SUC faculty, students seek restoration of P6 billion budget

MANILA, Philippines — In a unity statement, faculty members and student leaders of state universities and colleges yesterday reiterated their calls on Congress to restore the P6.155-billion budget cut on 30 SUCs and abolish the “excessive and unnecessary” confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) of several government agencies.

“Higher education in the Philippines has long suffered setbacks. Budget deficits and lack of adequate facilities hound state and local universities and colleges,” the statement read.

The Senate and House of Representatives are scheduled to hold their bicameral conference on the proposed P5.768-trillion 2024 national budget next month.

Under the proposed 2024 General Appropriations Bill approved on third and final reading by the lower chamber on Sept. 27, SUCs will be allotted a P100.8-billion budget, lower by 5.75 percent or P6.155 billion from this year’s P107 billion.

“Thirty SUCs are set to suffer budget cuts amounting to a staggering P6,155,499,000 decrease. Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses dipped despite steep rise in costs of supplies and utilities,” it added.

President Marcos’ pronouncements of higher funding for the Free Higher Education Program are rendered “meaningless” by the budget cut, the statement noted.

“Excessive and unnecessary CIFs should be redirected to revamp our educational institutions in the sustaining efforts to recalibrate and provide long-term holistic learning to Filipino youth from all walks of life,” it added.

Signatories to the unity statement were professor Ramir Cruz, faculty regent of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines; Kim Modelo, PUP central student council president; professor Arlan Camba, president of Unyon ng mga Guro sa PUP; professor Carl Marc Ramota, faculty regent of the University of the Philippines System; Iya Trinidad, student regent of UP System; Vicki Belegal, staff regent of UP System; Perlita Rana, president of All UP Academic Employees Union; professor Richard Jamero, president of Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology Faculty and Employees Union; Kyla Sofia Benedicto, councilor of UP Manila University Student Council; professor Reginald Vallejos, president of All UP Academic Employees Union-UP Manila Chapter; and Elisha Jesu Atayde, student regent of the Philippine Normal University.