THE Makabayan bloc yesterday filed a measure urging the House of Representatives to restore the P10 billion cut in the proposed budget of state universities and colleges (SUCs) for 2023, saying the reduced funding “will adversely impact the capacity of SUCs to safely reopen their campuses for full face-to-face classes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“In line with forwarding the interests of the youth and education sector, this House resolution filing on the day of the Martial Law 50th year commemoration symbolizes the youth’s resolute to be educated and informed citizens and to fight historical distortion. We also heed to improve the education system that continues to deprive us of our right to access quality education,” said Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel, who led the three-man militant bloc in filing the House Resolution No. 403.
The resolution urges the House committee on appropriations to restore cuts in the maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) of SUCs and “study options to augment funding for capital outlay and allocate a P122 billion supplementary fund for programs critical to the safe reopening of schools.”
Under the proposed P5.268 trillion national budget for 2023, SUCs are given a budget of P93.08 billion, an amount which is P10.89 billion or 10.48 percent lower than this year’s P103.97 billion budget.
Manuel, who was accompanied by student leaders in filing the resolution, noted that the decrease means that 81 out of 116 SUCs are set to incur cuts in their overall budget, while 115 schools are also set to sustain cuts in their operating budget, 83 schools in their capital outlay, and 17 schools in their personnel services.
The militant lawmaker said SUCs have also been given limited fiscal space for capital outlay which they strive to augment with their own revenue-generating sources.
The resolution noted that the DBM’s Budget Expenditures and Sources of Financing (BESF) shows that while the total expenditure of 116 SUCs in the country amounts to an average of P123.73 billion annually now, higher than the P81 billion average before the passing of the Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education, the government provision for SUCs still falls short by P27.86 billion, amounting to an average of only P95.86 billion since 2021.
“For years, our constituents have called for greater state funding for education. An additional budget is needed for our learning institutions to regain their public character and provide ample support for student services and faculty development. If our state universities and colleges are to be expected to perform their duties, they must be funded accordingly,” the resolution said.
INFRA LOSES BIG, TOO
During the plenary deliberations on the proposed 2023 general appropriations bill (GAB) last Tuesday, Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman pushed for an increase in the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) that suffered a huge budget cut of P64.8 billion compared to this year’s amount.
Under the Executive’s National Expenditure Program (NEP), the DPWH was given a budget of P717.31 billion, down by 8.7 percent from this year’s P785.24 billion approved budget.
Hataman raised the question after one of the sponsors of the proposed national budget, Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, said in her sponsorship speech that one guiding principle in crafting the 2023 spending bill is economic recovery.
“Kanina, binabanggit niyo ‘yung infrastructure ay multiplier and engine ng ating economy, pero bakit dito sa NEP 2023 nagkaroon ng P68.4 billion slash sa budget ng DPWH? So ang ibig sabihin ba nito, malaki-laki din ang nabawas sa GDP contribution ng infrastructure natin? (You earlier mentioned that infrastructure is the multiplier engine of our economy but why is it that in the 2023 NEP, there is a P68.4 billion slash in the budget of the DPWH? So does it mean that there was also a huge reduction in the GDP contribution of our infrastructure?” he asked Quimbo.
Quimbo then responded by saying the infrastructure budget is not only lodged in the budget of the DPWH but in other agencies as well. In fact, she added, the proposed national budget also contains funds to enhance digital infrastructure, bringing the infrastructure allocation to P1.019 trillion in total.
She said the DBCC will yield to the wishes of Congress and that she agrees with Hataman that there is inadequate infrastructure spending. She added that she will support the Basilan lawmaker if he proposes to increase infrastructure spending.
