STUDENTS, faculty and staff from various state universities and colleges in the National Capital Region held a rally before the Senate to seek the restoration of the P6 billion budget cuts on public universities.

State scholars from the University of the Philippines Diliman and Manila campuses, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippine Normal University, Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute for Science and Technology, and Technological University of the Philippines asked that the remaining P9 billion confidential and intelligence funds be given to SUCs.

“The P6 billion budget cuts on SUCs is a big blow to the operations of our public universities, which, as they were, are already stretched beyond their limits,” Prof. Carl Marc Ramota, UP Faculty Regent and Chairperson of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers- SUCs, said.

“A large number of our SUCs could still not implement 100 percent face-to-face classes, not due to the dangers of the pandemic but because of sheer lack of ample classrooms and facilities, and this is weighing heavily on the quality of learning,” he said

“Nananawagan kami sa ating mga Senador, ilipat na ninyo ang natitirang P9 billion na CIF patungo sa mga SUCs upang hindi ito masayang at mapakinabangan pa ng ating mga kabataan,” Ramota added.

Teachers and education support personnel from public schools and universities also joined the protest to demand salary increase in 2024 as the implementation of the Salary Standardization Law V ends this year.

“Hindi na makabuhay ng pamilya ang sweldo ng ating mga guro at kawani laluna at patindi nang patindi ang krisis sa ekonomiya ng bansa. Malaking salik ito sa bumabagsak na kalidad ng ating edukasyon. Ipinagkakait ang nakabubuhay na sweldo sa mga karaniwang empleyado ng pamahalaan dahil inuuna ang pondo sa panunupil, pambayad-utang at kurakot ng mga nasa poder,” Vladimer Quetua, Chairperson of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, said.

“Hindi namin tatantanan ang Kongreso hanggang maunawaan at aksyunan nila ang matinding pangangailangan ng sektor ng edukasyon. Mula rito sa Senado at hanggang sa bicameral conference, tuluy-tuloy kaming kikilos para igiit na ilaan nang tama pondo ng bayan,” Quetua added.