ACADEMICS from various universities called on the Senate to support the House of Representatives in its plan to realign confidential funds.

They made the call as the Senate Committee on Finance conducted a hearing on the budgets of state colleges and universities and the Commission on Higher Education on Monday.

“Nasa higit P6 bilyon ang kabuuang kakaltasin sa budget ng 30 state colleges and universities, sa UP pa lamang, lampas P2 bilyon na ang babawasin na pondo, kasama ang higit P400 milyon sa PGH na talagang iindahin ng mahihirap na pasyente,” Perlita Rana, National President of All UP Academic Employees Union, said.

“Matindi ang pangangailangan ng edukasyon na lugmok sa krisis kung kaya nararapat lamang na dito ilipat ang confidential funds,” she added.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers agreed with Rana.

“The World Teachers Day will be celebrated around the globe in three days, but our academics and teachers have no reason to celebrate while education remains to be just an afterthought for our leaders in the government,” Vladimer Quetua, ACT chairman, said.

“We have long been suffering from low wages and shortages in facilities and materials due to inadequate government funding. For once, we want to see education on top of the government’s agenda in the allocation of national budget for 2024,” he added.