Philippine State Universities Face Infrastructure Delays, Funding Gaps

A LAWMAKER on Wednesday raised concerns over delayed infrastructure projects, funding deficiencies and cuts to maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) of state universities and colleges (SUCs). SUCs continue to face problems involving underfunded infrastructure projects, deficiencies in the government’s Free Higher Education funding and reduced MOOE allocations, Party-list Rep. Renee Louise M. Co said during the House plenary deliberations on the proposed 2027 national budget. Party-list Rep. Karl F. Legazpi, sponsor of SUC budgets, said the proposed National Expenditure Program provides significantly lower capital outlays for SUCs. “By almost ranging from 80 to 90% decrease in our capital outlays, and there are 12 SUCs that do not have any capital outlay in their proposed budget,” Mr. Legazpi said. The limited funding has resulted in infrastructure projects being funded on a phase-by-phase basis, with some projects receiving funds in certain years and none in others, he said. “The phases are only being funded gradually across the years” he added in Filipino. Ms. Co cited the University of the Philippines Diliman Faculty Center and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines North Academic Building, which she said experienced delays of eight years and five years, respectively. She also questioned whether delays were linked to the 2024 Commission on Higher Education (CHED)-Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Joint Memorandum No. 1, which transferred infrastructure projects worth more than P5 million to the DPWH. Mr. Legazpi said there had been no memorandum reversing the CHED-DPWH arrangement. — Pexcel John Bacon