By Nestor Cuartero
JUST A THOUGHT: What great thing would you attempt if you knew you could not fail? – Robert H. Schuller
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GETTING TO KNOW YOU: The small, little hours during and after dinner are one best way to get to know the country’s leaders, lawmakers, for instance. They are moments of relaxation where one can shoot the breeze freely, at times even without rhyme or reason, punctuated by laughter and lighter moments.
We had one such close encounter with Rep. Karlo Nograles (first district, Davao), admittedly one of our youngest congressmen at age 41. Not afraid to call himself a nerd in his academic years (Ateneo de Manila, Law), Karlo credits his wife, ever loquacious Marga, for allowing the other, more relaxed side of him to shine through. They have three children.
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FREE COLLEGE EDUCATION LAW: Through that intimate dinner with a few media friends recently, we learned more about this congressional Benjamin, whose one landmark achievement thus far, we remember, is hinged on education.
Rep. Karlo was one of the lawmakers and proponents behind the Free College Education Law.
Believing that it can save the lives of thousands of students, Nograles, House Appropriations Committee Chairman, announced that the free college education law that will be implemented beginning school year 2018 will prevent tragedies that confront local students, particularly the less-fortunate ones.
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TO BENEFIT POOR STUDENTS: How often have we heard of college students taking their lives due to depression, stemming from their inability to pay their tuition fees?
Republic Act (RA) 10931 also known as the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act will give hope to young Filipinos who, despite financial difficulties, dream of finishing college.
Signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in August 2017, RA 10931 provides for the free college tuition program, which is scheduled to be rolled out in school year 2018-19.
The Appropriations panel led by Nograles set aside R40 billion in the R3.767-trillion national budget to cover for students’ tuition and other school fees.
Students from the country’s 114 State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), 16 Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) accredited by CHED and 122 Technical-Vocational Institutions (TVIs) under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will benefit from RA 10931. (Tomorrow: Karlo Nograles’ thoughts on Philippine films)
