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)
MANILA – An official from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has been placed on a 90-day preventive suspension due to allegations of grave misconduct, neglect in the performance of duty, and abuse of authority or oppression.
In a press release on Sunday, CHED announced that Commissioner Aldrin Darilag, a presidential appointee, falls under the disciplinary jurisdiction of the Office of the President (OP), which holds the authority to suspend a subordinate facing charges related to dishonesty, oppression, grave misconduct, or neglect in the performance of duty.
The OP has directed CHED to initiate a fact-finding probe to establish whether there is a prima facie case that justifies formal charges against Darilag.
“CHED will thoroughly and impartially investigate the matter. We are committed to President Bongbong Marcos Jr.’s directive and vision, ensuring that only the best, brightest, and most ethical individuals lead our government,” stated CHED Chair J. Prospero de Vera III.
De Vera emphasized that the preventive suspension aims to prevent Darilag from leveraging his office and position to influence the ongoing investigation.
During the suspension period, the responsibilities of Darilag, who serves as the chair-designate of the Board of Regents for 30 state universities and colleges, will be temporarily assigned to other commissioners.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Liezelle Soriano
The Philippine National Police-Caraga, Department of Education, and Commission on Higher Education have inked a partnership to ensure the protection of the students against crimes and recruitment from terrorist groups.
The three agencies signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Monday, October 23.
Under the partnership, a Student Crime Prevention Committee will be created which will be composed of the Supreme Student Council president as the chairperson, the SSC vice president as the vice chairperson, presidents or vice presidents of high school, senior high school, and all courses at the college level as members of the committee, and the secretary of the SSC.
Additionally, lectures and seminar workshops on crime prevention and criminal justice, counter-terrorism awareness, drug awareness, and community involvement will also be conducted and held at school campuses.
On the other hand, the PNP also has its own program called “Pulis Ko, Teacher Ko” in which police officers who are licensed teachers will guide the students to enhance their moral foundation and strengthen resistance to CTG recruitment activities and other crimes.
“We need to protect our students, as they are the most vulnerable sector targeted by the CTG for recruitment. We have a solemn responsibility to protect and guide them away from the clutches of such organizations and ensure they have the opportunity to grow in a safe environment,” the three agencies said.
By Liezelle Soriano
THE Commission on Higher Education will provide educational assistance to the dependents of the four Filipinos who died in the attack launched by Hamas against Israel.
CHED is coordinating with the Department of Migrant Workers on the grant of educational assistance to the qualified children or dependents of the slain OFWs. The assistance will be provided through the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education law and the Tertiary Education Subsidy.
“The Commission is determining the actual number of dependents enrolled in college and their location so the appropriate assistance can be provided through the CHED Regional Offices,” the agency said.
On Thursday, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that another Filipino was killed in an attack by the militant group Hamas in Israel.
CHED said the grant of educational assistance is in response to the mandate of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the reintegration of repatriated Filipinos from Israel.
By Liezelle Soriano
A P1 million cash prize awaits the winners of the parol-making contest sponsored by the Office of the President and the Commission on Higher Education.
The second and third placers will receive P500,000 and P250,000, respectively.
Meanwhile, an online poll winner will receive a special prize of P100,000.
The OP and CHED urged students enrolled in State Universities and Colleges to join the contest dubbed “Isang Bituin, Isang Mithiin.”
Each group, consisting a maximum of four students, should submit one original parol (lantern) made of recycled endemic materials such as bamboo, paper, and coconut palm representing the unique traditions of the SUCs they belong to.
The use of plastic materials is not allowed.
Store-bought lanterns will not be accepted.
To participate, students should submit printed and soft copies of the official endorsement letter from the SUCs they represent.
Submission of entries in Malacañang is only on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., on or before October 27.
Winning SUCs will receive a photo and video editing package composed of a gigabyte G7 laptop; one year Adobe Creative Cloud subscription; Canon M50 camera; 1 DJI Ronin-SC camera stabilizer 3-Axis Gimbal; and one INSTA 360 Flow AI-powered smartphone stabilizer.
By Dang Samson Garcia
COMMISSION on Higher Education Chairman Prospero de Vera III confirmed that there is no appropriations for new beneficiaries of the Tulong Dunong Program under the 2024 national budget.
During the hearing of the Senate Finance Subcommittee, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva asked CHED about updates on its Tulong Dunong Scholarship Program, noting that the agency did not request for a budget for the implementation of the program next year.
Villanueva said he received complaints from the beneficiaries/grantees of the program that they were asked to submit documents or open bank accounts with the Development Bank of the Philippines but they did not receive even a single centavo.
“Once a student is accepted to the Tulong Dunong program, will they continue to receive assistance until he graduates? Because right now there will be no funding for 2024,” the majority leader asked.
De Vera informed Villanueva that once a student is a beneficiary of the program, he/she automatically gets Tulong Dunong fund until he/she graduates. This is by virtue of a special provision in the General Appropriations Act, he added.
De Vera also said the program has no budget in the 2024 proposal of the agency because, as per policy of the Department of Budget and Management, if its funding was a realignment of Congress, it is automatically not included in the National Expenditure Program.
By Dang Samson Garcia
BUBUO ang Commission on Higher Education ng accelerated master’s degree program upang mapaikli ang pagkuha ng masteral ng mga nursing graduate at makapagturo sila sa mga unibersidad.
Isa ito sa nakikitang paraan ng CHED para matugunan ang problema sa kakulangan ng mga nurse sa Pilipinas.
Sa pagdinig sa panukalang 2024 budget, sinabi ni CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera III na bagama’t inalis na ang moratorium sa pagbubukas ng mga nursing program sa mga paaralan, karamihan sa mga ito ay hindi makapagbukas ng maraming section.
Ito ay dahil kulang sa mga nurse o faculty member na may master’s degree na maaaring magturo.
Ipinaliwanag ni De Vera na ang problema ay in demand din sa ibang bansa ang mga nurse na may master’s degree kaya nag-aalisan sila sa Pilipinas.
Kaya naman magpapatupad ang CHED ng accelerated master’s degree program na kikilala sa prior learning o experience ng mga nurse para mapaikli na ang kanilang master’s program.
Sinabi ni De Vera na target nila itong ilunsad sa susunod na academic year.
Sa tulong nito, inaasahang sa Academic Year 2027-2028 ay magkakaroon ang bansa ng karagdagang 2,000 nursing graduates.
By Liezelle Soriano
THE Department of Health and the Commission on Higher Education signed an agreement on the upskilling of clinical care associates.
Under the partnership agreement, 55 hospitals and 19 nursing schools will collaborate to implement the Clinical Care Associates Upskilling Program.
The program hopes to address the shortage of nurses.
Health Undersecretary Kenneth Ronquillo signed the Memorandum of Understanding in behalf of the DOH.
President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., Commission on Higher Education Commissioner Prospero de Vera III and representatives from the private sector witnessed the signing of the memorandum.
“Through this program, the DOH, in collaboration with CHED and private partners, aims to address the shortage of nurses in the country, aligned with one of the Department’s 8-Point Action Agenda,” the department said.
By Dang Samson Garcia
THE House of Representatives completed the plenary scrutiny and debates on the proposed budgets of the State Universities and Colleges and the Commission on Higher Education for fiscal year 2024, amounting to P100.88-billion and P30-billion, respectively.
House Committee on Appropriations Vice Chairperson Rep. Janette Garin sponsored the CHED’s budget proposal, while Vice Chaipersons Rep. Francisco Matugas II, Raul Angelo Bongalon and Mary Mitzi Cajayon-Uy defended SUCs’ proposed appropriation.
Matugas said the SUCs’ P100.88-billion proposed budget is five percent less than the 2023 appropriation of P107.03-billion.
During interpellation, 4Ps Partylist Rep. JC Abalos said of the 117 SUCs in the country, 30 will receive lesser funding next year.
Matugas confirmed 30 SUCs will indeed get lower budgets in the range of 27 percent or a total amount of P11.45-billion.
“The budget of all our SUCs in the country was given by DBM, so iyung DBM po ang nag cut ng budgets nila. One of the reasons given by DBM is iyung mga Capital Outlay last year ay natapos na. Those that have been submitted for 2024 ay hindi po siya implementable kaagad. That’s why iyung decrease na malaki sa SUCs budget ay makikita po natin sa CO more than 60 percent, from P14-billion ginawa na lang P5 billion,” he explained.
Abalos also manifested there have been continuous cuts in the SUCs budget over the past two years.
“This can be attributed to the cost-cutting measures in place that are meant to save resources intended for education. However, budget cuts should be done with circumspect and due diligence since there is a widespread sentiment that most SUCs these days seem to be needing more funding to support their development just as the upgrading of facilities and additional support for the faculty and staff, as well as resources for research and development,” Abalos said.
Bongalon, meanwhile, noted 1.85 million students are currently enrolled in SUCs compared to 1.8 million in 2022.
Garin said total appropriation for CHED for 2024 is P30-billion and most of the funding totaling P29.7-billion or 95.8 percent will be new appropriation, the remaining 4.2 percent will come from automatic appropriation under the Higher Education Development Fund.
“Despite CHED’s relatively modest budget of P30-billion, it is crucial that we acknowledge the CHED’s vital role in shaping the future of our nation,” Garin said.
Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raoul Manuel said CHED can still expand the enrollees’ slots n SUCs.
“Tingin natin para mas maayos ang paggamit ng government funds to help our students, I think iyung mga pondo na napupunta doon sa malalaking private schools, mas efficient sana na magamit ito sa ating SUCs,” he said.
Garin explained there are situations where no SUCs or local universities and colleges are available in certain areas and that’s actually where the government has to come in because the availability of higher educational institutions is a problem.
By Dang Samson Garcia
HINIKAYAT ni Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez ang Commission on Higher Education na ipawalang-saysay ang partnership sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at ng ilang Chinese universities.
Partikular na hinimok ni Rodriguez si CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera III na pangunahan mismo ang pagkansela sa partnership habang pinoprotesta ng Pilipinas ang Chinese aggression sa West Philippine Sea.
Iginiit ng kongresista na habang patuloy ang engagement ng CHED sa China ay nagpapakita ito ng ‘wrong signal’ dahil lumilitaw na hindi nagkakaisa ang mga Pinoy.
Inaalmahan naman ng gobyerno ang harassment at bullying ng Chinese Coast Guard sa mga sunadalong Pinoy, Philippine Coast Guard at mangingisdang Pilipino sa West Philippine Sea.
Pinayuhan pa ni Rodriguez si De Vera na sundan ang ginagawang hakbang ng AFP na ipinatigil ang pagpapadala ng sundalo sa China para mag-aral, magsanay o magsagawa ng social visit, at pagtanggi na magkaroon ng joint patrol sa Philippine Maritime Territory.
Sa halip na makipagkasundo sa Chinese higher education institutions, binigyang-diin ni Rodriguez na dapat sa mga kaalyadong bansa na lamang makipag-partner ang CHED gaya ng Estados Unidos, Japan, South Korea, Australia at iba pa.