TACLOBAN CITY- Leyte Rep. Yedda Romualdez defended before the committee on higher and technical education of the House of Representatives her proposed law granting full scholarship to undergraduate senior citizens.
Romualdez, vice chairperson of the House’ committee on government enterprises and privatization, sponsored House Bill 3704 or the “Senior Citizen Scholarship Act of 2016.
The committee has started deliberation on pending bills granting free college education.
Rep. Romualdez said that her proposal would help undergraduate senior citizens to improve their lives by giving them the chance and opportunity to finish their four-year degree in any state college and university.
The Leyte congresswoman requested the panel led by Zamboanga Sibugay Rep. Ann Hoffer to adopt the explanatory note of her measure as her sponsorship speech.
“The primary objective of this bill is to protect and promote the constitutionally upheld right to quality education and to ensure that education is accessible to all, without discrimination on the basis of age,” Romualdez said.
The congresswoman stressed that senior citizens are a valued part of Filipino society.
“In fact, the Constitution promotes not only their well-being and social security, but more importantly, their continued personal growth and development,” she said.
“Furthermore, this proposed law will also promote a more meaningful social participation and engagement by Filipino senior citizens in the present community and keep them active and creative in their retirement years,” said Romualdez.
Under her measure, a senior citizen will be given automatic full scholarship in the form of free tuition in a state college or university. (PR)
