FORMER Senator Panfilo Lacson clarified on Monday that the budgets for the Philippine Military Academy and the Philippine National Police Academy do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Commission on Higher Education.

Instead, Lacson explained that these funds are part of the appropriations for the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of National Defense, as well as the Philippine National Police and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Speaking from his experience as a former sponsor of the AFP/DND budget, Lacson warned that framing the PMA and PNPA budgets under CHED might cause confusion about the national budget structure.

“Your Honor, with all due respect, the PMA and PNPA budgets are not under CHED, but are included in the appropriations for AFP/DND and PNP/DILG,” Lacson stated.

His remarks came amid ongoing discussions regarding the 2025 education sector budget, with lawmakers pushing for increased funding to address key issues like classroom shortages, lack of learning materials, and teacher training.

Lacson’s statement emphasized the importance of aligning budget priorities with the respective mandates of government agencies. PMA and PNPA, while educational institutions, primarily serve as training academies for military and police personnel, meaning their funding falls under the respective defense and law enforcement sectors.

He called for careful examination of budget proposals to ensure allocations match institutional roles and responsibilities.