MANILA — Sen. Bam Aquino has called for the restoration of funding for the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (UAQTE) program and state universities and colleges (SUCs), warning that proposed budget reductions could affect hundreds of thousands of incoming college students.
During Senate budget deliberations, Aquino raised concerns over a reported 26.7% or P12.916-billion reduction in the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) budget and cuts in allocations for UAQTE and SUCs.
He said as many as 940,000 incoming tertiary students could be affected by the proposed reductions, including around 230,000 beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
Aquino questioned whether free tuition alone would be enough to ensure that students can complete their college education, noting that families also have to shoulder expenses for food, transportation and school supplies.
He particularly cited students taking up nursing and other allied health programs, who may face additional costs related to their Related Learning Experience (RLE) and clinical requirements.
Aquino also pointed to Republic Act No. 12325, which provides for support for RLE-related expenses. He said adequate funding is needed to ensure that students can benefit from the provision.
The senator urged the government to address the funding gap for UAQTE and SUCs and provide sufficient assistance for students’ other educational expenses.
He said the objective should be to ensure that financial difficulties do not prevent students from completing their tertiary education.
The Senate is currently deliberating the proposed 2027 national budget, including allocations for higher education and government programs supporting students.
