DBM lauds CHED's 2020 physical, financial income performance
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) lauded the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for successfully reaching all of its physical targets.

The DBM also noted "notably high accomplishment rates" after monitoring and review of agency performance, particularly the utilization of government funds targets from January to December 2020.
“The accomplishments of CHED proved its flexibility and capacity to deliver beyond its commitments, which is much needed in this pandemic,” DBM Undersecretary Tina Rose Marie L. Canda stated in the letter to CHED.
Even during the pandemic, CHED's physical performance obtained the highest rating in the percentage of higher education institutions (HEI) subject reform at 171 percent, which was attributed to the introduction of alternative modes of learning.
Meanwhile, the percentage increase of higher education graduates able to demonstrate excellence in the 21st-century global knowledge economy is at 160 percent.
The increase in the percentage of graduates of five-year courses in private HEIs contributed to CHED's 160 percent accomplishment rate.
CHED also received a 109 percent accomplishment rate for permits issued within the prescribed period and its one-time grant to beneficiaries of the Tabang OFW Program and the Tulong Dunong Program reached 134 percent accomplishment rate.
The 115 percent accomplishment rate for the indicator number of faculty members provided with faculty grants was attributed to both new and continuing local and foreign scholarships.
CHED had a total of P73.4 billion adjusted appropriation, of which P72.83 billion was released.
“While we have been operating using a skeletal workforce of only 30 percent at the central office and most are working from home, this did not affect the agency's performance. Even though some of our regional offices are affected by COVID-19 surges, they were still able to disburse all the funds for Free Higher Education,” CHED Chairman Popoy De Vera said in a statement.
De Vera said the CHED's achievements noted by the DBM are the fruit of diligence, patience, hard work of the people of the CHED and those in HEIs to accommodate every inquiry of students about the program, despite the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We thank the DBM for recognizing and commending our efforts, especially during the pandemic. I am proud to say that there is zero incidence of corruption in CHED under my watch. We will continue to monitor and fast track the release of funds for our students in order to utilize the budget given to us and to assist our students during this pandemic,” he added.