The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) piloted the Free Higher Automated Billing System Alpha Testing (FHE ABS) at Mabalacat City College (MCC) on Thursday, July 13.  CHED selected MCC, despite being a community college, because its facilities meet the requirements of the system testing.

The FHE ABS is a web application designed to streamline the billing process for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The application allows HEIs to upload data to Unified Student Financial Assistance System (UniFAST) for Tertiary Education and monitor the status of their billing. It also aims to promote accuracy, transparency, and efficiency in the transaction process between HEIs, CHED, and UniFAST.

UniFAST Executive Director Atty. Ryan Esteves highlighted that MCC is a premier school of LUCs and commended its digitization initiatives, hence the suitability for the alpha testing. He also emphasized the advantage of the automated billing system. “This will not only provide or improve user experience to both our billing unit and LUCs, it will also provide the data, data analysis and reporting. It ensures scanability, scalability, and adaptability. By automating billing tasks, the system optimizes efficiency, reduces error, and supports the home-grown success of the free higher education programs,” he noted. 

With the implementation of the FHE ABS, the billing process becomes more prompt, ensuring faster distribution and accurate budget allocation for Free Higher Education files and data. 

MCC President Dr. Michelle Aguilar-Ong mentioned that this initiative is a victory of the higher education. “We are honored. We are very proud to be the venue of this another pioneering of the UniFAST.” CHEDRO-III Officer-in-Charge Ms. Lora Yusi decribed this FHE ABS as one of the best programs of the government, of the CHED, and UniFAST.

The FHE Automated Billing System is set to launch in the upcoming academic year of 2023-2024 in August. Initially catering selected schools in Luzon, including MCC. The system is expected to expand nationwide, covering all HEIs under the umbrella of UniFAST. Also present in the activity are the UniFAST focal persons from different LUCs in Region 3 and NCR.