CHED maintains P10-B science project above board

MANILA, Philippines - Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chair Patricia Licuanan yesterday dismissed as “irritants” the controversy surrounding the multi-billion science research project with a university based in the United States.

In her speech at the International Research Conference on Higher Education at the Manila Hotel, Licuanan said the P10-billion Philippine-California Research Institutes (PCARI) collaboration project is  “tremendously important” and “totally aboveboard.”

“I consider these irritants. We have answers to all of these but we have so much work to do without having to handle these things as well because they are not substantive,” she said.

The project involves a tie-up among the University of California-Berkeley, the University of the Philippines, and several local private universities.

Alleged irregularities surrounding the project has prompted the irrevocable resignation of CHED Commissioner Nona Ricafort and Carmina Alonzo, director of CHED’s Administrative and Financial Services and member of the CHED Bids and Awards Committee.

But Licuanan said the terms of Alonzo and Ricafort have expired and could not be extended, since they have served two six-month terms.

She added that the two officials have been in a holdover capacity since finishing their term last July.

“Ricafort is working on a reappointment but that’s illegal because the law says only two terms... There was nothing to resign from, her term is over and in fact, the new commissioners have assumed last Sept. 24,” she added.

In a letter to Licuanan on Sept. 17, Alonzo said her irrevocable resignation was triggered by advice from a lawyer in the Commission on Audit (COA).

Alonzo said the project should be under the mandate of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

She said the matter was raised during the hearing on the CHED budget in Congress on Aug. 27, when it was noted that the project was a DOST-proposed program pushed by a group headed by Filipino Silicon Valley entrepreneur Dado Banatao.

Licuanan said Alonzo’s concerns are legitimate but irrelevant at this time.

“We were sympathetic. We assured them not to worry; we will get the opinion of the Department of Justice, but right now it’s moot and academic. Their term is over. The two new ones, who are oriented on the project, have started working on it,” she said.

Licuanan also expressed optimism that the memorandum of agreement will be finalized and signed by parties concerned before the end of the year.