The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) proposed a P2.4-billion budget cut to UP for 2025 which, if approved, would mean that UP’s priority infrastructure projects such as academic buildings and renovations would have to wait at least another year.
The proposal, included in the 2025 National Expenditure Program, brings UP’s funds to only P22.3 billion next year from its P24.8-billion budget this year—a far cry from the P39 billion that the university originally asked for in its own budget proposal.
Most of the cuts are due to DBM glossing over new infrastructure projects, repair of existing buildings, and equipment procurement (see sidebar).
The cut is so dramatic that out of the P10.7-billion projects proposed by UP, only P178 million was kept in the budget department’s proposal.
Only five infrastructure projects were approved: the construction of Phase III of the International Convention Center for UP Open University (P72.8 million), renovation of the ground and second floors of Lara Hall in UP Manila (P64.7 million), the completion of an extension building in UP Visayas (P30 million), funding for UP Mindanao’s Sports Complex (P15.9 million), and the completion of the School of Management Building in UP Mindanao (P10 million).
Priority projects, however, remain in limbo. Despite being the focus of UP’s budget proposal, big-ticket infrastructure projects in UP Mindanao such as the College of Human Kinetics (P700 million), College of Science and Mathematics Academic Building (P450 million), and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Performing Arts Theater (P200 million) will be unfunded if DBM’s proposal is approved.
UP would also have to find other funding sources if progress in UP Tacloban’s newest flagship Sta. Elena Campus is to continue, as no infrastructure projects for the campus were listed in this proposal.
However, planned funding in other areas have remained steady. Salaries and bonuses have largely stayed the same, and have even increased in some instances. Maintenance costs, such as utilities, supplies and materials, and financial subsidies have also more or less kept their 2024 funding.
The Philippine General Hospital at least received a P602-million boost in its funding, which could relieve it of its procurement and staff shortage problems, although it is still only a third of the P1.67-billion additional funding requested by UP.
But while salaries and service funding have remained intact, the lack of infrastructure funding could worsen the problems that have been echoed by constituents of the university for a long time—crumbling infrastructure, electricity shortages, and unfinished projects. Many renovation projects have not been approved under DBM’s proposal, and it remains to be seen when these will be completed.
The National Expenditure Program is not the final version of the budget for next year, as it is only the version endorsed by the president and is yet to be approved by both the House and the Senate.
There, it is likely that UP officials will attempt to defend their prioritized projects on the budget. Congress’s approved version will then land on the president’s desk before it becomes next year’s official budget. ●
