Lower budget for SUCs pits govt against students

(Updated 6:02 p.m.) The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is eyeing a lower initial budget for state universities and colleges (SUCs) in 2014 without citing any reason other than saying the allotted funds may still increase by P160 million. Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the department allotted an indicative budget ceiling of P31.9 billion next year from P32.8 billion in 2013. An indicative budget ceiling, he said, is the minimum amount that would account for the current programs of SUCs. “'Yung indicative budget, we are to just fund what you are doing now. If you have new programs, that is not counted yet,” the Budget chief told GMA News Online on Tuesday. He noted the amount may increase by “more or less, P160 million” after Congress deliberates on the budget. “This is the money that we set aside to fund new programs that agencies will be proposing for 2014. Of course agencies will be asking for more money,” Abad said. To add to the confusion, National Budget Memorandum 113 of January 31, 2012 cited the budget ceiling for SUCs in 2013 is pegged at P29.991 billion. This would mean the SUC budget for 2014 actually increased—not decreased—by about P1.909 billion. Asked why the budget ceiling was supposedly reduced from last year, Abad said in a text message, "it's possible some programs and projects have been completed this year and therefore do not have to be funded next year." Meanwhile, the DBM is eyeing to boost the budget ceiling for the Department of Education to P255.2 billion from P232.6 billion. The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), however, said the initial budget cut is in line with the Aquino administration's framework in reducing SUCs' subsidy.  President Aquino in his 2011 national budget message said: "We are gradually reducing the subsidy to SUCs to push them toward becoming self-sufficient and financially independent, given their ability to raise their income and to utilize it for their programs and projects." "They are obviously sticking to their faulty and very problematic schema for tertiary education," said NUSP secretary general Issa Baguisi. She also criticized government for decreasing the SUC's budget even at its initial stages. "Maaaring indicative budget pa lang po ito, pero napaka-alarming na naka-set na po sila na magbaba na ang budget ceiling at barya-barya lang ang ibigay," she said. The student leader noted the P160-million increase is such a small sum. "Currently, the budget for SUCs is already severely inadequate, Baguisi said. “Cutting 900 million from it is madness; it will only make it harder for SUCs to function well. “A 160-million peso increase is a token and condescending move from the administration. We do not need loose change in terms of budget allocation," she added, noting that government should increase state subsidy for education. Misleading claims In a separate statement Tuesday, Abad said the militant groups' claims on budget cuts are "premature and misleading.   "The indicative budget ceilings are by no means final and inflexible. Instead, they serve only as guideposts for departments in the formulation of their budgets, and may even be subject to increases, depending on an agency’s requirements," the Budget secretary noted. “Indicative budget ceilings only reflect a department’s budgetary requirements for its current operations and ongoing programs, assuming that they will continue next year without the need for more funding support. The budget ceiling may also be lower than the final approved budget, since we haven’t yet accounted for an agency’s proposed programs and projects for the following year," he added. The department maintained it increased the budget for SUCs to P37.1 billion in 2013, up 44 percent from last year. “To say that we decreased the budget for SUCs is grossly inaccurate. As a matter of fact, the Aquino administration gave the sector a 44-percent budget boost over its 2012 allocation, in line with our goal to improve the country’s tertiary education system and expand the operational capacity of our SUCs,” Abad said in a statement Monday. The University of the Philippines (UP) system got the highest budget at P9.53 billion or about a quarter of the total, but merely half of the P18.4 billion proposed by the UP administration. Policy not budget The suicide of a UP Manila student for reportedly being forced to file a leave of absence after failing to pay tuition fee compelled militant groups to renew calls for increased budget for tertiary education. (http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/299876/news/nation/kristel-was-like-a-saling-pusa-at-upm-her-mother-laments) Abad said the student's death is an issue of policy and not of education budget. The UP Manila administration imposed—but later recalled—a policy of automatic leave of absence for students failing to pay their tuition fees on time. “It's not an issue of wala silang pera, eh. They have this policy and unfortunately, they rigidly implemented it. I think it's not fair and it's not true to accuse government that because of budget cut, we have these instances,” the budget secretary said. Baguisi said the UP Manila student's suicide is both a result of policy and lack of funding for SUCs. "I agree with Sec. Abad that policy is tied with what happened with Kristel, but it is both school and state policy at fault here. Let us not forget that it is state policy to cut SUC funding, and because of such state policies, schools are forced to increase tuition and enact unfair and inhuman payment policies." According to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the country has 110 SUCs which have 424 satellite campuses. Of the estimated 2.7 million college students in school year 2012-2013, about 1.08 million or 40 percent are in SUCs. — VS, GMA News