REPRESENTATIVE of student groups in Cagayan State University launched a campaign urging the Commission on Higher Education to immediately release the educational funds for Academic Year 2020-2021.

Despite the many demands and the total unreleased funds already accrued to P157,933,170, the University Student Council Federation said CHED has not released yet CSU’s budget for two terms.

The state university said some programs, projects, and activities of student organizations were put into a halt due to lack of funds that are supposed to come from the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education.

“Ilang estudyante pa ba ang hindi matatanggap ng CSU dahil sa kakulangan ng pondo? Ilang mga proyekto at aktibidad pa ba ang hindi natin maisasakatuparan dahil sa pagpigil ng CHED-UNIFAST na makuha natin ang nakalaang pera para sa ating organisasyon? Ilang serbisyo pa ba ang masasayang dahil sa ginagawa nilang ito sa CSU?” said USCF President Chairperson Jake Angelo Biraquit.

“Today, we will make a stand and claim what is rightfully ours. That’s what we do as student leaders. We stand up when something is wrong and when something needs to be done,” he added.

Last June, CSU President Dr. Urduja Tejada expressed fears they may not be able to accommodate incoming freshman students and might terminate part-time employees and service providers because of the delay in the release of the UNIFAST.

CHED Chief Prospero de Vera III clarified the UNIFAST executive director already contacted the CSU BOR asking them if the funds can be moved through the CHED Regional Office instead of releasing it to the university president so it can be used by CSU for its operations.

De Vera belied accusations he is withholding educational funds as a leverage not to recognize the appointment of Tejada as the school’s president.

Tejada, however, said De Vera’s alleged actions against the university “are now felt by the students and the service providers.”