THE COMMITTEE on Appropriations of the House of Representatives has deferred the approval of the P52.6-billion proposed budget of the Commission on Higher Education for 2022.

The budget is 15.7 percent or P9.6 billion lower than the proposal of the agency — P62.39-billion.

CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera III said the budget cut would mean non-implementation of Republic Act 11590 or the Doctor Para sa Bayan law, which provides for the establishment of state medical schools.

The CHED allotted P1 billion for the program.

Other programs affected by the budget cut include the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, the Transnational Higher Education, Medical Scholarship and Return Service and the Construction of Proposed Higher Education Development Center.

Kabataan Partylist Rep. Sarah Jane Elago said she was disheartened to know that the Doktor Para sa Bayan Act will not be implemented amid the pandemic because it has no budgetary allocation.

“Mr. Chair nakakahiya at sa totoo lang nakakaiyak at nakakagalit iyong ipinakita ng CHED sa budget presentation na para tayong wala sa gitna ng pandemya. Unang-una, walang budget para sa Doktor Para sa Bayan para sa 2022, isang bagay na dapat bigyan ng prayoridad na matapos ang lahat ng kinakailangan para maging ready na iyan for implementation. Maski iyong scholarship para sa med students nangalahati para sa 2022, at dagdag pa diyan iyong subsidies para sa tuition fee ng mga med students sa 2020 hanggang ngayon pala hindi pa ibinibigay,” Elago said.

Deputy Minority Leader Janette Garin also questioned the non-implementation of the law and other vital programs of the commission.

Garin cited the need for a thorough review of the reduced CHED budget.

She then moved for the suspension of the budget hearing, which was approved by the committee members.