MANILA, Philippines — Nahaharap si Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairman Prospero “Popoy’ de Vera sa panibagong kaso sa Office of the Ombudsman kaugnay ng umano’y hindi maipaliwanag na pagkawala ng P10.3 bilyong higher educational development fund na nakalaan para sa libreng tuition at living allowance ng mga scholars ng gobyerno.
“We strongly assert that the concerned government agencies, specifically the Commission on Higher Education under the chairmanship of Mr. Prospero De Vera III shall be held liable for his utter failure to provide and release to us (student scholars) our living allowances for the period covering SY 2021-2022, 2022-2023 and 2023-2024,” pahayag ng student scholars mula sa South Cotabato sa pangunguna ni Ten Menitobong, sa apat na pahinang joint affidavit-complaint na inihain sa Ombudsman noong nakalipas na Abril 15.
Alinsunod sa Republic Act (RA) 10931 o ang Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, ang student-scholar ay makakakuha ng libreng tuition at iba pang school fees subsidy na libre, P20,000 living allowance per semester para sa bawat student-scholar.
Magugunita na ibinulgar ni Northern Samar Rep. Paul Daza na nasa P10.3 bilyon ang alokasyon ng CHED bilang bahagi ng Higher Education Development Fund (HEDF). Ang nasabing pondo ay mula naman sa kinita ng Pagcor, Professional Regulation Commission at travel tax.
“I am really disappointed with CHED. The President probably should order an internal review of the CHED’s performance, the attrition rate, drop out rate of Filipino students. You have P10 billion but you don’t use it, I suspect there is a hidden agenda, That should be reviewed and investigated by the Commission on Audit and Malacañang,” sabi pa ng solon.