Ahead of budget season, Romualdez assures SUCs they won't get left behind
At A Glance
- House Speaker Martin Romualdez has assured the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) that government would continue to prioritize the budget for state-run educational institutions.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Speaker’s office)
House Speaker Martin Romualdez has assured the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) that government would continue to prioritize the budget for state-run educational institutions.
Romualdez gave the assurance months ahead of the next budget process in the House of Representatives, which would be for the 2025 national budget.
“This has always been the marching order of our President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to make sure that our students are not left behind in this globalized era,” the leader of the 300-plus strong legislative chamber said in a statement Sunday, Feb. 4.
Also on Sunday, the Speaker’s office shared a letter sent by PASUC President Dr. Tirso Ronquillo wherein he thanked Romualdez for their P128.2-billion allocation for their sector this year.
The amount--as reflected in the P5.768-trillion General Appropriations Act (GAA) or national budget for 2024--is P27.3 billion higher than the originally proposed allocation.
“I would like to express our deepest gratitude once again for your crucial role in securing additional funding support for SUCs in the 2024 [GAA],” Ronquillo said in the two-page letter dated Jan. 10, 2024.
PASUC is an organization composed of 113 SUCs across the country.
Budget season in the House begins at around August, but the consultations and actual number-crunching happen months before that.
Ronquillo, president of Batangas State University, also thanked the House chief for utilizing “unprogrammed funds” that will be needed for the payment of FHE (free higher education) deficiencies in school years 2022 and 2023.
“Your dedication and efforts in enlisting the support of your esteemed fellow congressmen have been instrumental in ensuring that our students have the necessary assistance to succeed in college under the government’s free higher education program,” he said.
“We stand united with the Honorable Speaker in his unwavering commitment to prudent allocation of government resources. Your legislative support shall empower the 113 SUCs to deliver meaningful services to the country and its people,” Ronquillo declared in behalf of state-owned schools.