SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian emphasized that the 2026 national budget will cover the P12.3-billion shortfall in free higher education funding from 2022 to 2025.

A special provision in the General Appropriations Act allows the use of P7.82 billion from the unused balances of the Commission on Higher Education’s Higher Education Development Fund. This will address the free higher education deficit from Academic Years 2022-2023 to 2024-2025. An additional P4.48 billion under CHED’s budget is allocated to settle the remaining deficiencies, which will be distributed to State Universities and Colleges (SUCs).

“Tiniyak nating sasagutin sa 2026 budget ang kakulangan sa pondo ng libreng kolehiyo. Hindi lang ito usapin ng pagpapatuloy ng pag-aaral ng mga kabataan,” Gatchalian said.

“Kailangan din nating bigyan ng sapat na pasilidad ang mga SUCs para makapaghatid ng tunay na dekalidad na edukasyon,” he added.

The 2026 national budget sets aside a total of P63.7 billion for the implementation of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education program, which is expected to benefit around 2.4 million students.