UP system to receive P25.8B in 2026 NEP

The University of the Philippines (UP) System is set to receive the largest allocation among the country’s 117 state universities and colleges (SUCs) in 2026, with P25.82 billion proposed under the National Expenditure Program (NEP).

The state university has campuses spread across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

According to budget documents from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the UP allocation will be divided into P17.81 billion for personnel services — covering the salaries, benefits, and allowances of its faculty and staff; P7.06 billion for maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) to support academic operations; and P950 million for capital outlay to finance infrastructure improvements, equipment procurement, and laboratory upgrades.

The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) will get P3.62 billion, a significant jump from its previous budget as the government aims to expand access to low-cost tertiary education in the National Capital Region (NCR) and nearby provinces.

The Philippine Normal University, the country’s flagship teacher education institution, has been allocated P1.53 billion, and the Technological University of the Philippines with P1.51 billion.

Other SUCs in Metro Manila with notable allocations include Rizal Technological University (P1.07 billion), Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (P520.9 million), Philippine State College of Aeronautics (P514 million), and Marikina Polytechnic College (P317.17 million).

The Philippine Energy Research and Policy Institute, a specialized research body under UP, will get P72.07 million to pursue energy policy and technology development initiatives.

Outside the NCR, the Mindanao State University (MSU) System will get the highest allocation at P6.28 billion, reflecting its role in providing higher education access across Mindanao, particularly in conflict-affected and underserved areas.

Mariano Marcos State University in Ilocos Norte follows with P1.91 billion, supporting its agriculture, fisheries, and renewable energy research programs. Central Luzon State University (P1.77 billion) in Nueva Ecija, known for its strong agriculture and aquaculture expertise, also secures a top spot, along with Benguet State University (P1.55 billion) and Central Mindanao University in Bukidnon (P1.54 billion), both recognized for agricultural innovation and extension services.

For 2026, SUCs in the National Capital Region are collectively set to receive P34.99 billion, while the rest of the country’s SUCs will divide the remaining P89.51 billion, forming the P124.5-billion proposed nationwide SUC budget.

This falls under the education sector’s P974.7-billion allocation, the single largest share in the proposed P6.352-trillion national budget, which also funds the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

The education sector got the largest allocation in the proposed 2026 NEP—P1.224 trillion, upholding the constitutional mandate to prioritize education funding.

This includes P928.5 billion for the Department of Education, P33.9 billion for the Commission on Higher Education, and P20.2 billion for the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. —LDF, GMA Integrated News