office VI explained that being a 4Ps beneficiary does not automatically
qualify the student for TES.  There is a UniFAST Board that selects qualified students
for the educational subsidy.
Qualified students under the TES prioritization program are the following:
 Continuing Expanded Students Grant-in Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation
(ESGPPA) grantees;
 Students who are part of households included in the Listahanan 2.0 ranked
according to the estimated per capita household income; and
 Students who are not part of the Listahanan 2.0 ranked according to estimate per
capita household income based on submitted documentation of proof of income to be
determined by the UniFAST Board.
TES is a program under the Free Education Law or Universal Access to Quality Tertiary
Education Act of 2017 (RA 10931) which provides financial assistance to poor but
deserving students in tertiary education. For inquiries, DSWD Field Office VI may be
reached through the mobile numbers 09068826183 or 09468828919.
On the other hand, additional information on TES can be found through the CHED
website, [Link] or through the official UniFAST Facebook page
[Link]. com/unifastofficial. -30-

[Link]
through-ched-dswd/
Tertiary Education Subsidy in Full
Swing
Posted on September 18, 2018

CHED Officer-in-Charge Dr. J. Prospero E. De Vera III briefs the members of the media regarding
the Tertiary Education Subsidy program of RA 10931.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) through the Unified Student

Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) has instructed
all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to submit lists of their students
enrolled in the 1st semester AY 2018-2019 belonging to poorest of the poor,
poor and near poor households who may qualify for the Tertiary Education
Subsidy benefits.

The Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES), as one of the core programs under the
Republic Act No. 10931 also known as the Universal Access to Quality
Tertiary Education Act, has an allocation of PhP16 billion from the PhP40
billion budget to implement the law.  It is a grants-in-aid program that provides
funding for all Filipino students from the poorest-of-the-poor households
enrolled in public and private HEIs.

Students currently enrolled in the 112 State Universities and Colleges (SUCs),
78 CHED-recognized Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs), and quality-
assured programs in private HEIs in the 1 st semester the Academic Year
2018–2019 who are in the Listahanan 2.0 of DSWD are eligible TES
beneficiaries. Final selection shall be subject to prioritization and availability of
funds.

HEIs should submit these lists on or before September 30, to give student

applicants enough time to prepare for the documentary requirements. Schools
are expected to assist their potential student applicants, complete the TES
Updated Template 2018 form and submit these to the TES Portal of the
UniFAST.

TES prioritization will apply in the following order as laid out in the
Implementing Rules and Regulations on RA 10931: (1) continuing grantees of
the CHED’s Expanded Students Grants in Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation
or ESGP-PA students; (2) students residing and studying in private HEIs in
cities/municipalities with no existing SUC or CHED-recognized LUC; (3)
students included in the Listahanan 2.0; and (4) those not in the Listahanan
2.0 but show proof of indigency such as BIR certificate of no income, or
barangay certificate of indigency, and ranked according to per capita income.

Roughly 300,000 students can receive financial support from the government
to cover the cost of their tertiary education including tuition (in private HEIs)
and other school fees and allowances for books and other education-related
expenses such as transportation, board and lodging.

For more information about the procedures in the grant of TES benefits,
please visit [Link] or the official UniFAST Facebook
Page [Link]/unifastofficial.

(signed)
PROSPERO E. DE VERA III, DPA
Officer-in-Charge and Spokesperson
Commission on Higher Education

 
ESGP-PA grantees automatically
qualified under the Tertiary
Education Subsidy
Posted on October 4, 2018

Student-beneficiaries under the Expanded Students’ Grants-in-Aid Program

for Poverty Alleviation (ESGP-PA) program are automatically qualified for the
Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) under Republic Act 10931 or the Universal
Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.

This was announced by Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Officer-in-

Charge and Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary
Education (UniFAST) Governing Board Chairperson Dr. J. Prospero E. De
Vera III during the recognition rites for ESGP-PA scholars in Region 1 at the
Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU) recently.

“I want to assure the more than 30,000 existing ESGP-PA grantees in the
country that the Duterte administration will ensure that you can continue your
studies through the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act”, de
Vera said.

Beneficiaries under ESGP-PA are poor but deserving students belonging to

families listed in Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD)
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). They are currently enrolled in
selected State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) taking up CHED priority
programs and other courses offerings within the government key growth
areas.

TES is one of the four programs under RA 10931 which will provide funding
for qualified Filipino students from the poorest-of-the-poor households
enrolled in public and private HEIs. PhP16 billion has been allocated for this
program for Academic Year 2018-2019.

Once accepted under TES, ESGP-PA grantees will receive the following:

 allowance for books, supplies, transportation, and miscellaneous

personal expenses, including a reasonable allowance for the
 documented rental or purchase of personal computer or laptop, and
other education-related expenses, and;
 allowance for room and board costs incurred by the student
 if applicable, additional subsidy for PWDs, or a one-time cost of a first
licensure examination for graduates of a Board course or program.

De Vera has instructed all SUCs to immediately send the list of their ESGPPA
beneficiaries to the UniFAST so they can be included in the TES list. SUCs
have until October 30, 2018 to submit their list to UniFAST.

 
PhP4.8-B Tertiary Education
Subsidy (TES) released to students
in public universities
Posted on December 21, 2018

The most important social justice program of the Duterte Administration,

Republic Act (RA) 10931 also known as the Universal Access to Quality
Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA) is now fully felt by millions of students
enrolled in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Local Universities and
Colleges (LUCs) with the release of the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES),
one of the core components of the Law with funding of PhP16 billion from the
national government.

The TES is given to poor but deserving students who are enrolled in the 112
state universities and colleges (SUCs) and 78 local universities and colleges
(LUCs) and whose names appear in the Listahanan 2.0 or the Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) list of the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD). TES beneficiaries in public universities get
PhP40,000/year that they can use for books, transportation, supplies, room
and board fees and other education-related expenses.

All students in SUCs and LUCs enjoy free tuition and miscellaneous fees
since June 2018. The TES is an additional benefit given to financially-needy
students.

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Unified Student Financial

Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Chairman J. Prospero E.
De Vera III explained, “Last month, we released PhP567 million for the
stipends of 13,760 continuing Expanded Student Grants-in-Aid Program for
Poverty Alleviation (ESGPPA) scholars. Today, we are releasing the checks
for SUCs and LUCs so they can give the stipends of 117,133 new TES
beneficiaries”.

Based on CHED-UniFAST data, the following universities have the largest

number of TES grantees:

TOP 10 STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES

 Rank Region No. of TES Grantees
1 Region 9 3,997 Jos
2 Region 9 3,104 W
3 Region 8 3,079 E
4 Region 7 2,959
5 CARAGA 2,936 S
6 Region 4 2,871
7 Region 6 2,606
8 Region 7 2,602
9 Region 8 2,462 U
10 MIMAROPA 2,209

TABLE 1. TOP 10 STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES WITH TES GRANTEES

TOP 10 LOCAL UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES

Rank Region No. of TES Grantees

1 Region 4 1,204
2 Region 11 435 Monkayo
3 Region 10 375
4 Region 10 363
5 Region 5 358
6 Region 5 348
7 Region 4 311
8 Region 12 288 Makila
9 Region 6 282
10 Region 5 280

TABLE 2. TOP 10 LOCAL UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES WITH TES GRANTEES

Responding to the instructions of Chairman De Vera, some SUCs, like

Cagayan State University have already given out the stipends of students for
the first semester. Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, Vice President for Administration and
Finance proudly reports this on his Facebook
page: [Link]
President Danilo Abayon of Aklan State University has organized and oriented
grantees under the TES Grantees Organization (TES GO) and will release
stipends right after the Christmas break. Dr. Abayon posted the event on his
Facebook page with students and their parents in
attendance: [Link]
298

Finally, Dr. de Vera called on administrators of SUCs and LUCs to put in place
guidance counseling, tutorials and other student support services to ensure
that TES grantees will be able complete their degrees.

“This is the best Christmas gift given by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to our
poor but deserving students, let us ensure the implementation of RA 10931 is
executed promptly and benefit those that need it most,” ends the CHED Chair.

For more information on the procedures of the grant of TES benefits, please
visit [Link]/unifast or email unifastsecretariat@[Link].

(signed)
J. PROSPERO E. DE VERA III, DPA
Chairman
Commission on Higher Education
Republic Act No. 10687
October 15, 2015
Tags: Benigno S. Aquino III, education, Laws, Republic Acts, scholarships

S. No. 2679
H. No. 4591

Republic of the Philippines

Congress of the Philippines

Metro Manila

Sixteenth Congress

Third Regular Session

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-seventh day of July, two
thousand fifteen.

[ Republic Act No. 10687 ]

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE AND UNIFIED STUDENT

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SYSTEM FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION (UniFAST),
THEREBY RATIONALIZING ACCESS THERETO, APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in

Congress assembled:

ARTICLE I

TITLE, POLICY, OBJECTIVES, DEFINITIONS OF TERMS, SCOPE AND

COVERAGE

SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Unified Student Financial
Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Act”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the declared policy of the State to promote social
justice and pursuant thereto, provide all its citizens access to quality education.
Towards this end, the State shall provide adequate funding and such other
mechanisms to increase the participation rate among all socioeconomic classes in
Tertiary Education, especially the poor but academically able and highly motivated
students. This policy should enable them to successfully pursue and complete Tertiary
Education programs in quality institutions, thereby promoting equitable and
Rationalized Access by poor Filipinos to quality Tertiary Education.

The existing publicly-funded national government programs for Scholarships, Grants-

in-Aid, and Student Loans for Tertiary Education are hereby unified and harmonized
to improve their efficiency and to ensure that deserving Filipinos are given equitable
access to educational opportunities.

SEC. 3. Objectives. – The objectives of this Act are as follows:

(a) To allocate and utilize properly all government resources intended for students
through effective beneficiary-targeting;

(b) To ensure consistency, continuity, and efficient coordination of student financial

assistance policies and programs;

(c) To ensure regional, equity in the distribution of student financial assistance slots;

(d) To produce a pool of highly qualified graduates and technical experts who will
contribute to the country’s high-level labor force through merit and talent-based
Scholarships;

(e) To facilitate access to quality education through Grants-in-Aid for students

belonging to marginalized sectors; and

(f) To assist students with liquidity issues through Student Loans.

SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act:

(a) Beneficiary refers to the recipient of any modality of Student Financial Assistance

Program (StuFAP), such as Scholarship, Grant-in-Aid, or Student Loan;

(b) Cost of Tertiary Education refers to (1) tuition, miscellaneous and Other School

Fees, (2) Educational Expenses, and (3) the cost of living allowance;

(c) Educational Expenses refer to expenses related to the education of a student, such

as books, school supplies, and electronic devices necessary for education, but
excluding tuition and miscellaneous and Other School Fees;
(d) Grantee refers to the student-beneficiary of a Grant-in-Aid program;

(e) Grant-in-Aid refers to a modality of financial assistance to poor but eligible

students which generally requires a minimum level of competence to complete
Tertiary Education;

(f) Higher Education refers to the stage of formal education, or its equivalent,

requiring completion of secondary education and covering programs of study leading
to bachelor and advanced degrees;

(g) Higher Education Institution (HEI) refers to an institution of higher learning,

primarily offering bachelor and advanced degree programs;

(h) Other School Fees refer to those fees which cover other necessary costs supportive
of instruction, including, but not limited to, medical and dental, athletic, library and
laboratory fees;

(i) Qualifying Examination System for Scoring Students refers to the appropriate

annual examination and assessment of potential Beneficiaries, which may be
separately designed for undergraduate and graduate students and adopted by the
Board for all prospective applicants for any one of the modalities of StuFAP, as
referred to in Section 15(h);

(j) Rationalized Access refers to improved efficiency in the implementation of

UniFAST pursuant to the principles of increased participation of the economically
disadvantaged and marginalized sectors, equity in the regional distribution of
economic resources, congruence of the qualifications of Tertiary Education graduates
and labor market needs, and relevance to the country’s national development and
global competitiveness, among others;

(k) Registry of Programs and Institutions refers to quality-assured academic and

research programs and tertiary institutions which have been certified by the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and/or the Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA) as complying with acceptable standards;

(l) Scholar refers to a student-recipient of a Scholarship grant based on merit and/or

talent;

(m) Scholarship refers to a modality of financial assistance given to eligible students

on the basis of merit and/or talent, such as laudable academic performance, and
special technical proficiencies and skills and intellectual pursuits of a Scholar that
give rise to research and development, and innovations as well as other creative
works;

(n) Special Purpose Education Assistance refers to financial assistance for the conduct

of undergraduate and graduate research, scientific studies, including funding
assistance for the writing and publication of books, manuscripts, theses, dissertations,
scientific and technical journals, or for production, filming and digital technology
documentation of research and studies or development of instructional and academic
materials, and science prototypes, among others;

(o) State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) refer to public HEIs established by

national laws which are financed and maintained by the national government, and are
governed by their respective independent boards of trustees or regents;

(p) Student-Borrower refers to a student-beneficiary of the National Student Loan

Program, as defined in Section 8;

(q) Student Financial Assistance Program (StuFAP) refers to a system of

Scholarships, Grants-in-Aid, Student Loans, subsidies and other incentives which are
or shall be made available to eligible students;

(r) Student Loan refers to a modality of student financial assistance consisting of

short-term or long-term loans which shall be extended to students facing liquidity
problems, regardless of economic status, which shall be paid by the student, his/her
parents, guardians, or co-makers;

(s) Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) refers to the post-secondary

education or training process which involves, in addition to general education, the
study of technical and related fields and the acquisition of practical skills relating to
occupations in various sectors, comprising formal (organized programs as part of the
school systems) and nonformal (organized classes outside the school system)
approaches;

(t) Technical-Vocational Institutes (TVIs) refer to learning institutions offering post-

secondary TVET;

(u) Tertiary Education refers to the stage of education following the secondary cycle

which subsumes post-secondary nondegree diploma, TVET, and Higher Education
programs; and

(v) Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education

(UniFAST) refers to the harmonized, state-run and administered system of Higher
Education and technical-vocational Scholarships, Grants-in-Aid, Student Loans, and
other modalities of StuFAP under this Act.

SEC. 5. Scope and Coverage of the UniFAST. — The UniFAST shall consist of all
existing modalities of StuFAPs for Tertiary Education and Special Purpose Education
Assistance in both public and private institutions, including Scholarships, Grants-in-
Aid, Student Loans and government programs in partnership with other stakeholders,
among others, and which are nationally funded and/or implemented by national and
local government agencies, branches and instrumentalities. A student enrolling in
Tertiary Education, whether in public, private, national or local institutions, can avail
of any one (1) or more of the said modalities of StuFAP.

The UniFAST under this Act shall harmonize, reform, strengthen, expand, rationalize,
and re-focus all legislated or ongoing StuFAPs of the government for greater
efficiency, coherence, synchronization, effective funding, and improved coordination
among implementing entities in their specific jurisdiction: Provided, That nothing in
this Act shall prevent the continuation of effective programs implemented by other
government agencies or of state-funded StuFAPs with specific and targeted
Beneficiaries such as existing technical-vocational Scholarship programs under the
TESDA, Scholarships under the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA), the National
Agriculture and Fisheries Education System (NAFES), Agriculture Competitiveness
Enhancement Fund Scholarship (ACEFS), the Science and Technology Scholarship
Act of 1994, the Fast-Tracked S&T Scholarship Act of 2013, the Expanded
Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (E-GASTPE)
Act, Student Grants-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (SGP-PA) of the CHED
and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which shall
continue to be under the jurisdiction of the agencies currently responsible for their
design and implementation: Provided, further, That the beneficiary-targeting and
standards for selection and retention and awards shall be compliant with the overall
policies on quality, sustainability and efficiency set by the Board: Provided,
finally, That the relevant government agencies shall submit an annual report on the
implementation of their StuFAPs to the UniFAST Board.

The above provisions notwithstanding, all other requirements mentioned herein shall
be complied with upon the approval of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of
this Act.

ARTICLE II

MODALITIES OF StuFAPS
SEC. 6. Scholarship. – A unified, improved, and expanded government-funded
Scholarship program shall be instituted to promote an environment conducive for the
development of bright and talented students to serve the public good and enlarge the
pool of world-class Filipino researchers, artists, innovators, thinkers, and leaders.

The Board shall formulate and establish the policies and mechanisms for the
identification of Beneficiaries based on objective indicators derived from credible
databases, including students whose families are Beneficiaries of the poverty
alleviation programs of the government: Provided, That Beneficiaries under
the Iskolar ng Bayan Act shall be prioritized.

The financial amount for Scholarships shall be determined by the Board, taking into
consideration the actual cost of various programs in the top public and private
HEIs: Provided, That the financial amount for Scholarships shall not exceed the actual
Cost of Tertiary Education.

SEC. 7. Grant-in-Aid. – To improve equity and facilitate democratic access to quality

education given income poverty and inequity, Grants-in-Aid shall be made available
to students belonging to poor families and marginalized sectors.

The Board shall formulate and establish the policies and mechanisms for the
identification of Grantees based on objective indicators derived from credible
databases, including students whose families are Beneficiaries of the poverty
alleviation programs of the government.

The financial amount comprising Grants-in-Aid shall be determined by the Board,

taking into consideration the actual cost of various programs in the top public and
private HEIs.

SEC. 8. National Student Loan Program. — The Board shall pursue a long-term plan
for the development of a self- sustaining National Student Loan Program (NSLP)
which shall provide qualified students short-term and long-term financial assistance
for Tertiary Education. This plan shall be based on a systematic evaluation of lessons
learned from current and past Student Loan schemes, both local and international.

To achieve this, the Board shall endeavor to ensure the professionalization of the
NSLP’s management, the establishment of an appropriate organizational setup that
shall best implement the Program, and the institution of accountability mechanisms,
sanctions and incentives conducive for the effective and efficient collection of loan
repayments.
The Board shall explore different processes, including systematic testing and rigorous
evaluation of methods to be undertaken to minimize the risk of non-repayment of
loans and collection costs. It shall also encourage private sector participation to ensure
the delivery of the best possible service suitable to the needs and objectives of the
NSLP.

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and Social Security System (SSS)
shall study the feasibility of having an automatic system of salary deduction for
Student Loan repayments of members with unpaid Student Loans, pursuant to a
memorandum of agreement to be executed by the Board with the GSIS or SSS,
respectively, and in accordance with labor laws on deduction of payments.

The top ten (10) graduates of all public high schools shall be given priority in the
grant of the Student Loan: Provided, That the loan granted shall be repaid in
installment basis after the student graduates or leaves the educational
institution: Provided, further, That the educational loan shall be sourced from the five
percent (5%) of the total loanable portfolio of the Development Bank of the
Philippines without prejudice to the creation of other Student Loan programs.

SEC. 9. Other Modalities of StuFAPs. – The Board may develop other modalities of
StuFAPs: Provided, That nothing in this Act shall preclude the Board, the
implementing agencies, SUCs, and public TVls from promulgating and developing
other forms of StuFAPs, such as private Scholarship or sponsorship programs, and
student or graduate assistance programs, in accordance with the standards and
guidelines set by the Board.

ARTICLE III

ELIGIBILITY OF APPLICANTS AND TERMS OF AVAILMENT

SEC. 10. Minimum Qualifications of Applicants. – The Board shall promulgate and

periodically review the qualification criteria of applicants for student financial
assistance. An applicant must meet the following minimum qualifications:

(a) Filipino citizen: Provided, That the Board may grant exemptions to foreign
students based on reciprocal programs that provide similar benefits to Filipino
students, such as student exchange programs, international reciprocal Scholarships,
and other mutually beneficial programs;

(b) High school graduate or its equivalent from duly authorized institutions;
(c) Possesses good moral character with no criminal record: Provided, That this
requirement shall be waived for programs which target children in conflict with the
law and/or those who are undergoing or have undergone rehabilitation;

(d) Admitted to the HEI or TVI included in the Registry of Programs and Institutions
of the applicant’s choice: Provided, That applicants may begin processing their
applications within a reasonable time frame set by the Board to give the applicant
sufficient time to enroll;

(e) In the case of an applicant in TVET programs, he/she shall, in addition to the
criteria referred above, pass the TESDA screening/assessment procedure, trade test, or
skills competency evaluation;

(f) Declare if he/she is already a Beneficiary of any other student financial assistance,
including government StuFAP: Provided, That if at the time of application of the
Scholarship, Grant-in-Aid, Student Loan, or other modalities of StuFAP under this
Act, the amount of such other existing grant does not cover the full Cost of Tertiary
Education at the HEI or TV! where he/she has enrolled in. the applicant may still avail
of the StuFAPs under this Act for the remaining portion;

(g) In the case of applicant for Scholarship, he/she must obtain at least the score
required by the Board for the Qualifying Examination System for Scoring Students;
and

(h) Possesses such other qualifications as may be prescribed by the Board.

SEC. 11. Disqualifications and Limitations. — The right of any Beneficiary to avail

of the benefits of the StuFAPs under this Act shall not apply if the student fails to
comply with the requirements for good academic standing and such other conditions
that may be formulated and imposed by the Board: Provided, That the Board shall
consider the supervening circumstances of each Beneficiary that may have an effect
on his/her studies, such as death, lingering illness of a family member, or other
personal reasons.

The Board shall not unduly deprive eligible applicants of student financial
assistance: Provided, That said students may be directed by the Board and/or the
implementing agency to enroll in priority courses, as may be identified by the CHED
or TESDA, based on the national development plans and labor force demands, in
order to avail of student financial assistance: Provided, further, That the Board and/or
implementing agency shall not deny financial assistance to applicants or Beneficiaries
already enrolled in non-priority courses, especially if the priority courses are not
offered in the Tertiary Education institution of the student’s choice.
SEC. 12. Terms of Availment of StuFAPs. – The Board and/or the implementing
agency may, prior to the grant of Scholarship or Student Loan, or other modalities of
StuFAP, impose reasonable terms and conditions of availment.

SEC. 13. Sanctions. — The Board and/or the implementing agency may impose
reasonable sanctions to any Beneficiary of a Scholarship, Student Loan or other
modalities of StuFAP who has been found to have violated any of the provisions of
his/her contract.

ARTICLE IV

THE UNIFAST BOARD

SEC. 14. Creation of a UniFAST Board. – To carry out the purposes of this Act, there
is hereby created a UniFAST Board, hereinafter referred to as the Board, which shall
be attached to the CHED, composed of the following:

(a) The CHED Chairperson as ex officio Chairperson;

(b) The Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) as ex
officio Co-Chairperson;

(c) The TESDA Director-General as ex officio Co-Chairperson;

(d) The Secretary of the Department of Education (DepED) as ex officio member;

(e) A representative from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as ex
officio member;

(f) A representative from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)
as ex officio member; and

(g) A representative from the National Youth Commission (NYC) as ex

officio member.

SEC. 15. Powers and Functions of the Board. — The Board shall exercise the
following powers and functions:

(a) Formulate and approve policies and strategies for UniFAST, and review existing
policies to ensure consistency with policy framework under this Act;
(b) Coordinate with the implementing agencies of existing StuFAPs in the
formulation, approval and issuance of guidelines towards the development and
promotion of the UniFAST;

(c) Provide necessary support to implementing agencies, technical or otherwise, to

ensure the effective implementation of this Act;

(d) Prepare, approve, and submit to the CHED its own budget proposal, in addition to
the individual budget proposals prepared by the various implementing agencies,
including vetting, modifying and integrating all requests for public funding of Tertiary
Education StuFAPs;

(e) Promulgate the minimum guidelines, rules and regulations for determining
qualified Beneficiaries of student financial assistance for Tertiary Education;

(f) Provide general guidelines for the drawing up of contracts with the student
Beneficiaries specifying the rights and obligations of the parties that may include a
service clause or such other stipulations of cost recovery the Board may deem in the
best interest of the public and consistent with, or responsive to, national, social,
economic, and human resources development plans, subject to Section 12;

(g) Monitor, assess and make impact evaluation of StuFAPs and projects, with the end
in view of determining whether these programs shall be adopted, continued, or
terminated;

(h) Adopt a Qualifying Examination System for Scoring Students for merit and talent-
based StuFAPs and determine the eligibility for Grants-in-Aid and other modalities of
StuFAPs;

(i) Provide and promote a supportive policy environment for the growth and
development of private sector participation for Scholarships, Grants-in-Aid, Student
Loans or other modalities of StuFAP;

(j) Establish and maintain, on the public websites of the CHED and TESDA, a
database containing information on StuFAPs and accredited public and private
Tertiary Education programs and institutions;

(k) Take all necessary actions to disseminate information on the database established
and maintained under this Act in order to encourage its use by interested parties and to
ensure that Beneficiaries are able to maximize the benefits from UniFAST through
informed decision-making, allowing them freedom of choice among accredited public
and private Tertiary Education programs and institutions;
(l) Design a program of generating funds for the UniFAST;

(m) Facilitate and tap donations, legacies, gifts and other forms of contribution,
whether in cash or in kind, from both public and private sources and to tap the
services and assistance of experts, in accordance with Section 20: Provided, That such
donations, legacies, and contributions of cash or property duly received shall be
exempt from donor’s tax and shall be allowable deductions for income tax purposes in
accordance with Section 34-H of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as
amended;

(n) Appoint members of the UniFAST Secretariat upon the recommendation of the
Executive Director;

(o) Appoint one (1) or more legal officers with authority to file cases in court;

(p) Set up, maintain and update an official registry of quality-assured academic and
research programs and Tertiary Education institutions in accordance with Section 3 of
this Act;

(q) Approve the appropriate honorarium and per diem for the members of the Board,
in accordance with the relevant government rules and regulations;

(r) Develop an efficient tracking system of Student-Borrowers, as well as a system of

disbursement and collection of payments of loans granted under this Act, including
entering into agreements with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), GSIS, SSS,
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA),
Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Bureau of Immigration
(BI), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Bankers Association of the Philippines
(BAP), Credit Information Corporation (CIC), private and public banks and banking
intermediaries, credit information bureaus, and other government financial
institutions, inclusive of investigating and checking the whereabouts of delinquent
Student-Borrowers, and setting up mechanisms for blacklisting of defaulting Student-
Borrowers in application for loans, credit cards, and other credit facilities; and

(s) Perform such other powers and functions as may be deemed necessary and
incidental for the effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 16. Meetings. – The Board shall hold twelve (12) regular monthly meetings in a
year: Provided, That four (4) years after the implementation of this Act, the Board
shall determine the frequency of the regular meetings which shall not be less than
once every quarter.
The Chairperson of the Board may call a special meeting when
necessary: Provided, That the members are notified in writing at least three (3)
working days prior to the meeting.

In the absence of the Chairperson, the Co-Chairpersons shall preside over the Board’s
meetings on a rotation basis. The members of the Board may also designate a
representative in his/her absence: Provided, That in the case of the Chairperson, Co-
Chairpersons, and the Secretaries of the DepED and DOLE, their respective
representatives must be occupying the position of an Assistant Secretary, or its
equivalent, and higher. The proceedings of all meetings shall be recorded and the
minutes thereof shall be attested to by a simple majority of all regular Board
Members.

At least one (1) meeting of the Board in every quarter must be attended by the
Chairperson and Co-Chairpersons and shall be devoted to a review of the performance
of the UniFAST in terms of the following:

(a) Total number of current Beneficiaries;

(b) Number of dropouts from the program, voluntary or revoked, as well as the
reasons behind such;

(c) Average academic performance by year of study;

(d) Breakdown of Beneficiaries by field of study;

(e) Breakdown of Beneficiaries by district and region of origin;

(f) Breakdown of Beneficiaries by place of study;

(g) Breakdown of Beneficiaries by sex;

(h) Breakdown of Beneficiaries by size of annual family income and family

livelihood;

(i) Completion rate of Beneficiaries;

(j) Measures of success of financial assistance programs;

and

(k) Such other matters relating to any provision of this Act.

SEC. 17. Quorum. — The attendance of a simple majority of the Board members is
necessary in order for the Board to have a quorum to transact business.

SEC. 18. Creation of a UniFAST Secretariat. – There is hereby created a Secretariat

to be headed by an Executive Director to support the Board in carrying out its
functions. The Board shall provide for the institutional setup, qualifications, and
compensation of employees composing the Secretariat in accordance with existing
Civil Service and Career Executive Service rules and regulations and consistent with
the provision of the Salary Standardization Law for government personnel, and
determine the size and composition of the Secretariat.

The Secretariat shall exercise the following functions:

(a) Provide technical and administrative support services to the Board’s policy-
making and implementation functions;

(b) Review, evaluate, and assess programs, plans of action, and agenda of the Board,
and concomitantly recommend the approval or cancellation of such programs, plans of
action, and agenda of the Board;

(c) Review, evaluate, and assess programs, plans of action, and agenda of the
implementing agencies, including proposals for funding, and recommend the approval
or cancellation of such programs, plans of action, and agenda of the implementing
agencies to the Board;

(d) Maintain and update a repository of data and information on all StuFAPs for
Tertiary Education administered by any government agency, branch, or
instrumentality and create and maintain a comprehensive database system on the
government’s StuFAPs accessible to the public, pursuant to the policy of transparency
and good governance;

(e) Recommend, manage, and monitor the processes of contracting out the
implementation of UniFAST activities which would be best accomplished by third
party providers, as approved by the Board; and

(f) Perform such other powers and functions as may be determined by the Board.

SEC. 19. The Executive Director. – There shall be an Executive Director who shall be
appointed by the Board and shall have the rank of an Assistant Secretary. The
Executive Director shall have a minimum of seven (7) years managerial experience,
be a holder of at least a Master’s degree, and be a Career Executive Service eligible.
The Executive Director shall perform the following functions:
(a) Serve as the primary coordinator of StuFAPs for Tertiary Education students being
implemented by various government agencies, branches, and instrumentalities;

(b) Manage relationships with partner agencies;

(c) Exercise leadership, supervisory, and administrative functions over the Secretariat;

(d) Ensure the provision of accurate and timely technical inputs and feedback to the
Board to guide it in its policy-making functions;

(e) Ensure the proper dissemination and implementation of Board decisions;

(f) Submit an annual report on the operations, status of programs funded, and financial
conditions of the Secretariat, including recommendations for the budget in the ensuing
year; and

(g) Perform such other duties and functions as may be determined by the Board.

ARTICLE V

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, REPORTING, AND PERFORMANCE

EVALUATION

SEC. 20. Financial Management and Accountability. – All public funds allocated to

the government StuFAPs for Tertiary Education shall be managed according to
standard government accounting and auditing rules and regulations. In addition,
specialized processes and procedures shall be developed to enhance transparency and
accountability suitable to the program or project for which the fund has been
provided.

SEC. 21. Accounting and Reporting of UniFAST StuFAP Funds. – A separate book of

accounts shall be kept by each implementing agency for the UniFAST StuFAP Funds.
It shall follow standard government rules and regulations for accounting.
Implementing agencies of the StuFAP Funds, however, may adopt additional
measures to ensure its safety, particularly in authorizing payments and processing of
disbursements from the funds: Provided, That such additional measures shall facilitate
a convenient and efficient means of delivering financial assistance to the
Beneficiaries.

A mid-year and annual report shall be prepared by all implementing agencies. The
report shall have two (2) parts: a financial statement and a report of operations
showing the accomplishments of the fund. These reports shall be submitted to
Congress and the Department of Budget and Management to inform and aid in
decision making and shall be made available to other interested parties for valid and
acceptable reasons. The fist of Beneficiaries and the amount of financial assistance
received shall be made available upon request.

SEC. 22. Responsibility of National Government Agencies Implementing StuFAPs. —

The agencies and instrumentalities implementing StuFAPs are required to submit
reports, make their selection process transparent to the public, and comply with the
requirements that the Board may impose to ensure that these programs are in line with
the national policy framework on student financial assistance.

SEC. 23. Performance Monitoring and Impact Assessment. – The UniFAST shall be

evaluated rigorously by the Board in terms of its impact on desired results and its
progress towards achieving them shall be monitored regularly. The Board shall clearly
define those results and their target values. Impact evaluation shall be measured
against, among others:

(a) Education outcomes such as enrolment in level IV-accredited HEls, as may be

determined in the Implementing Rules and Regulations, and number of graduates (by
type of study program);

(b) Economic indicators such as income and employment of Beneficiaries after

graduation; and

(c) Indicators for contributions to community service and public good.

Performance and progress shall, in addition, be measured with regard to: (i) number of
students covered by Scholarships, Grants-in-Aid, Student Loans, or other modalities
of StuFAP; (ii) type of study program; (iii) level of HEI enrolled in; and (iv) initial
economic status. Tracer studies and survey data for experimental and quasi-
experimental analyses shall be undertaken to produce credible impact evaluation
studies, as may be determined by the Board: Provided, That major programs of the
Board are to be evaluated within five (5) years from the date of its implementation.

SEC. 24. Congressional Oversight Committee. – There is hereby created a

Congressional Oversight Committee on the UniFAST composed of five (5) members
each to be chosen from the membership of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts
and Culture and the House of Representatives Committee on Higher and Technical
Education. The members from the Senate shall be appointed by the Senate President
based on proportional representation of the parties or coalitions therein with at least
two (2) Senators representing the minority. The members from the House of
Representatives shall be appointed by the Speaker also based on proportional
representation of the parties or coalitions therein with at least two (2) Congressmen
representing the minority.

The Oversight Committee on the UniFAST shall have the power to oversee the
implementation of this Act, including an inquiry into the book of accounts of the
Board: Provided, That the Secretariat of the Oversight Committee shall be drawn from
the secretariat personnel of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture and
the House of Representatives Committee on Higher and Technical Education.
Funding for the expenses of the Committee shall be taken from the appropriations of
both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The Board shall be required to submit to the Congressional Oversight Committee, on

a periodic basis, the financial statements, policy statements, issuances and other
documents and information of the Board, subject to existing laws and regulations.

ARTICLE VI

APPROPRIATIONS

SEC. 25. Appropriations. – The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this
Act, specifically for the creation of the Board and the Secretariat and the initial
implementation of this Act, shall be charged against the current year’s appropriation
of the CHED. The budget for the implementation of existing StuFAPs and any
modality that may be established shall be charged against the budget of the
implementing agencies. Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary for the
continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the Annual General
Appropriations Act.

SEC. 26. Other Sources of Funds. – Other sources of funds such as grants, donations,
and other forms of assistance from local and foreign donor agencies, other public or
private entities, and other private domestic and international sources may be tapped
and facilitated by the Board to support the program, subject to regular auditing
guidelines and procedures: Provided, That in case of donations from foreign sources,
acceptance thereof shall be subject to existing government rules and regulations.

All donations, grants, endowments from various sources and other contributions given
to specific agencies for StuFAPs shall be retained by the identified done agency for
that specific purpose in accordance with government auditing rules and regulations.

Cost-sharing or counter-parting schemes among national government and local

government units (LGUs) shall also be encouraged to support the implementation of
the UniFAST.
 ARTICLE VII

IMPLEMENTATION

SEC. 27. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within thirty (30) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Board shall constitute itself, in consultation with relevant
stakeholders in Tertiary Education, and promulgate the Implementing Rules and
Regulations necessary for the proper implementation of this Act within sixty (60) days
from the constitution of the Board.

ARTICLE VIII

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. 28. Separability Clause. – If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is
declared unconstitutional or invalid, parts or provisions of this Act which are not
affected shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SEC. 29. Non-Impairment Clause. – Nothing in this Act shall be construed as to

diminish, impair, or repeal rights recognized, granted, or made available to
disadvantaged, marginalized, or specific sectors under existing laws.

SEC. 30. Repealing Clause. – All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees,

Implementing Rules and Regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or
modified accordingly, including the provisions of Republic Act No. 8545 on Tertiary
Education.

SEC. 31. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

(Sgd.) FELICIANO BELMONTE JR.

Speaker of the House
of Representatives

This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2679 and House Bill No. 4591
was finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on August 3, 2015
and August 4, 2015, respectively.

(Sgd) MARILYN B. BARUA-YAP
Secretary General
House of Representatives

Approved: OCT 15 2015
(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III
President of the Philippines