Benedicto College – Mandaue Campus

Department of Accountancy, Business and Management

Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines
_________________________________________________________________________________

CONCEPT PAPER

Date: July 11, 2022

Working Title: The effects of free education to the performance of

the Bachelor of Science in Accountancy students

Program/ Major:
Bachelor of Science in Accountancy

Adviser:
Prof. Lloyd G. Yosoya, MBA

Researcher/s:
Guzman, Arlene M.

Rationale: In ensuring the highest standard in the country's higher education

institutions despite the challenges the Philippines currently faces. The Republic
Act 10931 provides the underprivileged one the opportunity to pursue college
degrees through free tuition and exemption of other fees in state universities
and colleges (SUCs). The Republic Act 10931, known as the Universal Access to
Quality Tertiary Education Act was signed into law in August 2017 by President
Rodrigo as “AN ACT PROMOTING UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO QUALITY TERTIARY
EDUCATION BY PROVIDING FOR FREE TUITION AND OTHER SCHOOL FEES IN
STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES, LOCAL UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES
AND STATE-RUN TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, ESTABLISHING THE
TERTIARY EDUCATION SUBSIDY AND STUDENT LOAN PROGRAM,
STRENGTHENING THE UNIFIED STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SYSTEM
FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION, AND APPROPRIATING FUND THEREFOR

Section 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:

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 Benedicto College – Mandaue Campus
Department of Accountancy, Business and Management
Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines
_________________________________________________________________________________
(a) Cost of Tertiary Education refers to (1) tuition and
other school fees, (2) educational expenses and (3) the cost of
living allowance;

(b) Graduate courses refers to higher education programs

leading to a certificate, diploma, master's or doctorate degrees,
as may be authorized and recognized by the Commission on
Higher Education (CHED);

(c) 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, including associate degrees;

(d) Higher Education Institution (HEI) refers to an

education institution authorized and recognized by the CHED to
offer bachelor's degree or graduate courses;

(e) Local universities and colleges (LUCs) refers to CHED-

accredited public HEIs established by local government units
(LGUs) through an enabling ordinance, financially supported by
the LGU concerned, and complaint with the policies, standards
and guidelines of the CHED;

(f) National Household Targeting System for Poverty

Reduction (NHTS-PR) or Listahanan 2.0 refers to the
information management of the Department of Social Welfare
and Development (DSWD) that identifies who and where the
poor are in the country. The system makes available to national
government agencies and other social protection stakeholders a
database of poor families as reference in identifying potential
beneficiaries of social protection programs;

(g) Other education-related expenses refers to expenses

related to the education of a student such as books, school

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 Benedicto College – Mandaue Campus
Department of Accountancy, Business and Management
Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines
_________________________________________________________________________________
supplies, uniforms, reproduction of materials, electronic devices
necessary for education and other fees such as for practical
teaching devices student publication, yearbook, insurance and
student trust funds:

(h) Other school fees refers to fees charges by HEIs and

technical-vocational institutions which cover other necessary
costs supportive of instructions, specifically the following:
library fees, computer fees, laboratory fees, school ID fees ,
athletic fees, admission fees, development fees, guidance fees,
handbook fees, entrance fees, registration fees, medical and
dental fees, cultural fees and other similar or related fees;

(i) Private higher education institution refers to HEI not

not owned and controlled by the government or its
instrumentalities;

(j) Private technical-vocational institution refers to post-

secondary technical-vocational institution run by the private
sector offering programs registered with the Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA);

(k) Qualified student refers to any student who possesses

all the qualifications under Section 4 and 5 and none of the
disqualifications under Section 6 hereof;

(l) State-run technical-vocational institutions refers to

technical-vocational institutions operated by the TESDA or
LGUs: Provided, That in the latter case, the same should be
accredited by the TESDA;

(m) State universities and colleges (SUCs) refers to public

HEIs established by national government and are governed by
their respective independent boards of trustees or regents;

@bcmandauecitycampus Benedictocollege@edu.ph (032) 253-6173/253-7401

 Benedicto College – Mandaue Campus
Department of Accountancy, Business and Management
Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines
_________________________________________________________________________________
(n) Student loan program for tertiary education refers to
a loan program established under Section 8 of this Act;

(o) Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET)

refers to the education process designed a post-secondary and
lower tertiary levels, officially recognized as nondegree
programs aimed at preparing technicians, paraprofessionals and
other categories of middle-level workers by providing them with
a board range of general education, theoretical, scientific and
technological studies, and related job skills training;

(p) Technical-Vocational Institutions (TVIs) refers to

learning institutions offering post-secondary (TVET;

(q) Tertiary education refers to the stage of education

following the secondary cycle which covers post-secondary
nondegree diploma, TVET, and higher education programs,
including graduate education;

(r) Tertiary education subsidy (TES) refers to a subsidy

established under Section 7 of this Act;

(s) Tuition fees refer to fees or school charges for

subjects or course enrolled in by a tertiary eduaction student;

(t) Undergraduate courses refers to any program leading

to a degree as may be authorized and recognized by the CHED;
and

(u) Unified StudentFinancial 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 student financial assistance program under
Republic Act No. 10687.

@bcmandauecitycampus Benedictocollege@edu.ph (032) 253-6173/253-7401

 Benedicto College – Mandaue Campus
Department of Accountancy, Business and Management
Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines
_________________________________________________________________________________

Statement of Purpose: The main purpose of the study is to

determine the effects of providing underprivileged Filipino
students the opportunity to pursue college degrees through free
tuition and exemption of other fees in state universities and
colleges (SUCs).

1. How will the free college tuition for BSA student change the
Philippines?
2. What are the effects of the implementation of The Republic
Act 10931, known as the Universal Access to Quality
Tertiary Education Act?
3. What is the perception of the BSA students on the effect of
free higher education to financial crisis?
4. What is the impact of free education to the performance of
the students?
5. What are the problems encountered during the said
implementation?

Main beneficiary of this research: Underprivileged Filipino

students

Methodology: Qualitative & Quantitative approach.

Objective Usage of this research (Output): The findings of

this research will help in ensuring the highest standard in the
country's higher education institutions despite the challenges
the Philippines currently faces.

Preliminary Literature review (References)

https://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2017/ra_10931_2017.html

@bcmandauecitycampus Benedictocollege@edu.ph (032) 253-6173/253-7401

 Benedicto College – Mandaue Campus
Department of Accountancy, Business and Management
Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines
_________________________________________________________________________________

DR. JAYPEE Y. ZOILO ⃝ Approved

Dean, DABM ⃝ Approved with
Benedicto College Changes
⃝ Submit new proposal

@bcmandauecitycampus Benedictocollege@edu.ph (032) 253-6173/253-7401