Hontiveros slams Diokno's pitch to review free tertiary education

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday voiced her opposition to the proposal of Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno to review the free college education system in state universities and colleges (SUCs).

In a statement, Hontiveros said being selective in the implementation of universal access to quality tertiary education "won't address the perennial issue of dropout rates."

She said the dropout issue can be properly dealt with only if "our economic managers, like Sec. Diokno, address rising costs of education-related day-to-day expenses — mula sa pamasahe, pagkain/pambaon, at iba pa (from fares to food and others) — and providing families jobs and livelihood to prevent students from dropping out of school."

"Nakakahiyang mismong ang gobyerno ang umaatras sa constitutional duty nitong siguraduhin na accessible ang education sa lahat ng antas para sa lahat (It's a shame that the government seems to be retreating in its constitutional duty of providing accessible education to students)," Hontiveros lamented.

As it stands, free tertiary education prioritizes the youth who are academically able and who come from poor families," she added.

Diokno earlier proposed a review of the free college education system in SUCs as he called the present scheme "wasteful."

Diokno had said that the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Law or free college education in SUCs is an unsustainable program and anti-poor.

Hontiveros, in her statement, said Diokno should instead look into the budget that is being "illegally" allocated in other agencies, including confidential funds.

GMA News Online reached Diokno for comment on the matter but he has yet to reply as of posting time. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA Integrated News