AT LEAST 113 state universities and colleges were given P128.2 billion allocation this year, P27.3 billion higher than their proposed budget.

Thus, Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges or PASUC has expressed gratitude to House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez for spearheading the increase of their fund.

In a two-page letter, Dr. Tirso Ronquillo, president of PASUC, said the support of the House of Representatives shall empower the 113 SUCs to deliver meaningful services to the country and its people.

Ronquillo, who is also the president of Batangas State University, also thanked Romualdez for utilizing unprogrammed funds for the payment of free higher education deficiencies in school years 2022 and 2023.

“Your dedication and efforts in enlisting the support of your esteemed fellow congressmen have been instrumental in ensuring that our students have the necessary assistance to succeed in college under the government’s free higher education program,” he said.

Meanwhile, the House Leader promised that they will prioritize budget allocation for state-run educational institutions.

“This has always been the marching order of our President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. to make sure that our students are not left behind in this globalized era,” Romualdez said.

The allocation includes P20.1 billion as capital outlay for the digital transformation or smart campus system for seven SUCs.