Senators expressed dismay on Thursday at the cuts on the proposed budget of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), including medical schools, citing their crucial role amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a budget briefing, Senator Pia Cayetano said that from the P85.95 billion budget of SUCs this year, the amount would be reduced to P71.19 billion in 2022 or around P14 billion decrease in the proposed appropriations of 114 institutions.
“Seventy-five SUCs have significant decreases in capital outlay including the following medical SUCs whose budget should be specifically augmented because of the dire need for doctors and pursuant to Doctor Para sa Bayan Law,” Cayetano said.
Among the medical SUCs that will be affected are the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila and UP School Health of Sciences, Mariano Marcos State University, Cagayan State University, Cebu Normal University, Bicol University, West Visayas State University and Western Mindanao State University.
Meanwhile, four of the SUCs in the Bangsamaro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are also not funded under the 2022 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
“We are dismayed that at a time like this we are not supporting our higher education systems. We hope that this would be a good time to invest in higher education so that when the COVID-19 is over, . . . the same the schools are ready,” Cayetano said.
Senator Joel Villanueva said the proposed budget showed that the higher education institutions were not prioritized.
“I share your disappointment and it appears that hindi talaga priority yung ating higher education institutions. I hope that we can do better,” Villanueva said.
For 2022, the proposed budget for the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), meanwhile, increased to P51.54 billion from P50.51 billion this year.
CHED has mandate over the country’s higher education system, including SUCs.—Richa Noriega/LDF, GMA News
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