COMMITTEE ON HIGHER AND TECHNICAL

EDUCATION
DATE/TIME: 13 January 2021 (Wednesday), 1:30 P.M.

ZOOM
MEETING ID : 811 3317 2093
LOG-IN PASSWORD : HTE0113
DETAILS:
PART I. Initial Deliberation on the Following Measures
Proposing to Amend Republic Act No. 10931, Otherwise
Known as the “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary
Education Act”

1. House Bill No. 7486 – An Act Providing for a More

Inclusive and Responsive Student Loan Program for
Tertiary Education, Amending for the Purpose
Republic Act No. 10931, Otherwise Known as the
"Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act"
(Rep. Bong Suntay); and
AGENDA:
2. HB No. 8137 - An Act Expanding the Coverage of the
Tertiary Education Subsidy, Amending for the Purpose
Republic Act No. 10931, Otherwise Known as the "
Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act"
(Rep. M. Go).

PART II. Initial Deliberation on HB No. 8210 – An Act

Mandating the Commission on Higher Education to Create a
Tripartite Council to Address Job-Skills Mismatch in the
Country and for Other Purposes (Rep. M. Go)

PART III. Initial Deliberation on the Following Local

Bills:

1. HB No. 7887 - An Act Establishing Technical

Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)
Training and Assessment Centers in the Province and
in the Eighteen (18) Municipalities of Antique,
Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other
Purposes (Deputy Speaker Legarda);

Page 1 of 7
 COMMITTEE ON HIGHER AND TECHNICAL
EDUCATION
2. HB No. 8077 - An Act Converting the Agusan Del Sur
School of Arts and Trades (ASSAT) into a Polytechnic
Institute for Technical Education (ADSPITE) and
Appropriating Funds Therefor (Rep. Bascug);

3. HB No. 8123 - An Act Establishing the College of

Medicine in the University of Science and Technology
of Southern Philippines (USTP) Cagayan De Oro City
Campus, Providing for Its Governance, and for Other
Purposes (Deputy Speaker Rodriguez); and

4. HB No. 8124 -  An Act Converting the Extension

Campus of the Cagayan State University (CSU)
Located in Iraga, Municipality of Solana, Province of
Cagayan into a Regular Campus of the CSU,
Amending for the Purpose Section 1 of Presidential
Decree No. 1436 Series of 1978, and Appropriating
Funds Therefor (Rep. Lara).

INVITED No list of invited guests/resource persons were provided by

AGENCIES / the Committee secretariat.
RESOURCE
PERSONS:

1.    Before joining the meeting, please ensure that you are in

a QUIET area with strong internet signal.

2.    Use of headset (earphones with microphone) is HIGHLY

RECOMMENDED.
IMPORTANT 3.  Please ensure that your microphone is on MUTE as the
REMINDERS default setting. During the meeting, MUTE your microphone
FOR THE when listening and UNMUTE before speaking.
ZOOM
MEETING: 4.    You may use the RAISE HAND function or send a
message via CHAT function to the Committee Secretary if
you wish to be recognized. 

Page 2 of 7
 COMMITTEE ON HIGHER AND TECHNICAL
EDUCATION
5.    You may MUTE the VIDEO if you wish to temporarily
leave the meeting.

PART I. Salient provisions of HB No. 7486 by Rep. Bong

Suntay and HB 8137 by Rep. Mark Go

BILL HB 7486 HB 8137

SYNOPSIS: - An Act Providing for a - An Act Expanding the
more inclusive and coverage of the Tertiary
responsive student Education Subsidy (TES)
loan program for amending for the purpose
tertiary education, RA 10931, otherwise known
amending for the as the “Universal Access to
purposes RA 10931, Quality Tertiary Education
otherwise known as Act”
the “Universal Access
to Quality Tertiary
Education Act”
- This bill mandates the - This bill seeks to
UniFAST Board to allow students opting
offer loans that are to study in private
responsive to the Higher Education
needs of students and Institutions (HEIs) to
allows the board to benefit from the
enter into agreement coverage of the TES
with accredited through a voucher
government financial system.
institutions to facilitate
the administration and
collection of the
student loan program.
- This bill is patterned - Further, Section 7 of RA
with the US Federal 10931 is hereby amended to
Student Aid. It offers include the following:
three different loan
programs: “There shall be a
a. student direct proportional budget
subsidized loan – this allocation for poor and
loan is available to academically able students,

Page 3 of 7
COMMITTEE ON HIGHER AND TECHNICAL
EDUCATION
high school graduates in the form of a voucher
and desires to continue system, who will opt to study
vocational or college in private HEIs in the cities
education but needs and municipalities where
financial assistance there are existing SUCs and
and bears an interest LUCs and the Listahanan
of 2% per annum; households are prioritized,
b. student direct and in areas where there are
unsubsidized loan – no existing SUCs or LUCs”
this loan is available to
high school graduates,
college graduates, or
professionals who
wish to pursue higher
education and bears an
interest of 3% per
annum; and
c. family education
loan – this loan is
available to parents to
finance the education
of their children and
parents shall be
responsible for
payment of the loan
and its interests.

PART II. Initial Deliberation on HB No. 8210 – An Act

Mandating the Commission on Higher Education to Create a
Tripartite Council to Address Job-Skills Mismatch in the
Country and for Other Purposes (Rep. M. Go)

OBJECTIVE:

 To bill seeks to create a Tripartite Council composed of

representatives from the government, academe and
industry sector that will formulate and implement
policies and relevant programs specific to job-skills

Page 4 of 7
COMMITTEE ON HIGHER AND TECHNICAL
EDUCATION
mismatch.

KEY PROVISIONS:
- Section 2. Creation of Tripartite Council –
The government side shall be composed of CHED
Commissioner, Deputy Director of TESDA, and
Undersecretaries of DOLE and DTI.

For the academe sector, it shall be composed of the

presidents from the federations of public and private
higher educational institutions (HEIs) namely:
Philippine Association of State Colleges and
Universities (PASUC); Association of Local Colleges
and Universities (ALCU); and Coordinating Council
for the Philippine Education Association (COCOPEA).

The industry sector shall be composed of the presidents

of the business and industry federations namely:
Employers Confederation of the Philippines; Makati
Business Club (MBC); Semiconductor and Electronics
Industries in the Philippines Foundation Incorporated
(SEIPI); IT and Business Process Association of the
Philippines (IBPAP); and the People Management
Association of the Philippines (PMAP).
The CHED Commissioner shall serve as the Chairman
of the Council and the TESDA Deputy Director
General as Vice Chairman.

- Section 3. Powers and Functions of the Tripartite

Council:
a) The Council shall be a regular coordinating body
between the government, academe and industry sectors
to monitor employment, underemployment and job-
skills mismatch, and shall hold regular quarterly
meetings;
b) Formulate and implement short and long term policies,

Page 5 of 7
 COMMITTEE ON HIGHER AND TECHNICAL
EDUCATION
plans and programs that will address job-skills
mismatch;
c) Conduct an inventory, review and evaluation of
courses, academic programs and curricula of public and
private HEIs and Tech Voc Institutions;
d) Conduct an assessment of qualifications and skills of
students and graduates of tertiary and techvoc
education and training;
e) Conduct an inventory of job specifications and work
requirement of industries;
f) Recommend to the President, Congress and other
government institutions policy measures that needs to
be undertaken in addressing underemployment and job-
skills mismatch.

- Section 5. Appropriations:
The amount necessary for the operations and discharge
of functions by the Council shall be included in the
annual appropriations of CHED contained in the GAA.
For HB 7486

1. May I know the position of CHED to this proposed

QUESTIONS measure, Mister Chair?

2. Personally, this proposed measure is very laudable.

How can we ensure efficient collection of loans and
interests? For program sustainability, is it possible to
include provision on possible legal actions or other
serious consequences to delinquent beneficiaries?

3. Point of clarification, Mister Chairman. Are all funds

for student loan purposes limited to government funds?
Or can the UniFAST Board enter into agreement with
private banks and other lending institutions?

For HB 8137

1. I understand that CHED encountered issues in the

Page 6 of 7
COMMITTEE ON HIGHER AND TECHNICAL
EDUCATION
delay and non-remittance of education subsidies to
private higher education institutions (HEIs), in relation
to this bill, what are the reforms instituted by CHED to
overcome such challenges and problems?

2. Does CHED have the required manpower to cater the

mandated services of the Commission?

For HB 8210

1. May I know the position of the concerned agency and

stakeholders in the proposed measure, Mister
Chairman?

2. This representation believes that this bill proposed by

the honorable Chairman is very laudable and long
overdue. I would like to signify my willingness to co-
author the same.

Page 7 of 7