President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law making education free at all state universities in the Philippines, despite warnings from his economic advisers that the country cannot afford it.
Mr Duterte, who is known for his populist leanings, believes the long-term benefits of the measure outweigh the short-term budgetary challenges, deputy presidential executive secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Friday.
"Free tertiary education in state universities and colleges is a very strong pillar or cornerstone of the president's social development policy," he said.
The bill, signed late Thursday, will spare all students at government-run colleges and universities from paying tuition and other fees, he said.
Economic officials had warned Mr Duterte not to approve the measure, which they argue will cost 100 billion pesos (Dh7.4bn) a year and will mainly benefit wealthier students.
Mr Guevarra said that now the measure had been signed, everyone needed to work together to solve the key problem facing the new bill: funding.
"Everyone including the economic managers will have to focus their attention on this particular aspect: funding for this programme," he said.
Congressman Salvador Belaro, one of the authors of the bill for free state college tuition, warned it could cost some 500 billion pesos to fund the programme for the next five years.
The Philippines has 114 state universities and colleges. Under Mr Duterte's proposed budget for 2018, these institutions have a total allocation of 64.6 billion pesos.
This is out of a total education budget of 691.1 billion pesos, budget department documents showed.
The Duterte government is already scrambling to cover its proposed 3.767 trillion peso budget for 2018, which includes heavy spending on infrastructure.
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Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
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Company Profile
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Started: 2023
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Industry: Sustainability & Environment
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