SENATOR Alan Peter Cayetano called for greater government support for Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) to help address the growing gap in the country’s education system.

Cayetano acknowledged the progress made in education, pointing to the achievements of Filipino teachers and students in international competitions despite various challenges.

As chairman of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education, Cayetano emphasized that, despite the strong commitment from many local government units (LGUs) and their leaders, more resources and investments are needed for LUCs to ensure quality education for all.

“Nagkaroon ng role ang LUCs sa improvement ng quality of education. Pero syempre, hindi naman lahat ng LGU ay may pera at y’ung mga LGU na meron ngang funds, maraming inaasikaso,” he said.

To address these challenges, Cayetano called for increased government funding for education, particularly for LUCs. He also suggested that the national government, in partnership with the private sector, explore additional funding options to support these institutions.

“In the same way that the Department of Education has programs with private schools, we should look harder. Siguro pwede rin partneran ng national government ito at private sector for funding,” he said.

Cayetano emphasized the critical role LUCs play, particularly as the country faces disparities in access to quality education.

“The thing about education is walang lugi, walang talo dito. Medyo mahaba lang y’ung panahon na maghihintay ka sa LGUs na babalik sayo y’ung benefits, pero sure,” he said.

Despite the limited resources of LUCs, Cayetano praised their accomplishments, noting that they have achieved much with limited funding. He expressed optimism about what they could accomplish with additional support.

“They’ve done so much with so little, so I am excited for them—what they can do with just a little bit more support. Yes, marami pa tayong mapipintas sa local universities, pero grabe itong asosasyon na ito, grabe na rin inabot,” he said.