SENATOR Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero is set to conduct an inquiry on the issue of over-enrollment in some State Universities and Colleges of up to 30 percent.

Escudero, chairman of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, seeks to invite administrators of concerned SUCs and LUCs, together with the Commission on Higher Education, Department of Budget and Management, Commission on Audit, and other agencies involved in the issue.

The senator explained during the pandemic, based on the SUCs’ request, all budget for the free tertiary education were directly given to them instead of allotting it to CHED.

“Nagsimula ng 2021 at 2022, hindi na dumadaan sa CHED ang budget for free tuition, dinirekta na sa mga SUC at LU. Ngayon, dumating ang pandemya, ang ginawa ng iba sige lang ang tanggap at inassume nila na babayaran ng gobyerno. Nung sinisingil nila ang CHED, sagot ng CHED wala na kaming budget para dyan,” Escudero said in DWIZ’s Usapang Senado interview.

“Walang polisiyang inilabas ang CHED. Parang naghugas kamay sila kaugnay sa isyu ng free tertiary education. Nag-kanya-kanyang style ang mga SUC at LUC. Bahala na si Batman. May SUC na nag-over-enrolment. May SUC na hindi tumanggap ng sobra sa alokasyon nila para sapat lang ang pondo,” the senator added.

Escudero stressed the present issue to be resolved is if there is legal basis for the SUCs and LUCs to collect allocation for the overenrollment.

“Governance is about allocating scarce resources. Ang mga isyung bumabalot dito, meron bang kapangyarihan ang DBM na bayaran ito? Ito ba ay accounts payable, authorized ba ang SUCna gawin’yan samantalang nasa kanila na ang budget? Anong ligal na basehan? Yun ang dapat pag-aralan,” Escudero added.

“Kung dapat bayaran, accounts payable ito so daraan sa CO. Hindi puwedeng basta bayaran,” he further said.