Commission on Higher Education (CHED) recently clarified that the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) beneficiaries are determined not by them, but by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under its Listahanan program.
TES is a program under Republic Act (RA) 10931 also known as the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA). It is given to poor deserving students who are enrolled in 112 state universities and colleges and 78 local universities and colleges listed under Listahanan 2.0 or Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Based on the program, TES beneficiaries in public universities get PhP40,000/year that they can use for books, transportation, supplies, room and board fees, and other education-related expenses.
Dr. J. Prospero de Vera, CHED chairman, said it is the DSWD that determines the beneficiaries and not their commission.
“It is not the CHED that selects, it is based on the Listahanan list of the DSWD. Kapag may mga pangalang mag-a-apply na mula sa mga 4Ps families sino-shoot ng CHED sa Listahanan ng DSWD. Kapag nag-match beneficiary siya, kapag hindi nag-match hindi siya TES beneficiary,” he said.
De Vera said there are times when a supposed beneficiary will come with a certification of being part of the 4Ps, but verification will reveal otherwise.
He said that as much as they want to address the problem, they do not have the authority to amend the list.
“Kailangan sila ay nasa 2.0 list merong mga lumalabas na case na meron silang hawak hawak na papel na 4ps sila pero wala sa listahanan,” he said.
“Unfortunately, the CHED has no authority to amend and change the list. That is the power of the DSWD so kung may kunting problema ‘yong list we have to wait for the DSWD to correct it. CHED cannot change the list,” De Vera added.
He said all they could do is to document the problems and inform the DSWD about it.
