QUEZON CITY, Philippines — The House Committee on Appropriations has committed to working alongside budget and education agencies to reform the funding framework of the country’s free higher education program and resolve recurring budget deficits.
Speaking during the Affirmation of Compliance and Commitment to Settle the Free Higher Education Deficiency at the House of Representatives on Thursday, September 24, Appropriations Panel Chairperson and Nueva Ecija 1st District Representative Mika Suansing stated that resolving current shortfalls requires tackling the root issues of the allocation system.
Suansing explained that lawmakers are collaborating with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC), and individual campus administrators to align budget allocations with real-time operational needs.
“We landed at ₱12.3 billion, split across ₱7.8 billion from the Higher Education Development Fund augmented with ₱4.49 billion from the General Appropriations Act,” Suansing said.
The lawmaker pointed out that annual funding shortfalls often stem from flawed budgeting formulas, specifically discrepancies between projected enrollment figures and actual student enrollment and resource utilization.
“The House leadership, headed by our Speaker Bojie Dy, Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, and yours truly, will work together to continue finding ways to figure out and address what is really causing these deficiencies,” she said.
“We are working with CHEd, DBM, and PASUC and all our SUCs because I know that there is a fundamental issue with the formula. There is a discrepancy between the estimates and the actual enrollment and utilization of different universities,” Suansing added.
Highlighting the need for a permanent fix, Suansing emphasized that state universities and colleges (SUCs) should not have to constantly seek supplementary funds every budget cycle.
“Ayaw ko naman po na every year naghahabol tayo, every year, may deficiency, and every year we need to bridge it for the following year,” Suansing said.
“We would like to reaffirm our commitment to our SUCs. Rest assured that that’s what we are working on, hoping that moving forward, we will be able to address that,” she added.
Reflecting on her background as a former state scholar, Suansing shared her personal motivation for improving access and quality within the public education sector.
“Bilang naging iskolar din po ng bayan, na nagpaaral po sa akin ay ang ating gobyerno, I want to give back to our country, to our students,” she said.
“I always say that the foundation that I got from our government education institutions, from our systems here, is what propelled me forward, so I will always be indebted to the Philippine government education system for molding me into the person I am today,” Suansing added.
Suansing reassured university officials and students that the appropriations panel remains dedicated to securing dependable funding for all public tertiary institutions.
“Kasama niyo po ako. We will make it happen, and we will be able to deliver the best education we can for our students,” she said.