MALACAÑANG, Philippines – Malacañang on Tuesday stressed that the budget allocation for state universities and colleges has more than doubled during the term of President Benigno S. Aquino III.
“Contrary to the claim of Vice President (Jejomar) Binay, the total budgetary allocation for State Colleges and Universities (SUCs) has more than doubled (100.4 percent) during the term of President Aquino,” Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said in a statement.
Secretary Coloma added that according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the total budget allotment for the country’s tertiary education institutions has increased from P23.8 billion in 2010 to P47.7 billion this year, including “a net increase of P5.2 billion from P38 billion in 2014 to P43.3 billion in 2015”.
“All of the SUCs mentioned by VP Binay in his speech at the Cavite State University (CSU) yesterday (Monday) reflected increases in their respective budgets. The budget of the University of the Philippines (UP) has increased by 90 percent to P13.1 billion this year from P6.9 billion in 2010 while the funds allocated to CSU has increased by almost 93 percent to P353 million in 2015 from about P183.5 million in 2010,” he further said.
Coloma also noted that the budgets earmarked for Isabela State University (ISU) and Mindanao State University (MSU) have jumped by 56 percent and 81.2 percent, respectively in the five-year period from 2010 to 2015.
The ISU’s budget has increased from P367.7 million in 2010 to P572.7 million while MSU’s budget has grown from P1.2 billion in 2010 to almost P2.2 billion in 2015, he said.
In his “True State of the Nation Address” on Monday, Vice President Binay said, “Noong 2014, humiling ang mga state colleges and universities ng limampu’t siyam na bilyong piso mula sa DBM. Ang ibinigay sa kanila: walong daan at siyam na milyong piso lamang.”
“Ayon sa mga pahayagan, ang budget ng UP ay tinapyasan ng higit sa isang bilyong piso. Ang Mindanao State University, higit walong daang milyong piso. Ang Isabela State University, pitumpu’t pitong milyong piso,” he noted.
Palace: Budget for State Universities, Colleges more than doubled during President Aquino’s term
