What awaits the education sector with Bam Aquino back at the helm of its committee?
As the 20th Congress begins, the Senate officially assigned the committee chairmanships on Tuesday, July 29.
Reelected Senator Paolo Benigno ‘Bam’ Aquino IV has secured his desired post after joining the majority bloc, now leading the Committee on Basic Education, the same position he held during the 17th Congress from 2016 to 2017.
Aquino is among the first lawmakers to lay out a legislative agenda focused squarely on education.
In a Facebook post on June 30, Senator Bam Aquino revealed the first 10 bills he will push in the 20th Congress, all aimed at advancing the welfare of students, teachers and the broader academic community.
“Sa pagbabalik natin sa senado, ito ang una nating hakbang: mga panukalang batas na tutok sa kinabukasan ng ating mga estudyante, guro at bawat pamilyang Pilipino [As we return to the Senate, this will be our first step: proposed laws focused on the future of our students, teachers and every Filipino family],” Aquino wrote.
Bills benefiting students
While no concrete plans are provided, the first bill Aquino plans to pursue is the Classroom-Building Acceleration Program (CAP) Act, which seeks to address classroom shortages through partnerships between local government units (LGUs) and the private sector.
Currently, the country faces a staggering shortage of 165,443 classrooms nationwide, according to the data revealed by the Department of Education (DepEd). The Marcos administration, meanwhile, is currently on their move for the same reason, targeting to build 105,000 classrooms through Public-Private-Partnerships (PPPs).
In addition, Bam Aquino is pushing for the Adopt-a-School Act of 2025, which encourages private sector involvement in education programs while offering tax incentives in return for their support.
Another priority is the proposed ban on fees for Related Learning Experiences (RLE) in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs)—a commitment Aquino made during the campaign period.
These charges, often imposed on nursing students, cover costs associated with practical training outside the classroom. They are collected separately from tuition and other miscellaneous fees.
In private schools, while RLE fees are included in the tuition, Gian Magsumbol, a nursing student from Olivarez College Tagaytay, said they are significantly higher than regular per-unit costs, placing a heavy burden on students like him
Next on the list is the plan to amend Republic Act No. 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which Aquino originally sponsored. The amendment seeks to ensure that all Senior High School graduates who are beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) will receive the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES).
Aquino is also passing the Bayanihan Work Program Act which aims to provide jobs to Filipinos willing to work, instead of relying on “ayuda” or financial assistance from the government. Related to this, Aquino proposes to establish Job Placement Offices in all public senior high schools, state universities and colleges, and local universities and colleges through the School-to-Employment Program (STEP) Act. It aims to establish a National Industry-Academe Council, along with corresponding local councils, to address job-skills mismatch and promote decent employment opportunities.
Aquino also plans to push the Student Discount Para sa Load Act, which will grant a 20% discount on mobile load for texts, calls, and internet to students from elementary to college. In addition, all textbooks approved by DepEd will be free and will become available online once the E-Textbook Para sa Lahat Act is enacted into law. This intends to improve access to textbooks for learners and teachers.
For educators
Aquino’s plans extend beyond students, as he also prioritizes bills aimed at supporting teachers. For educators, Aquino is seeking an additional P10,000 monthly salary for public school teachers and qualified non-teaching staff, to be implemented in three tranches over three years.
Currently, Teacher 1 in the country has a salary grade of 11 which is equivalent to P30,024, according to the second tranche step 1 of the implementation of the salary standardization law.
Moreover, the senator also plans to strengthen government support for private basic education through the passage of the Private Education Voucher Expansion (PEVE) Act. This will include in-service training of teachers.
Aquino has been advocating for the education sector since his first term in the Senate during the 13th Congress, continuing through to the 20th Congress.
