The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (above) and the Technological University of the Philippines are among the state colleges and universities which received budget cuts this year.

MANILA, Philippines — While an increase in enrolment in public tertiary schools is observed every year, the same is not true for private colleges and universities. Translated, this means that there are more high school graduates from public and private schools who opt to enrol in state colleges and universities (SUCs).

Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) statistics show that enrolment in public tertiary schools jumped from 849,555 in academic year (AY) 2005-06 to 1,083,194 in AY 2009-10. In private schools, the increase was from 1,739,103 enrolees in AY 2007-07, to 1,687,771 in AY 2009-10.

These figures were mostly attributed to higher tuition charged by private schools.

Recently, President Benigno Aquino IIIIIIIII ordered the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release an additional P4.2 billion fund intended for state universities and colleges (SUCs) on top of the P26.1 billion annual budget of CHEd for SUCs.

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

In a statement released by DBM two weeks ago, Secretary Florencio Abad said that the budget released for SUCs is part of the additional P13.4 billion that the President invested for the Disbursement Acceleration Plan (DAP).

The additional budget is in line with the reform roadmap designed by CHEd, DBM and the SUCs themselves.

“This is to really improve the quality of SUCs so they can compete with leading universities. There would be more support in priority areas like faculty improvement, research, capacity building, improvement of facilities, scholarships,” explains CHEd executive director Atty. Julito Vitriolo.

In CHEd’s strategic plan for 2011-2016, they have identified and will focus on five major key result areas (KRAs), namely, (1) rationalized Philippine higher education system; (2) improved quality and standards; (3) broadened access to quality higher education; (4) transparent, morally ascendant, efficient and effective management system; and (5) effective organizational development.

Also, part of the P4.2 billion is the P500 million Grants-in-Aid program for poverty alleviation that will support qualified students to complete a college degree. The students will come from the poorest families as identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. They will be directed to enrol in priority courses — including those for science and technology, agriculture/fisheries, as well entrepreneurship — in leading universities in several regions. The students will be provided with tuition fees, monthly living stipends, and other allowances.

Moreover, the additional budget is already allotted to improve specific areas and programs of each school according to its reform road map. The additional budget that will be given to SUCs also depends on the SUC itself and the areas they want to improve.

“The schools cannot just spend the budget on whatever but it is already specifically allotted for something. For example, areas in information technology, construction of facilities, procurement on new equipment, and the likes. They have to adhere to the reform roadmap set by CHEd and their own reform roadmap,” Vitriolo relates.

BIG CHUNK TO LEADING SCHOOLS

According to Vitriolo, a big part of the additional budget will be given to leading SUCs. Of the P4.2 billion, P3.356 billion will be given to these universities that include University of the Philippines System, Central Luzon State University, Mindanao State University, among others.

For instance, the University of the Philippines System will be given a P1.3 billion of the additional budget on top of its P5.8 billion annual budget.

“The additional budget for UP will include modernization of the UP-Philippine General Hospital, and more support on research and development,”Atty. Vitriolo shares.

He clarifies that all SUCs will receive an additional budget. For those smaller schools, a budget will also be given to jump start specific programs that needs improvement.

Atty. Vitriolo says that the budget will be released hopefully by the end of this month.

Also, Vitriolo says that it is not clear that SUCs will receive another additional budget for next year.

“It’s a major question mark. We still don’t know if the SUCs will be given another additional budget for next year. Although we still need the additional budget for years to come to really improve what needs to be improved. I hope the government will support our plans,” Vitriolo states.