SENATOR Pia Cayetano is grateful to her colleagues for accepting amendments to fund future-thinking research programs for State Universities and Colleges, increase medical capacity at SUCs, expand allied health and nursing programs, build dormitories, and upgrade learning spaces, laboratories, and facilities.

Citing challenges in higher education, Cayetano noted that financial difficulties are a primary reason why students drop out of college.

However, she also pointed out that it has become more difficult for students to graduate due to the decrease in subsidies from P60,000 per academic year to P20,000 for both public and private higher education.

She also highlighted a shift in college enrollment, with 41 percent of college-age students enrolled in higher education 10 years ago, compared to 47.49 percent today.

“Our investment in higher education infrastructure, state-of-the-art facilities, cutting-edge technology, and ample resources create an environment that facilitates effective learning, teaching, and research. This also applies to our investments in our teachers and professors to improve their own learning and teaching standards,” Cayetano stressed.

“We remain focused on investing in projects and programs that ensure inter-generational equity while equipping our institutions to address future challenges,” she added.

The senator is defending the following budgets: CHED, P60.247 billion; SUCs, P117.99 billion; and the UP System, P24.262 billion.