Philippines Faces Over P5 Billion Funding Gap for Free Tuition Program; Tuition Hike Eyed

MANILA, Philippines – The government has to plug P5.321 billion in funding deficiencies in the free higher education program for state universities and colleges (SUCs), a lawmaker said on Wednesday, September 23. Pinoy Workers Representative Karl Legazpi reported the amount during the House plenary deliberations for the budget of SUCs next year. Under the 2027 National Expenditure Program, the government will be allocating a total of P27.44 billion for the free college program across 113 SUCs in the country next year. Must Read LIST: State universities and colleges’ proposed budgets for 2027 Legazpi, the budget sponsor for SUCs, said the funding deficiencies were P506 million for 2025, P2.048 billion for 2026, and P2.766 billion for 2027. The budget shortfall may affect investments in computers, classrooms, laboratory equipment, engineering software, and research publication support, among others, according to Legazpi. “Ang binigay na solusyon ng CHED (Commission on Higher Education), una would be to increase the tuition of our students and to cover for the deficiency from the DBM (Department of Budget and Management),” he said. “Mayroon ngayong inaraal na formula kung ano ‘yong mainam na pagtaas para sa estudyante para hindi masaktan ang kanilang financial status,” he added. (The proposed solution from CHED is first, to increase the tuition of our students and to cover for the deficiency from the DBM. A formula is being reviewed for a favorable increase for the students’ tuition without affecting their financial status.) Higher tuition would then be the basis for computing government subsidies. The government implements the free higher education program through Republic Act No. 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA), which was passed into law in 2017. In August, the DBM announced that it released P9.753 billion to CHED for funding deficiencies in the free tertiary education of 108 SUCs, covering arrears for academic years 2022 to 2025. Legazpi said the budget went to faculty and institutional development, research, and other core functions of SUCs. During a House appropriations committee hearing on August 28, CHED also said it is seeking an additional P29 billion to pay for the college tuition of all projected beneficiaries of UAQTEA programs. Other financial grants under CHED include the Tertiary Education Subsidy and the Tulong Dunong Program. Regularization of college teachers Meanwhile, Legazpi said there are around 55,000 workers with job orders and contracts of service across SUCs. From this figure, around 26,000 employees have teaching positions. ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio urged CHED to create new plantilla items for them. He also pushed for an adjustment in the pay for Instructor I teachers, which remains at Salary Grade 12. “Kailangan iwasto natin ang inhustisya na ‘to. Nag-commit ang CHED na kagyat haharapin ang DBM at Civil Service Commission. We expect that this will be acted upon soon,” Tinio said. (We need to correct this injustice. The CHED committed to meet with the DBM and the Civil Service Commission. We expect that this will be acted upon soon.) Lawmakers also pushed for the restoration of funding for maintenance and other operating expenses of some SUCs next year, saying that budget cuts could affect the salaries of contractual workers. – Rappler.com