MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang needs to weigh the cost of enacting a bill providing free tuition in state universities and colleges before deciding the measure’s fate, a Palace official said Thursday.
Assistant Communications Secretary Marie Banaag said President Rodrigo Duterte remains committed to making life better for the Filipino people, pointing to the administration’s programs as proof of this.
At the same time, she said, the government also has other obligations to meet, such as the rehabilitation of Marawi City, where government forces have been battling extremist gunmen since May 23, and assisting returning overseas Filipino workers.
Thus, Banaag said, Duterte also has to seek the advice of his economic managers, including Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, who has said government cannot afford to implement the P100 billion a year he claimes is needed to implement a free tuition law and has reportedly suggested a presidential veto of the measure.
“Sino bang may ayaw sana, ‘di ba (Who wouldn’t want it, right)? But if and when may mga advice na mahihirapan ang ating pamahalaan (if there is advice that it will be hard for government) to cope up with it then he would consider, reconsider that,” Banaag said.
