Press Release - Gatchalian to seek additional P3B for free higher education to prevent budget deficit in SUCs

Senator Win Gatchalian will seek additional funding to plug the looming P3 billion budget deficit for the implementation of free higher education next fiscal year.

The National Expenditure Program (NEP) proposes a budget of P23.38 billion for free higher education. The Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges, however, estimates that P27.078 billion is needed to implement free higher education for School Year (SY) 2025-2026, leaving a deficit of P3.697 billion to fully fund the program. When inflation is considered, Gatchalian's office estimates that P27.3 billion is needed to implement free higher education and the looming deficit would reach as much as P3.9 billion.

Gatchalian pointed out that if the deficit is not addressed, State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) will not be able to hire more instructors, purchase learning equipment, and build more facilities needed to deliver quality tertiary education.

"Yung nilalagay nating pera sa free higher education, ang kapalit nun ay diploma. The free higher education will yield the country more students who will graduate with a diploma and that will enable them to get meaningful jobs," said Gatchalian, one of the authors and co-sponsors of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (Republic Act No. 10931), better known as the Free Higher Education Law.

"So maybe later on we can request the Chairperson of the Finance Committee kung pwedeng kumurot ng kaunti sa pondo ng ayuda. Ang hinihingi naman ng SUCs ay P3 billion in addition, kaya kukurot lang tayo do'n sa P591.8 billion na pondo ng mga programang pang ayuda para mapununan natin ang kailangan sa free higher education," Gatchalian added, referring to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), Tulong Pang-hanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD), and Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) as the ayuda programs.

Gatchalian touted how free higher education increased enrollment in higher education. From 2.9 million SY 2017-2018, before the enactment of the free higher education law, enrollment in higher education surged to 5.09 million for SY 2023-2024.

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