Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano flagged the government’s failure to fully fund free higher education, saying this has left state universities and colleges (SUCs) struggling with shortages in their operations and services.
The senator also urged the restoration of the proposed 2026 budget cuts while pushing for performance-based reforms.
“How can an SUC expect to produce quality graduates when it has insufficient budget? Whether in a human development or national development angle, the state will benefit if we invest more on tertiary education,” Cayetano said.
His statement came after the budget briefing of the Senate Committee on Finance on September 27, where SUC presidents and education officials reported a P12.3 billion funding gap in Free Higher Education (FHE) from 2022 to 2025.
The shortfall was traced to a mismatch between the Department of Budget and Management’s (DBM) enrollment projections and the actual number of students.
Because of this mismatch, many SUCs are forced to tap into their Internally Generated Income (IGI). Instead of investing these funds in faculty development, research, and other institutional initiatives, schools are compelled to use them to cover funding deficiencies.
Reports earlier this month also highlighted student concerns in the Cordillera region, where six out of seven SUCs are set to lose funding in one or more budget areas, with three among the ten hardest-hit nationwide.
Cayetano, who previously chaired the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education in the 19th Congress, also passed measures strengthening SUCs, further emphasizing his call for reforms and sustainable funding.
Because of this, he urged Congress and the SUC system to work together to protect higher education from financial strain while introducing reforms that ensure accountability and efficient use of public funds.
“Marami pa ang magagawa kung dadagdagan natin (ang budget). So I’m asking you and the SUC body na magtulungan tayo. Let’s work on some long term reforms for all SUCs. Marami pa tayong pwedeng baguhin,” he said.
The senator added that strengthening SUCs should not only rely on bigger subsidies but also on creating a system that rewards schools for improving results and managing their resources wisely.
“All around the world, tinitingala ang Pilipino. So ang trabaho ng education… is to provide the good soil or the environment so that the seed can prosper,” Cayetano said.
