MANILA — The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has formally responded to recent reports regarding accusations of nonpayment of the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) for Academic Years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023.

The allegations, stemming from a complaint filed against Chairman Prospero De Vera III, claim negligence in fulfilling duties and responsibilities as a public official.

According to news sources, Mr. Agapito Lubaton of Marvelous College of Technology, along with ten students from Marvelous College and Goldenstate College of Koronadal City, have accused CHED of failing to disburse the TES funds for two years without providing a valid explanation.

While Chairman De Vera acknowledges the existence of these complaints, he emphasized that they have not been formally received by his office, and thus, he refrained from commenting on specific allegations.

However, he categorically states the following points:

Firstly, he denies any negligence, asserting that policy decisions regarding TES disbursement are made collectively by the UniFAST Governing Board, which includes representatives from various government agencies and educational institutions.

He questions why he is being singled out for decisions made collectively.

Secondly, Chairman De Vera highlights that Marvelous College has indeed received a total of P157,653,600 for the aforementioned academic years, which constitutes part of the tertiary education cost for Filipino students, as mandated by law.

Thirdly, he refutes claims of unfairness, explaining that subsidy amounts are determined by UniFAST guidelines and subject to approval by the UniFAST Board. He argues that the alleged unreceived payments lack factual basis.

Fourthly, he acknowledges budget constraints during the pandemic and congressional realignments, which affected the TES budget specified in RA 10931.

Despite this, efforts were made to secure additional funding sources to assist TES grantees, he said in his prepared statement.

Lastly, he addresses delays in disbursement, attributing them to the lack of funds allocated by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to CHED.

He also explained that UniFAST made a formal statement to the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), explaining that delays were due to insufficient funding.

Chairman De Vera reiterated that the charges against him lack merit and are unsubstantiated.

He emphasized further that CHED remains committed to its mandate of ensuring accessible and quality higher education for all Filipino students.

(el Amigo/MNM)