UNIFAST LAW PROVIDES LIFELINE TO POOR, DESERVING STUDENTS

Pasig Rep. Roman T. Romulo this week said the lifeline provided by the UniFast Law to poor and deserving tertiary students should be ready by next school year.

“We expect the implementing rules and regulation to be completed and approved by CHED in January, 2016. This will allow qualified tertiary students to avail of the benefits provided under the law during the first semester of next school year,” said Romulo, who is the principal author of the landmark legislation signed by President Aquino last month, October.

“I urge the CHED to immediately work on the implementing rules and regulations and issue it before the year ends so that we can immediately implement our law next year. Once this law is implemented, there will be no more unfortunate cases similar to that of Kristel Tejada in the future,” he pointed out.

A UP Manila freshman student, the 16-year old Tejada was driven to suicide on March 15, 2013 after she was asked by school authorities to go on forced leave after failing to pay her tuition.

The Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Act  will provide qualified students the following benefits:

•Scholarship ---financial assistance given to eligible students on the basis of merit and/or talent,

•Grant-in-Aid --- financial assistance to poor but eligible students.

Student loan --- financial assistance consisting of short-term or long-term loans which shall be extended to students facing liquidity problems.

The various benefits of the UniFAST Act are broader than that provided for under the Iskolar ng Bayan law and can be availed by any student, whether graduate of public or private school and regardless of ranking in class or school he or she plans to enroll in.

“This is another way of realizing what we want for those who might fall behind as the country moves forward. Dapat lang na walang maiiwan, dapat di na mangyari ang katulad ng nangyari kay Kristel Tejeda” said Romulo./MP