MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO.02 - Series of 2021 - Guidelines on the Implementation of the Tulong Dunong Program

Sep 22, 2026

Memorandum Circular No. 02 (Series of 2021) issued for the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) establishes guidelines for implementing the Unified Student Financial Assistance System through the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) under the Tulong Dunong Program (TDP) for Academic Year 2020-2021 and onwards. It defines policy provisions, program coverage for qualified ongoing and new grantees, the maximum annual grant of Php15,000, eligibility conditions based on citizenship and household income thresholds, and the procedures and documentary requirements for applicants and verification by CHED Regional Offices.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Subject: Guidelines on the Implementation of the Tulong Dunong Program for Academic Year 2020-2021 and Onwards

Rationale

Section 1. Policy Statement

Section 2. Program Title

Section 3. Coverage

Section 4. Financial Benefits

Section 5. Qualification Requirements

Section 6.0 Application Procedures and Documentary Requirements for New TDP-TES Grantees

6.1 Application Procedures

6.2 Documentary Requirements

6.2.1 Academic Requirements

6.2.2 Income Requirement

MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO.02Series of 2021 # TOCOMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION (CHED)CENTRAL ANDREGIONAL OFFICES DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT (DBM)STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES (SUCs) CHED-RECOGNIZED LOCAL UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES (LUCs)PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS (Private HEls)OTHER CONCERNED STAKEHOLDERS # SUBJECT:GUIDELINES ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TULONG DUNONGPROGRAM FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-2021 AND ONWARDS RATIONALE The Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST)Boardissue these Guidelines in order to: 1.Adopt guidelines to ensure that appropriations for Tertiary Education Subsidy(TES)are properly administered and implemented according to its purpose;and 2.Facilitate and expedite the disbursement of grants to ongoing and new TulongDunong Program(TDP)grantees in Academic Year(AY)2020-2021 and onwards. ## Section 1.POLICY STATEMENT Special Provision (S.P.)No.3,Volume I-B,CHED Budget on R.A.No.11465 or the GeneralAppropriations Act (GAA)for FY 2020 provides that,the implementation of TES shall coverboth the existing orongoing grantees under the TDP and new students deserving of financialassistance grants:PROVIDED,That,all grantees shall be subject to the same subsidy rates,requirements,liquidation procedures and any other guidelines of the TES. Thus,in accordance with the pertinent provisions and mandates of the CHED under R.A.No.7722,otherwise known as the "Higher Education Act of 1994 and the UniFAST under R.A.10931,also known as the “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act”,and pursuantto above-cited Special Provision,the CHED-UniFAST,issue these implementing guidelinesto promote the efficient utilization of all funds intended for the rational implementation of thegrants-in-aid program of the government. ## Section 2.PROGRAM TITLE The financial assistance shall be known as the Tulong-Dunong Program under the Tertiary Education Subsidy(TDP-TES)for A.Y.2020-2021 and onwards. ## Section 3.COVERAGE The TDP-TES is intended for qualified ongoing and new TDP grantees for A.Y.2020-2021and the succeeding Academic Years,enrolled in CHED-recognized programs of PrivateHigher Education Institutions(private HEls),State Universities and Colleges (SUCs),orCHED-recognized Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs)with Certificate of ProgramCompliance (COPC). ## Section 4.FINANCIAL BENEFITS A student-grantee shall be entitled to a maximum of Fifteen Thousand Pesos(Php15,000.00)grant for one academic year. ## Section 5.QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS An applicant for this grant must be a Filipino citizen with a combined household(parents/guardian)gross income which shall not exceed Four Hundred Thousand Pesos(PhP400,000.00)and maybe classified as one of the following: 5.1 An Ongoing Grantee must be TDP-TES grantee in A.Y.2019-2020 and is currentlyenrolled in the First Semester of Academic Year 2020-2021,in any recognizedcurricular program year level in both Public and Private HEls,ongoing TDP-TESgrantees shall submit an accomplished TDP-TES Application Form for updatingpurposes;and 5.2 New TDP-TES Grantees in AY 2020-2021 and the succeeding academic years mustbe a Senior High School graduate;or an ongoing college student with earned units inCHED-recognized programs of Private HEls,SUCs or LUCs with Certificate ofProgram Compliance(COPC)with at least a passing general weighted average(GWA);or a passer of the Alternative Learning Systems(ALS)/Philippine EducationalPlacement TEST (PEPT). 6.0 APPLICATION PROCEDURES AND DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS FOR NEWTDP-TES GRANTEES 6.1 Application Procedures 6.1.1 Student-applicant submits an accomplished TDP-TES Application Formtogether with the supporting documents directly to the concernedCHEDRO subject to further verification against the original documents,ifnecessary. Deadline for submission for all applications shall be every September 30 of thecurrent academic year.The UniFAST Secretariat may extend the

FAQs

What is the purpose of the UniFAST guidelines for the Tulong Dunong Program under TES?

The guidelines adopt proper administration for TES appropriations and facilitate the disbursement of grants to both ongoing and new TDP grantees for Academic Year 2020-2021 and onwards.

Who is covered by the TDP-TES for Academic Year 2020-2021 and succeeding academic years?

Coverage includes qualified ongoing and new TDP grantees enrolled in CHED-recognized programs of Private HEIs, SUCs, or CHED-recognized LUCs with a Certificate of Program Compliance (COPC).

What are the key qualification and documentation requirements for new applicants?

Applicants must be Filipino citizens with household gross income not exceeding Php400,000, and must meet one of the listed categories (ongoing grantee, incoming freshman/new grantee criteria, or ALS/PEPT passers). They must submit required academic documents such as report cards/grades and income documents such as proof of income, case study by a licensed social worker, income tax return and BIR Form 2316, or a BIR tax exemption certificate.

Sep 22, 2026

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