By Dang Samson Garcia
THE Makabayan bloc, along with Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Mitzi Cajayon-Uy, urged the House Committee on Appropriations to restore the cuts in the budget for State Universities and Colleges for 2024.
Cajayon-Uy, Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel, ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro and Gabriela Women’s Party-list Arlene Brosas filed House Resolution 1325 to call on their colleagues to support the restoration of budgets for SUCs.
Thirty out of 118 SUCs are set to incur cuts in their overall budget.
“Ayon sa Konstitusyon para sa kinabukasan ng bayan dapat pinakamataas ang prayoridad natin sa paglalaan ng pondo sa sektor ng edukasyon. Hindi maaari na taon-taon na lang ay kinakaltasan ng budget ang ating State Universities and Colleges. Natutulak tuloy ang ating SUCs na magnegosyo at maningil ng dagdag bayarin para punan ang pondo. Ang 2.1 million na mga estudyante ang kawawa rito,” Manuel said.
Despite the passage of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Law, the Department of Budget and Management expects the country’s 116 SUCs to earn a total of ₱47.948 billion in combined internal income, including fees collected from students.
₱18.830 billion will be sourced from tuition collection while ₱7.186 billion will be from other income collected from students.