SEN. Risa Hontiveros yesterday filed a resolution directing the appropriate panel to conduct an inquiry into the alleged questionable release of P7 billion in scholarship funds and lack of control mechanisms of an attached scholarship agency of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
Under Senate Resolution No. 128, Hontiveros wants the Senate to investigate the transactions and activities of the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) after it was flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA) for its delayed and non-submission of billings and documents related to its P3.4 billion fund releases to state and universities and colleges (SUCs) and local universities and colleges (LUCs). Some submissions were delayed up to three years while others had no record of billing.
UniFAST is an attached agency of the CHED and the primary implementer of the Free Higher Education and Tertiary Education Subsidy, based on RA 10687 which was signed into law on October 15, 2015.
It is likewise the agency which implements RA 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.
Hontiveros noted that UniFAST has likewise been flagged by the COA for overpayments of tuition fees and other school fees amounting to almost P131 million “due to (its) deficient mechanisms” to prevent over-charging and prevent erroneous payments.
She also cited COA findings that UniFAST reimbursed P251 million to LUCs that were already subsidized by their respective local government units, which she said was in violation of Sec. 55 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education.
Hontiveros said COA listed around P3.443 billion worth of delayed and non-submission of Free Higher Education (FHE) billings and documents for the Free Higher Education Program (FHEP) of UniFAST, which she added could be a violation of COA Circular No. 2009-006 (dated September 15, 2009) which prescribes the financial records to be immediately recorded and be accessible to auditors.
She said COA also cited around P824 million in payments made to SUCs and LUCs “with lacking supporting Official Receipts” which is contrary to PD 1445 and UniFAST’s Memorandum Circular No. 2018-02 which requires an issuance of official receipts for every amount received from CHED.
