Duterte vetoes PUP upgrade to national polytechnic university
By Rica Arevalo
Published Sep 07, 2019 11:14 am
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Updated Sep 07, 2019 11:14 am
By Argyll Cyrus Geducos
President Duterte has vetoed the bill granting the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) the status of a national polytechnic university, citing "serious reservations" regarding its performance and how its appropriations would impact the government.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (RICHARD MADELO / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
In his veto message to the Congress dated September 4, 2019, Duterte raised concerns about the suitability of passing the bill.
"While I recognize the noble objective of the measure to promote, foster, nurture, and the right of all citizens to accessible quality education, I have serious reservations on the suitability of the means chosen to attain this end, namely, granting the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) the status of a national polytechnic university, with all the benefits and privileges such status entails," he said.
The President said that despite PUP's stature in the education sector, he could not disregard the fact that PUP was just one of the many state universities and colleges (SUCs) in the country, and that further assessment was needed before it could be granted national polytechnic university status.
"Its proposed designation as national polytechnic university needs to be reassessed in light of its current performance ranking among other SUCs," he said.
"The comparative performance of its satellite campuses and extension programs needs to be similarly evaluated before granting the PUP system as a whole such privileged status," he added.
Duterte also said that a reassessment was necessary since the bill seeks to grant fiscal autonomy to PUP. He said the upgrade would also have effects on the government.
"A reassessment is all the more needful considering that the enrolled bill provides for the grant of fiscal autonomy to PUP, which departs from the adopted policy of granting only institutional autonomy to SUCs," he said.
"The proposed provision on appropriations would also have a significant fiscal impact on the government, which may be avoided only if the PUP budget would continue to be subject to the need for prioritization and the usual budgetary and monitoring processes," he added.
"These concerns taken together put in question the suitableness of the passage of the measure at this time," he continued.
Last month, Duterte also vetoed the bill seeking to elevate the PUP campus in Calauan, Laguna to a state-funded university, saying there was "no pressing need" to elevate the status of the said campus.
"There are already a number of private, state, and local colleges and universities in the Province of Laguna and nearby towns which offer the same undergraduate and graduate courses," Duterte said.
The President also pointed out that the "rapid" creation of new campuses of SUCs tends to "adversely affect the quality of education in these institutions."
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (RICHARD MADELO / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
In his veto message to the Congress dated September 4, 2019, Duterte raised concerns about the suitability of passing the bill.
"While I recognize the noble objective of the measure to promote, foster, nurture, and the right of all citizens to accessible quality education, I have serious reservations on the suitability of the means chosen to attain this end, namely, granting the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) the status of a national polytechnic university, with all the benefits and privileges such status entails," he said.
The President said that despite PUP's stature in the education sector, he could not disregard the fact that PUP was just one of the many state universities and colleges (SUCs) in the country, and that further assessment was needed before it could be granted national polytechnic university status.
"Its proposed designation as national polytechnic university needs to be reassessed in light of its current performance ranking among other SUCs," he said.
"The comparative performance of its satellite campuses and extension programs needs to be similarly evaluated before granting the PUP system as a whole such privileged status," he added.
Duterte also said that a reassessment was necessary since the bill seeks to grant fiscal autonomy to PUP. He said the upgrade would also have effects on the government.
"A reassessment is all the more needful considering that the enrolled bill provides for the grant of fiscal autonomy to PUP, which departs from the adopted policy of granting only institutional autonomy to SUCs," he said.
"The proposed provision on appropriations would also have a significant fiscal impact on the government, which may be avoided only if the PUP budget would continue to be subject to the need for prioritization and the usual budgetary and monitoring processes," he added.
"These concerns taken together put in question the suitableness of the passage of the measure at this time," he continued.
Last month, Duterte also vetoed the bill seeking to elevate the PUP campus in Calauan, Laguna to a state-funded university, saying there was "no pressing need" to elevate the status of the said campus.
"There are already a number of private, state, and local colleges and universities in the Province of Laguna and nearby towns which offer the same undergraduate and graduate courses," Duterte said.
The President also pointed out that the "rapid" creation of new campuses of SUCs tends to "adversely affect the quality of education in these institutions."