FORMER Senator Bam Aquino has called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to convince his Congress allies to reconvene the bicameral conference committee and restore the cuts in the 2025 national budget for education, including the P3-B decrease in the budget for the Free College Law.

“Magandang pamasko ito ni Pangulong Marcos sa ating mga estudyante sa kolehiyo kung kukumbinsihin niya ang kanyang mga kaalyado sa Kongreso na ayusin ang 2025 budget at ibalik ang nabawas na pondo sa edukasyon at sa libreng kolehiyo,” Aquino said.

“Kung talagang prayoridad ng pamahalaang ito ang edukasyon, dapat aksyunan ito ng Pangulo,” he added.

The budget for the free college law, which Aquino championed as principal sponsor and co-author, saw its budget reduced by P3 billion, jeopardizing the education of over 50,000 students.

”Kawawa naman ang mahigit 50,000 estudyante sa kolehiyo na hindi makakapag-enroll dahil sa inalis na tatlong bilyong pisong pondo para sa libreng kolehiyo,” Aquino stressed.

In addition to the P3-billion cut from the free college law budget, Aquino expressed grave concern over other significant budget reductions in education and health sectors.

These include a P26.9 billion cut for the Commission on Higher Education, P11.6 billion for the Department of Education, P25.8 billion for the Department of Health, and no allocation for PhilHealth.

“Nakakalungkot at nakakadismaya na habang tumataas ang pambansang budget taun-taon, binawasan nila ng napakalaking pondo ang edukasyon at kalusugan na parehong napakahalaga sa mga Pilipino,” Aquino stressed.

Sa panahon ngayon na napakamahal ng presyo ng bilihin, dagdag pasanin pa ito sa mga pamilya na walang pambayad ng tuition at panggastos sa ospital kapag sila’y nagkasakit,” he added.