Student, faculty, and staff leaders of different state universities and colleges (SUCs) urged Congress to restore the P6.16-billion budget cut to SUCs in next year’s budget.
The proposed P100.88 billion allotted for SUCs’ budget next year is insufficient to address the lack of classrooms, student spaces, electricity, and equipment, its leaders said at a press conference on Thursday.
The UP System is set to bear the brunt of the budget cut as the SUC with the largest slash at P2.9 billion.
“Patuloy na nalulugmok ang mga estudyante at iba pang mga sektor ng pamantasan dahil sa kakulangan ng pondo sa edukasyon … Hindi makapag-aral nang maayos ang mga estudyante, walang pondo ang mga konseho at publikasyon, at kulang sa student services sa loob ng pamantasan,” UP Student Regent Iya Trinidad said.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) explained that the budget cut is primarily due to finished infrastructure projects last year, and the slated new capital outlays cannot be implemented until after 2024.
But UP Manila (UPM) University Student Council Councilor Kyla Sofia Benedict disputed DBM’s claim that UP does not need any more capital outlay funding for this year, citing that many renovation projects are still not complete even after three or more years.
“May mga proyekto din na hindi kasama sa UPM budget ng pondo, kaya kailangan maghanap [ang administrasyon] ng private donors, o kaya lumapit sa ibang ahensya para sa pagpapapondo nito … kaya kwestyonable sa amin kung bakit zero ang capital outlay ng UP System,” Benedict said.
Out of the many construction, renovation, and rehabilitation projects that UP proposed, only the procurement of laboratory equipment for UP Los Baños (UPLB) BIOTECH (P25 million) and general administration and support (P27 million) were approved by the DBM’s budget plan submitted to Congress in August.
This leaves many construction projects specifically in UP Cebu and UP Mindanao, as well as renovation projects in UPLB, UP Diliman, and the UP Philippine General Hospital at risk of being halted due to lack of budget.
Amid worsening economic conditions, leaders also questioned the government’s commitment to the well-being of the faculty and staff of the SUCs, with no salary increases and a dedicated program for the regularization of teachers in sight.
“Isang manipestasyon nito ay ang napakalaking workload sa ating mga instructors, professors, at maging mga teaching assistant and fellows dahil sa kakulangan ng teaching plantilla sa iba’t ibang mga pampublikong pamantasan at kolehiyo,” UP Faculty Regent Carl Marc Ramota explained.
These concerns by the faculty led to a recent proposal for the creation of Faculty Welfare Councils in all constituent units and at the system level of the university. Whether the proposal would be accepted or would have enough funding remains uncertain.
Ramota also slammed the government for prioritizing other government programs such as the Maharlika Investment Fund along with the confidential and intelligence funds of different agencies instead of funding infrastructure and programs for students, teachers and staff.
“Kaya nga tinawag na intelligence funds, sana totoong para sa intelligence ng kasalukuyan at susunod na henerasyon ng mga guro, mag-aaral at mga kawani ang pondo na to upang higit pang mapagbuti ang kalagayan ng mga pampublikong pamantasan at kolehiyo,” Ramota said.
Currently, the 2024 proposed national budget is being reviewed by the Senate Finance Committee. The revised budget will then have to be approved by the whole Senate. After Senate approval, a joint committee of the House and the Senate will resolve differences between their versions of the budget bill before it is submitted to the president. ●
