Cordillera SUCs hit hard by 2026 fund cuts
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Six out of seven state universities and colleges (SUCs) in Cordillera are facing major budget cuts in the proposed 2026 National Expenditure Program with capital outlay reductions of up to 99 percent, sparking concern among students and educators.
According to the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), the Mountain Province State University is the most affected – losing P961.6 million of its budget, including a 99-percent cut in capital outlay.
University of Abra and Apayao State College will see reductions of P336.2 million (-48 percent) and P86.7 million (-21 percent), respectively, with nearly all infrastructure funding slashed.
The Kalinga State University and Benguet State University also face deep cuts in outlays, while the University of the Philippines Baguio, under the UP System, is also affected although specific figures were not available.
Student groups warn that the massive cuts in capital outlay, often spent for buildings, classrooms and laboratory equipment, will worsen the already limited facilities in public universities and hurt the quality of education.
The NUSP and other militant groups are questioning government priorities, urging Congress to restore the SUC budgets.
They also called on government to ensure that higher education remains accessible to all Filipinos and are adequately funded.
Calls are also growing for lawmakers to reverse the cuts and protect students’ right to quality education amid fears of long-term impacts on public universities in the region.
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