As the Philippines is reeling from the devastation of six powerful typhoons in just one month, Senator Bong Go called for swift action to ease the burden on students and families in disaster-stricken areas.
With this, Go has co-authored and co-sponsored Senate Bill No. 1864, or the proposed Student Loan Payment Moratorium During Disasters and Emergencies Act, which is now awaiting the President’s approval to become law.
“Hindi na biro ang hirap na dinaranas ng ating mga kababayan. Sunod-sunod na bagyo, baha, at kawalang katiyakan sa kinabukasan. Hindi natin hahayaang maging dagdag-pasanin pa ang student loans sa gitna ng ganitong kalamidad,” the legislator explained.
The proposed law promises to deliver urgent financial relief by suspending student loan payments during and after disasters, allowing students and families to breathe easier as they rebuild their lives.
“Ang tanong marahil ng maraming kabataang mag-aaral: Dapang dapa kami sa delubyo, paano na ang student loan ko?” the lawmaker said.
“Isinulong ang Student Loan Payment Moratorium During Disasters and Emergencies bill para naman mabigyan ng palugit ang mga estudyanteng may pagkakautang pero hindi makabayad dahil tinamaan ng kalamidad at iba pang sakuna.”
“Kaya natin isinulong ang Student Loan Payment Moratorium During Disasters and Emergencies bill para naman mabigyan ng palugit ang mga estudyanteng may pagkakautang pero hindi makabayad dahil tinamaan ng kalamidad at iba pang sakuna,” the senator added.
With Typhoon Pepito marking the sixth storm to batter the country in just one month, the damage is overwhelming: over 160 lives lost, thousands of families displaced, and entire communities drowning in billions of pesos worth of destruction.
“Mga estudyante at pamilya nila, lubog ngayon sa hirap habang bumabangon sa baha. Hindi natin pwedeng hayaan na pati edukasyon nila ay malunod dahil sa hirap at pagkakautang,” he said.
Go stressed that the mere fact that students needed to get loans to continue their studies show their desire to finish and attain quality education. This determination, he said, should be acknowledged and supported rather than be a burden for them to achieve their dreams.
“Bigyan natin ng sapat na pagkakataon ang kabataan na makapagtapos ng pag-aaral dahil sila ang pag-asa at future leaders ng ating bayan. Hindi dapat maging hadlang ang kahirapan para marating ang kanilang mga pangarap,” Go stressed.
If signed into law, Senate Bill No. 1864 will defer payments for students residing in areas declared under a State of Calamity or Emergency. It will apply to loans for Higher Education and Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs, giving Filipino students much-needed breathing room to focus on their studies.
The measure is part of Go’s broader push to protect the right of every Filipino to quality education, which he believes is a cornerstone of national recovery.
“Ang edukasyon, hindi lang para sa sarili. Ito ang susi para sa isang mas maliwanag na kinabukasan para sa pamilya at bayan. Kaya kapag may ganitong kalamidad, hindi na dapat tayo nag-aatubili na tulungan sila,” he added.
Go also called for the immediate prioritization of the bill, emphasizing how essential it is in the wake of disasters like Typhoon Pepito and the five other storms that preceded it.
“This is not just about policy. This is about survival.”
“This is not just about policy. This is about survival. Ang bawat araw na walang moratorium ay isang araw ng pasakit para sa kabataan na pilit bumabangon mula sa trahedya,” he concluded.
Aside from this bill, he has also championed various scholarship programs of the government in line with his mission to provide inclusive and quality education.
Also, Go earlier co-authored and co-sponsored RA 11510, which institutionalizes the Alternative Learning System (ALS) to improve basic education delivery to underserved and disadvantaged students; RA 11984, or the “No Permit, No Exam Prohibition Act”, which prohibits educational institutions from denying students the right to take exams due to unpaid fees; RA 12006 or the “Free College Entrance Examinations Act”, waiving entrance exam fees at private higher educational institutions for qualified top students; as well as RA 11997, or the “Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act,” which increases the teaching supply allowances for public school teachers.
In addition, he co-authored and co-sponsored SBN 1360 which seeks to expand the coverage of the tertiary education subsidy by amending RA 10931, the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which was enacted during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Furthermore, Go has also been pushing for the passage of his proposed SBN 1786, which seeks to mandate public HEIs to establish Mental Health Offices on their campuses. This aligns with his belief that mental health should receive the same level of attention and care as physical health.
