04/06/2026
WELCOME BACK, SEN. BAM! 🇵đź‡
Sen. Bam Aquino has been reappointed as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education following the latest changes in Senate committee leadership.
His return to the education panel places him once again at the center of discussions affecting Filipino learners, teachers, schools, and the country’s basic education system.
Sen. Bam has been at the forefront of major education reforms, including his work as principal sponsor of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, more widely known as the Free College Law, and his leadership of the Senate Committee on Basic Education during a historic period for Philippine education.
The landmark Free College Law helped make tuition and other school fees free in state universities and colleges, local universities and colleges, and state-run technical-vocational institutions.
His reappointment builds on his earlier leadership of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, where he served as chair during the Senate approval of DepEd’s historic ₱1.044-trillion budget, part of the country’s highest education allocation of more than ₱1.34 trillion under the 2026 national budget.
The record funding strengthened support for classrooms, teachers, learning materials, student programs, school feeding, learning recovery, and wider access to quality education.
For students and future Iskolar ng Bayan, this matters because the Senate Committee on Basic Education handles key issues on learning recovery, teacher welfare, student support, inclusive education, classroom needs, literacy, and reforms that shape the foundation of every learner’s academic journey.
As the country continues to strengthen its education system, Filipino students deserve policies that open more doors, reduce barriers, and protect their right to quality education.
Para sa Edukasyon. Para sa Bayan!