QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 10687)
RA 10687’s short title is the “Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Act.” Its purpose is to provide a comprehensive, unified, and rationalized student financial assistance system for tertiary education by harmonizing existing scholarship, grant-in-aid, and student loan programs.
UniFAST is the harmonized, state-run and administered system of scholarships, grants-in-aid, student loans, and other modalities of StuFAP under the Act. It covers existing modalities for tertiary education and special purpose education assistance in both public and private institutions, including programs funded/implemented by national and local government agencies.
The State declares social justice as policy, aiming to promote access to quality education, especially for the poor but academically able and highly motivated students, by providing adequate funding and mechanisms to increase tertiary participation rates across socioeconomic classes.
Key objectives include: proper allocation of student financial assistance resources through effective beneficiary targeting; consistency and efficient coordination of policies and programs; equity in regional distribution of slots; producing qualified graduates via merit/talent scholarships; facilitating access through grants-in-aid for marginalized sectors; and assisting liquidity issues through student loans.
It includes (1) tuition, miscellaneous and other school fees; (2) educational expenses; and (3) cost of living allowance.
RA 10687 unifies and harmonizes existing publicly-funded national government programs for scholarships, grants-in-aid, and student loans to improve efficiency and ensure equitable access. However, it allows continuation of effective targeted programs under agencies (e.g., TESDA technical-vocational scholarships, IPRA scholarships, NAFES, ACEFS, S&T scholarship laws, E-GASTPE, CHED/DSWD SGP-PA) under existing agency jurisdiction, provided beneficiary targeting/standards remain compliant with Board policies and agencies submit annual reports to the UniFAST Board.
The UniFAST Board is attached to CHED and is composed of: CHED Chairperson (ex officio chair), DOST Secretary (co-chair), TESDA Director-General (co-chair), DepED Secretary (member), DOLE representative (member), NEDA representative (member), and NYC representative (member).
Examples include: formulating and approving UniFAST policies and strategies; coordinating with implementing agencies and issuing guidelines; preparing/approving its budget proposal submitted to CHED; promulgating minimum guidelines for qualified beneficiaries; adopting a qualifying examination system for merit/talent scholarships; maintaining a public database of accredited programs/institutions; and setting up tracking systems and disbursement/collection mechanisms for student loans.
It is an annual examination/assessment of potential beneficiaries, possibly separately designed for undergraduate and graduate students, adopted by the Board for prospective applicants for modalities of StuFAP. The Board function to adopt it is stated in Section 15(h).
Minimum qualifications include: being a Filipino citizen (with possible exemptions for foreign students via reciprocal programs); being a high school graduate/equivalent; having good moral character with no criminal record (waived for programs targeting children in conflict with the law and/or rehabilitation cases); being admitted to a HEI/TVI in the Registry of Programs and Institutions; passing TESDA screening/assessment for TVET applicants; declaring whether already a beneficiary of other student financial assistance; meeting Board-required scores for scholarship qualifying exams; and other Board-prescribed qualifications.
A student’s right does not apply if the student fails to comply with requirements for good academic standing and other conditions set by the Board. The Board must consider supervening circumstances (e.g., death, lingering illness of family member, other personal reasons). The Board must not unduly deprive eligible applicants, and may direct students to enroll in priority courses, but it generally cannot deny assistance to students already enrolled in non-priority courses when priority courses are not offered in the student’s chosen institution.
The Board/implementing agency may impose reasonable terms and conditions of availment before grant. Sanctions may be imposed on beneficiaries found to have violated provisions of their scholarship/loan/other modality contract, consistent with reasonable rules.
Scholarships are merit/talent-based financial assistance to promote development of bright/talented students to serve the public good, with policies on beneficiary identification and scholarship amounts not exceeding the actual cost of tertiary education. Grants-in-aid target poor students and marginalized sectors, with amounts determined based on actual program costs. Student loans are for students facing liquidity problems regardless of economic status, to be repaid in installments after graduation/exit, with the Board pursuing a long-term plan for a self-sustaining National Student Loan Program.
Loans are paid by the student, parents, guardians, or co-makers. The top ten (10) graduates of all public high schools are given priority. Repayment is in installment basis after the student graduates or leaves the institution. The educational loan shall be sourced from five percent (5%) of the total loanable portfolio of the Development Bank of the Philippines, without prejudice to creation of other student loan programs.
Implementing agencies keep separate books of accounts for UniFAST funds, submit mid-year and annual reports (financial statements and report of operations) to Congress and DBM, and make beneficiary lists/amounts available upon request for valid/acceptable reasons. Additionally, a Congressional Oversight Committee on the UniFAST is created with power to oversee implementation and inquire into the Board’s accounts, requiring periodic submission of Board documents subject to existing laws.