CHED: UniFAST posts 99.67% fund utilization for RA 10931 implementation in FY 2020

The Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST), an attached agency of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), posted a 99.67% overall budget utilization rate (BUR) of its continuing Fiscal Year 2020 allotment for the implementation of programs under Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (RA 10931).

In a statement issued Wednesday, March 2, CHED said that this utilization rate is “higher” than its previous BURs in FYs 2018 and 2019 despite the restrictions of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

“CHED and UniFAST had always been compliant with the cash-based budgeting system and I mean not just obligation but actual disbursements,” said CHED and UniFAST Board Chairman Popoy De Vera.

“Under the programs of RA 10931, the pandemic did not stop us from continuing our operations in the reimbursements of FHE, as well as the disbursement of TES allowances of our student-grantees,” he added.

CHED said that UniFAST Central Office achieved a utilization rate of 99.97 percent of its P3 billion allotment for the implementation of Free Higher Education (FHE) in state universities and colleges (SUCs) and CHED-recognized local universities and colleges (LUCs), and Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) Program for new grantees.

Meanwhile, the CHED Regional Offices were able to attain a 99.39 percent utilization rate.

For comparison, CHED said that the disbursement rate of the national government as a percentage of obligations as of Dec. 1, 2021, stands only at 75.2 percent based on the latest available Statement of Appropriations, Allotments, Obligations, Disbursements, and Balances of the Department of Budget and Management.

Meanwhile, De Vera said that UniFAST is also determined to utilize its P44 billion allotment for FY 2021.

Under Republic Act No. 11640, the House of Representatives and the Senate extended the validity of the FY 2021 budget to Dec. 31, 2022.

CHED said that to date, the UniFAST Central Office had achieved a utilization rate of 99.84 percent of its P18.82 billion allotment covering Free Higher Education and new TES grantees.