SENATOR Risa Hontiveros filed a resolution urging the Senate to conduct an investigation, in aid of legislation, on the implementation of the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education.

This was after the Commission on Audit flagged almost P7 billion worth of “questionable releases” under the Commission on Higher Education’s scholarship agency.

“UniFAST is supposed to be the answer to the gap in education for millions of underprivileged youth. And yet the program is stained with suspicious overpayments and double reimbursements,” Hontiveros said.

“Dapat todo-bantay tayo sa budget natin dito lalo na sa panahon na maraming nahihirapan magbayad ng tuition. This could be just the tip of the iceberg of dubious practices in CHED-UniFAST,” she added.

UniFAST, an attached agency of CHED, implements Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.

In her Senate Resolution 128, Hontiveros cited COA’s report that UniFAST had P3.4 billion worth of delayed and non-submissions of billings and documents to state universities and colleges and local universities and colleges.

Some submissions were delayed up to 3 years while others had no record of billing.

The resolution also revealed that UniFAST made P824 million worth of payments to SUCs and LUCs without official receipts.

“Nakakaalarma na naglabas sila ng ganyang kalaking pera na walang tamang dokumento. Walang kahit anong ebidensya na kailangan ng agency magbayad, at walang ebidensya na binayaran nila. Nakakapagtaka. Surely recklessness at this level of billions of pesos is not acceptable for a government agency,” the senator said.

“Lilinawin natin kung saan at sino ang nagkulang. It is our responsibility in Congress to guard against leakages that waste important resources needed by our schools and students,” she added.

Hontiveros’ resolution also revealed UniFAST’s overpayment of P131 million to certain SUCs, and P251 million to already fully subsidized LUCs in direct violation of RA 10931.

Also included in the almost P7 billion flagged by COA are P26.6 million reimbursements to the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines; duplicate entries of beneficiaries in billings of P141,550; P1 billion unimplemented and unreverted funds for the student loan program; P1.003 billion delayed release of financial benefits; P4.43 million double scholarship grants and P200 million worth of unutilized allotments for tertiary education subsidy.