MANILA, Philippines — The national government has reaffirmed its financial commitment to public higher education by addressing accumulated funding deficits for State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) across the country.
During a ceremonial turnover held Thursday, September 24, officials announced that ₱6.6 billion of a total ₱9.75 billion allocation is now processed and prepared for disbursement. The funds will cover validated shortfalls incurred under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act for Academic Years 2022–2023, 2023–2024, and 2024–2025.
A total of 81 out of 104 SUCs nationwide are set to benefit from the settlement, spanning regions in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, who attended the ceremony alongside education and budget officials, emphasized that the initiative fulfills earlier promises made to state institutions.
“Today is more than a symbolic turnover. Today the government is keeping its word,” Rep. Marcos said.
Addressing university leaders, Marcos stressed the importance of equal funding distribution regardless of an institution’s size or geographical location, adding that SUCs are vital partners in national development.
“Every classroom supported, every teacher empowered, and every student who graduates brings the country closer to the future it wants,” he said.
“As long as there is a Filipino who wants to learn, the government must never stop finding ways to help them succeed,” Rep. Marcos added.
The turnover ceremony was attended by key legislators, officials from the Department of Budget and Management, and representatives from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST).