Senators to restore cuts in CHED scholarship?

MANILA, Philippines — Senators vowed yesterday to restore cuts for scholarships and other financial assistance programs made on the proposed budget of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and state universities and colleges (SUCs) for 2019.

Senators Sonny Angara and Sherwin Gatchalian in separate interviews said while the government is already fully implementing Free College Education, many students still need assistance in pursuing higher education.

During deliberations on CHED’s proposed budget for 2019, allocations for various student financial assistance programs were reduced to P1.7 billion from this year’s P4.7 billion.

“Our concern is for students who still need subsidies, we hope to work on continuing their grants to give them the opportunity to continue their education,” Angara told dzBB.

He said the CHED’s budget for free college education was increased to P40 billion, including P16 billion for subsidies, but there are still families who need further assistance for other expenses like books and transportation.

He cited in particular the Tulong Dunong program, which grants some P12,000 annually to deserving students for other educational expenses.

Angara noted that the Department of Budget and Management cut the budgets of SUCs’ capital outlay proposals to be able to fund the free college education law.

Gatchalian said he does not see any opposition in the Senate to his push to restore the cuts as this would negate the intention of the law to make college education attractive and accessible.

He said not all students can avail themselves of free education in SUCs or local universities and colleges as the latter are not present in all areas of the country.

He said many poor students can be accommodated in private universities provided the CHED sponsors their scholarships.

Gatchalian also stressed the need to restore at least a significant portion of the proposed budgets of SUCs for the construction of new facilities as enrollment is expected to surge with the free college law.

Meanwhile, Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV cautioned SUCs from collecting fees from students as these are considered illegal.

“If there are mandatory fees still being collected by the schools, that is illegal now,” Aquino said during the budget hearing.

“If it is a mandatory fee, that should not be charged to the students, it’s in the law,” he said, referring to Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of which he is one of the principal authors.

He made the pronouncement after receiving complaints from students and parents about mandatory fees being collected by SUCs despite the implementation of the law.

The law provides free tuition and waives miscellaneous fees to students in SUCs, local universities and colleges and TESDA-run vocational schools.