Free Tuition Law: Who Should Get the Credit?
Political science experts weigh in on what matters in the lawmaking process.
(SPOT.ph) Bam Aquino’s imminent return to the Senate has put his legislative track record back in the spotlight, particularly the Free Tuition Law that he sponsored. But as his win continues to make headlines, so do arguments—and a wave of troll-like posts—over who should get the most credit for it: the Senator who sponsored the bill or the President who signed it into law.
From 2018 to 2022, over two million students have benefited from Republic Act 10931, making it one of the most impactful education policies in recent history. Aquino is widely recognized as the principal sponsor for the bill, but Commission on Education (CHED) Chairman Prospero de Vera III called this “exclusively a tatak Duterte because it was started under the Duterte administration.”
Who really deserves the credit?
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Who brought the Free Tuition Law to life?
To answer that, we need to paint a full picture of the legislative process.
Fact-checking organization VERA Files clarifies that Aquino was among 12 senators who authored the final version of the bill. He filed his version with Senator Risa Hontiveros on June 30, 2016—the same day then-Senate President Ralph Recto and then-Majority Leader Joel Villanueva refiled a similar measure from the 16th Congress, making them the principal authors.
From a political science perspective, most of the hard work behind a law comes from the legislator who sponsors it. Jan Robert Go, President of the Philippine Political Science Association, points out that Aquino's ambag went beyond just writing the bill. As the chairman of the Senate Committee on Education during the 17th Congress, he was responsible for defending it during debates, answering questions from fellow senators, and working on the final amendments to get it passed.
So while Aquino was not the principal author—and he never claimed to be—he played a more crucial role as principal sponsor.
“This is part of the legislative process,” Go told SPOT.ph. “The sponsor puts in all the work to ensure the bill is in its best version when it is passed in the chamber. We cannot really discount the efforts of primary authors and sponsors.”
Once a bill is passed by Congress, the Philippine President can do one of three things: sign it into law, veto it, or let it lapse into law after 30 days. The journey to having it signed wasn't exactly smooth sailing, as noted by VERA Files. CHED's De Vera III revealed that Duterte’s economic advisers had initially objected to the bill. It was only when then-Special Assistant to the President Bong Go urged for its passage that the veto was averted. In the end, Duterte chose to sign the bill.
Still, for Jan Robert Go, the law would never have reached the president’s desk without making it through Congress first.
“The president will not sign anything if the legislature does not pass a bill. I would opine that much of the work is really with the legislators, specifically the principal authors or sponsors of a measure. They deserve recognition for their efforts. As a collective body, convincing other legislative members is no easy job,” Go said.
Political science professor Jean Franco of the University of the Philippines shared this view, telling SPOT.ph: “The legislator who worked hard to have the law passed should be credited. The president’s role in the legislative process is to propose a legislative agenda and sign once it is approved by both chambers.”
Duterte praised Aquino for the Free Tuition Law
Even Duterte himself has previously acknowledged Aquino’s central role in getting the Free Tuition Law passed.
“In fairness to [Sen. Bam], nagtulong siya in crafting the law,” Duterte said during a 2019 speech in Koronadal City, South Cotabato.
Earlier that same week, Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson gave credit to Aquino in a separate media interview: “Siya naman talaga yung nag-labor diyan para maipasa. Siya talaga nagtulak. Ang daming claimants na nagki-claim ng credits. So, sabi ko, to set the record straight, si Sen. Bam iyan.”
For his part, Aquino thanked both Duterte and Lacson for recognizing his work.
“Salamat at kinilala ni Presidente ang tinrabaho natin para maisabatas ang Libreng Kolehiyo.”
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