A BILL that allows free college entrance exams for qualified students has lapsed into law.

Republic Act (RA) 12006 or the Free College Entrance Examinations Act is aimed at giving qualified graduates and graduating students additional benefits by giving them exemptions from paying entrance examination fees for the private higher education institutions.

But there are certain conditions that should first be met to be eligible for the free college entrance exams.

Among them include: Being a natural-born Filipino citizen; belonging to the top 10 percent of their class; coming from a family whose combined household income falls below the poverty threshold as defined by the National Economic and Development Authority; must be required to apply for college entrance exams to any private higher schools within the country; and must satisfy all the requirements of the private school.

On the other hand the private schools that will not comply will be meted sanctions determined by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

CHED on the other hand is mandated to promulgate the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the law within 60 days from its effectivity in coordination with the Department of Education. 

By the law, a proposed bill will lapse into law when the President does not act on it within 30 days after it is transmitted to his office.