Senate panel gives SUCs add’l P10M, promises funds for free WiFi

All state universities and colleges (SUCs) will be getting an additional P10-million budget each for 2018, the Senate finance subcommittee chaired by Senator Sonny Angara said Thursday.

Angara said the additional budget will cover capital outlay projects of more than 100 SUCs. “It’s just to aid all of the SUCs for whatever needs they have,” he said.

“It’s a good time to make the announcement… We want to change the state of affairs. With the approval of the chair, we will add P10 million for capital outlay for all SUCs,” Angara announced during the subcommittee’s hearing on the budget of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

In an interview, Angara said the amount would total to P1.2 billion.

Senator Loren Legarda, chairman of the Senate finance committee, said she agreed with the proposal, noting that the budget is double compared to the P5-million capital outlay this year.

According to Angara, the additional budget was the idea of the so-called seatmates bloc composed of him, and Senators Miguel Zubiri, Joel Villanueva, JV Ejercito, and Sherwin Gatchalian; along with Nancy Binay.

The P1.2 billion will be on top of the CHED’s proposed budget of P12.4 billion for 2018.

Angara said improving the infrastructure and equipment of SUCs would complement the implementation of Republic Act No. 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which mandates free tuition in SUCs.

The said law signed in August needs P51.4 billion, according to CHED chairperson Patricia Licuanan.

She said the amount will be broken down as follows: P22.6 billion for free tuition and other school fees, P7 billion for tech-voc education, P21.6 billion for tertiary education subsidy, P.05 billion for the national student loan program, and P100 million for administrative costs.

Meanwhile, Legarda said the subcommittee will also find funds to provide free Internet access in all SUCs.

“We will provide free WiFi for all SUCs...We will find a budget for that,” Legarda said.

According to Angara, the Senate is looking at a budget of P5 million each per SUC to cover free WiFi. The total would be P555 million. —KBK, GMA News