BATANGAS 6th District Rep. Ryan Recto has filed a resolution calling for an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the unfulfilled mandates of the Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UNIFAST).

Under House Resolution No. 841, Recto is seeking an investigation into the reported delays in the implementation of key programs, including the National Student Loan Program, the conduct of impact evaluation studies, and the rationalization of government scholarship initiatives.

The lawmaker cited persistent reports of significant delays in stipend disbursement, noting that these, combined with the absence of a graduate tracer system, hinder the government’s ability to assess outcomes.

“As a result, it becomes difficult to empirically link billions of pesos in education spending to successful workforce entry or meaningful poverty alleviation,” Recto said.

He also referenced findings from the EDCOM II Year 3 Final Report, which revealed that the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and UNIFAST currently do not collect comprehensive student-level data.

Recto warned that this gap prevents the government from accurately determining national dropout rates and identifying the factors that lead to non-completion among scholars.

The same report, he added, pointed to a severe mismatch between manpower capacity and program demands within CHED regional offices.

Recto further highlighted what he described as a “traversability crisis” in the education system, citing data from School Year 2016–2017 to School Year 2022–2023. He said many learners struggle to navigate available education pathways due to the absence of a centralized information portal.

Such a platform, he explained, was envisioned to integrate data from the Department of Education, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and CHED to guide students on scholarships, transitions, and re-entry routes.

The proposed inquiry aims to identify policy gaps and recommend reforms to ensure that government-funded education programs deliver measurable and equitable outcomes.