Parañaque 2nd District Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan is urging fellow lawmakers to support a proposal that would grant students an annual allowance of up to P10,000 to help ease the financial strain on families sending children to school.
Yamsuan said he has filed House Bill No. 2657, known as the Baon Para sa Estudyante Act, which seeks to provide a P5,000 yearly stipend for all qualified students enrolled in public and private schools, including those in the Alternative Learning System. Students who achieve top academic honors, such as dean’s listers, would receive P10,000.
He emphasized that the proposed support should be viewed as a long-term investment rather than a cash handout. “The stipend we are proposing should not be seen as a dole out. Hindi po ito ayuda kundi investment in our country’s greatest asset—our people, most especially our youth,” Yamsuan said. He added that the program equips students with the means “to shape their own future and create opportunities for themselves and their communities.”
Under the bill, the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education would implement the program and design a tiered system that prioritizes students with the most urgent financial needs. Both agencies would also be required to craft the implementing rules within 90 days of the law’s effectivity.
Yamsuan said the measure will be taken up in the next hearings of the House committees on basic education and culture, and higher education. He noted that a local version of the initiative in his district — the Bigay Ayuda at Oportunidad sa Nakababata (BAON) Program — has already benefited 3,600 students, demonstrating its potential impact on learners nationwide.
