P3.058 billion budget increase to prevent funding shortfall in Free Higher Education -Gatchalian

P3.058 billion budget increase to prevent funding shortfall in Free Higher Education -Gatchalian

To prevent a funding deficiency in the implementation of free higher education, the Senate accepted Senator Win Gatchalian's proposal to allocate P3.058 billion for 82 State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) next year.

Gatchalian's proposal was carried in the Senate's final and approved version of the General Appropriations Act (House Bill No. 10800) for fiscal year 2025. The senator emphasized that preventing a budget shortfall will help SUCs expand their enrollment capacity and accommodate the rising demand for admission.

The P3.058 billion increased free funding higher education funding for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 by 13% compared to the National Education Expenditure (NEP) level. The lawmaker also pointed out that a funding deficiency will lead to the deterioration of education quality. This is because SUCs will be forced to stretch limited resources across a growing student population, which could lead to overcrowded classrooms, increased faculty workload, and overuse of facilities such as laboratories and libraries.

"Sa paglalaan natin ng sapat na pondo para sa Free Higher Education, hindi lamang ang patuloy na pag-aaral ng mga kabataan ang matitiyak natin. Masisiguro rin nating may kakayahan ang ating mga SUCs na maghatid ng dekalidad na edukasyon," said Gatchalian, co-author and co-sponsor of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (Republic Act No. 10931) or the Free Higher Education Law.

Gatchalian also looks forward to the output of a technical working group that would resolve issues on funding deficiencies for free higher education.

He pointed out that funding deficiencies were expected because the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) uses free higher education billings from two years prior as the basis for preparing the National Expenditure Program (NEP). This approach is inconsistent with the free higher education law, which states that the projected number of enrollees should be the basis for determining the funding for free higher education.

Gatchalian said that using enrollment billings as the basis for free higher education funding does not take into consideration the growth of enrollment. Because of this, the growth of enrollment in SUCs has been outpacing the growth of free higher education funding. For 2025, enrollment in SUCs is expected to grow by 62.5% above 2018 levels. Free higher education funding, however, is projected to grow only at 46.1% unless the deficit is plugged.

Gatchalian: Pondo ng Free Higher Education dinagdagan ng P3.058 bilyon

Upang mapunan ang kakulangan sa pondo ng pagpapatupad ng free higher education, tinanggap ng Senado ang panukala ni Senador Win Gatchalian na maglaan ng P3.058 bilyon para sa 82 State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) sa susunod na taon.

Tinanggap ang naturang panukala ni Gatchalian sa inaprubahang bersyon ng General Appropriations Act (House Bill No. 10800) para sa taong 2025 sa Senado. Binigyang diin ni Gatchalian na makakatulong ang karagdagang pondo upang palawakin ang kakayahan ng mga SUCs na tumanggap ng mas maraming mga estudyante. Sa ganitong paraan, mas maraming mga kabataan ang makikinabang sa libreng kolehiyo.

Dahil sa dagdag na P3.058 bilyon, tumaas ng 13% ang kabuuang pondo ng free higher education para sa taong 2025 kung ihahambing sa inilaan ng National Education Expenditure o NEP. Nagbabala din ang senador na kung kukulangin ang pondo ng free higher education, maaapektuhan at bababa ang kalidad ng edukasyon. Mapipilitan kasi ang mga SUCs na pagkasyahin ang mga limitadong resources sa dumadaming bilang ng mga mag-aaral, bagay na maaaring magdulot ng mga nagsisiksikang classrooms, dagdag na trabaho sa mga guro, at overuse ng mga pasilidad kagaya ng mga laboratoryo at aklatan.

"Sa paglalaan natin ng sapat na pondo para sa Free Higher Education, hindi lamang ang patuloy na pag-aaral ng mga kabataan ang matitiyak natin. Masisiguro rin nating may kakayahan ang ating mga SUCs na maghatid ng dekalidad na edukasyon," ani Gatchalian, co-author at co-sponsor ng Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (Republic Act No. 10931) o ang Free Higher Education Law.

Umaasa rin si Gatchalian ng iba pang output mula sa isang technical working group na magreresolba sa mga isyung may kinalaman sa kakulangan ng pondo ng free higher education.

Ani Gatchalian, inasahan na ang kakulangan sa pondo dahil ang naging batayan ng kompyutasyon ng Department of Budget and Management (DBM) ay ang mga billing pa ng free higher education ng nagdaang dalawang taon. Inconsistent daw ito sa batas na nagsasabing ang dapat maging batayan ng pondo ng free higher education ay ang mismong dami o bilang ng mga enrollees.

Kung gagamiting batayan ang enrollment billings sa paghahanda ng panukalang pondo para sa free higher education, hindi mabibigyang konsiderasyon ang inaasahang pagdami ng mga mag-aaral. Dahil dito, naging mas mabilis ang pagtaas ng enrollment sa SUCs kung ihahambing sa pagtaas ng pondo ng free higher education. Para sa 2025, inaasahang mas mataas ng 62.5% ang enrollment sa mga SUCs kung ihahambing sa naitala noong 2018. Inaasahan namang 46.1% lamang ang itataas ng pondo ng free higher education sa 2025 maliban na lamang kung pupunan ang inaasahang kakulangan.

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