CHED clarifies accumulated notices of suspension, disallowance

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Sunday clarified issues surrounding accumulated notices of suspension (NS) and notices of disallowance (ND) over several years, following the circulation of an audit report online.

Citing the Commission on Audit’s (COA) 2024 annual audit report, CHED said the agency has P965.99 million in audit suspensions and disallowances that remained unsettled as of December 31, 2024.

CHED said it is “actively working” to resolve these, with 40.8% already settled as of March 19, 2026.

“Concrete actions have been undertaken, including the issuance of demand letters, submission of documentation, and filing of appeals with COA, resulting in a decrease in the overall balance of NS and ND based on internal reconciliation,” CHED said in a statement.

The agency said unpaid obligations in its regional offices are linked to projects funded through the Priority Assistance Fund, while a significant portion in the Central Office is tied to the implementation of the Free Higher Education (FHE) program, particularly during its centralized rollout.

CHED also clarified that many of the disallowances are not yet final. Some have already been resolved, while others are under appeal, with state auditors still making final determinations.

“We continue to fix these processes—revisiting and updating policies and guidelines, strengthening monitoring, and ensuring that every peso allocated to higher education is properly accounted for," said CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis.

"We are committed to resolving all findings and maintaining public trust,” she added.—MCG, GMA Integrated News