Education as a Right: CHED UNIFAST TES distributed today

Just over two years and seven months ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global pandemic (March 11, 2020). It was the worldwide outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, which devastated economies around the globe. Since then, millions have lost their lives to this virus, and researchers have only recently discovered a new strain. We must face the fact that this pandemic is not over by a long shot. To make matters worse, the many other conflicts and issues facing the world, such as the Russo-Ukrainian War, which erupted into a full-scale war in February of this year, will continue to have a significant impact on the global economy and society for some time to come.

As a result of this catastrophic event, numerous governmental and non-governmental organizations have deployed a wide variety of responses. Some of these initiatives include the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) Program, which was signed into law by then-president Rodrigo Duterte in 2017. This program reached its full potential during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many Filipino families were struggling to make ends meet and, with the advent of the economic crisis, were forced to make the difficult choice between education and necessities.

The TES program’s grant recipients were presented with their awards today, October 26, at the UL Estadio. The distribution will last until the 28th. It is our firm belief that this government program will encourage students to work hard toward their goals and that it will also help them realize their potential for a brighter future.