The Economy and Development Council (EDC) has approved the pilot implementation of Project BALAY in five state universities and colleges (SUCs).
Project BALAY is a joint initiative of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund) that aims to provide safe and affordable student dormitories with a proposed monthly rental fee of ₱500.
The approval came during the 12th EDC meeting presided over by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at Malacañan Palace on Wednesday, November 11, where CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis presented the project’s proposed financing arrangements, funding requirements, and implementation plans.
Project BALAY: Bridging Access to Learning, seeks to address a major challenge faced by college students, particularly those from low-income families and far-flung communities: the cost of living away from home.
While tuition is free in SUCs, many students still struggle to afford accommodation, transportation, food, and other daily expenses. These financial burdens can affect their ability to remain in school and complete their degrees.
To help address this gap, CHED is working with the Pag-IBIG Fund and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) to establish safe and affordable dormitories on SUC campuses.
The project will prioritize students from disadvantaged sectors, including beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Indigenous Peoples, students with disabilities, and first-generation college students.
Under the proposed financing arrangement, Pag-IBIG Fund would provide loans for dormitory construction at an annual interest rate of 3%, payable over ten years. Students would pay an indicative monthly rent of ₱500, with the government subsidizing the remaining cost to keep accommodation affordable.
Each proposed dormitory under the Balay Medium category would accommodate approximately 400 students and feature common study areas, student activity spaces, and energy-efficient facilities.
Project BALAY builds on the memorandum of understanding signed by CHED and Pag-IBIG Fund on January 23, 2026.
Since then, CHED has coordinated with SUCs, developed a proposed joint memorandum circular with the Pag-IBIG Fund and DHSUD, and presented the initiative to the Cabinet-level Social Development Committee in September and October.
Following the EDC’s approval of the pilot, CHED will pursue the remaining requirements for implementation, including securing government authorizations and multi-year funding for the project’s equity and loan amortization.
The next steps include forming a joint working group, finalizing the joint memorandum circular, and completing feasibility studies and other requirements for participating SUCs, with implementation targeted under the 2027 national budget.
Project BALAY supports the Marcos Jr. administration’s efforts to make higher education more accessible and forms part of CHED’s ACHIEVE Agenda 2030.
By providing affordable housing alongside free tuition, CHED aims to ease the financial burden on students and help more Filipinos stay in school and complete their college education. (PR)
