MANILA - Several lawmakers called for the augmentation of funding for state universities and colleges, after they suffered a P7-billion budget cut in the 2024 National Expenditure Program.

Of the 117 SUCs, 30 may receive less funding next year.

The Department of Budget and Management proposed a P100.88 billion budget for SUCs next year, 5 percent less than this year’s P107.037 billion. The proposed 2024 budget is also less than a third of the P331.3 billion funding the SUCs requested.

During Thursday’s plenary debates at the House of Representatives, 4Ps Party List Rep. JC Abalos, Kabataan Party List Rep. Raoul Manuel, ACT Teachers Party List Rep. France Castro, Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. Gabriel Bordado Jr. and APEC Party List Rep. Sergio Dagooc slammed the proposed budget cut for SUCs, despite a law mandating free higher education and the increasing number of enrollees every year.

Around 1.85 million students are currently enrolled in state universities and colleges from the 1.8 million students last year.

One of the budget sponsors Surigao del Norte 1st District Representative Bingo Matugas supported the call to increase the funding for SUCs next year.

He said the DBM explained that the budget cut is due to projects that have already been completed, while additional projects are not yet implementable.

"There have been continuous budget cuts with our SUCs over the past two years… Budget cuts should be done with circumspect and with due diligence. There is widespread sentiment that most SUCs these days seem to be needing more funding and support to further their development and improvement,” Abalos said.

"I sympathize with our SUCs. The problem is clear…. When the DBM submits to Congress its proposed budgetary allocation for a particular fiscal year, it relies on figures of past year’s enrollment, failing to take into consideration the increasing population of state universities and colleges,” Castro added.

"Hindi pwedeng tanggapin ng Kongreso ang binabanggit ng DBM na hindi na dapat bigyan ng sapat na capital outlay ang SUCs dahil tapos na ang kanilang ibang projects, at dapat makuntento na lang ang ating SUCs. Kahit na sabihing may projects na tapos na, pero sa totoo lang, hindi pa naman talga sapat ang existing infrastructre at capital outlay para sa kailangan talaga ng ating SUCs. Dapat pa nga mas pakinggan ng DBM. Mas maging sensitive ang DBM sa proposals for capital outlay hindi lang ng PGH kundi lahat ng SUCs natin,” Manuel replied.

For 2023, the national government still owes state universities and colleges P4.2 billion. Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman said the government should prioritize paying SUCs that have less internally generated income. This year, SUCs have internally generated income of P47.9 billion.

"Marami sa inyo na gusto pang taasan ng pondo. Pero tulad ng binanggit ko, baka kailangan pag-aralan kung sino ang pwede taasan, and at the same time kung sino ang pwedeng, hindi naman bawasan, kundi i-maintain ang allocation. Pagdating sa utang… dapat i-prioritize kung sino ang dapat bayaran. Halimbawa yung mga unibersidad na sagad, kung hindi man lugi,” Hataman said.

Manuel also took a swipe at the Department of Education headed by Vice President Sara Duterte, for requesting P150 million confidential funds in the proposed 2024 budget, when SUCs do not see the need to request for a similar funding.

"Kung ang ating mga SUC na bahagi rin naman ng education community ay hindi nakikita ang pangangailangan ng confidential funds, then dapat consistent tayo sa pamahalaan. All the more na dapat lahat ng education-related agencies, including the Department of Education, dapat walang confidential funds,” Manuel said.

Northern Samar 1st District Rep. Paul Daza, meanwhile, raised concern on the increasing number of students from high-income families that enter SUCs.

"Maybe we should take a look at the admission process, because there are certain exams that must be passed by these applicants. In some schools and universities, it is the higher income students who are getting in to state universities at the expense of students from the lower income bracket,” he said.

"SUCs are agreeing to put an additional qualification standard, and according to our chairman of the higher education committee, mayroon tayong oversight committee on tertiary education, which our chairman will convene para ma-review ang admission process and hopefully additional standards ang mailagay to determine ‘yung financial status ng student applicant,” Matugas replied.

The House of Representatives terminated on Thursday the plenary debates on the proposed 2024 budget for SUCs.

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