CLAIM: Duterte supported the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act
RATING: MISSING CONTEXT
Multiple pro-Duterte Facebook users compared Senator-elect Bam Aquino and ex-president Rodrigo Duterte for their involvement with the passage of Republic Act No. 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017.
These posts, titled “Author of free college?”, contains portraits of Aquino labelled as “Author” and Duterte as “Signatory.”
The posts also included a lengthy caption, urging netizens to conduct their research and recognize the efforts of Duterte.
However, the sources cited by the posts are either inaccessible or links to online commerce platforms.
Duterte did not mention the free college tuition bill as a priority bill in his 2017 State of the Nation Address (SONA).
He only expressed his support for six proposed bills at the time:
- National Land Use Act (NLUA)
- Changing of Republic Act 10121 (Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Act of 2010)
- Reimposition of the death penalty
- The Act Rightsizing the National Government to Improve Public Service Delivery and for other Purposes
- Review of Republic Act 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act)
- Tax Reform
Former senator Ralph Recto is the primary author while Senator-elect Bam Aquino is the co-author and principal sponsor of RA 10931.
A president’s signature is not required based on the Legislative Process section of the Senate website.
“A bill may become a law, even without the President’s signature, if the President does not sign a bill within 30 days from receipt in his office. A bill may also become a law without the President’s signature if Congress overrides a presidential veto by two-thirds vote.” the web page stated.
Duterte signed RA 10931 on August 3, 2017.
As of writing, one of the posts has gained 61,000+ reactions, 40,000+ shares, and 13,000+ comments. Michael Hermoso – Bautista & Vergel Villarba
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