SENATE Majority Leader Joel Villanueva called on the Commission on Higher Education to balance the use of the Higher Education Development Fund between private and public higher educational institutions.

“96 percent ng HEDF ay nasa public, and only four percent ay nasa private HEIs, considering that 86 percent of HEIs in the country are private,” Villanueva said.

The 2nd Congressional Commission on Education said from 2018 to 2023, the share of the HEDF allocated to public HEIs increased from 77 percent to 96 percent, while that for private HEIs decreased from 23 percent to 4 percent in 2023.

The HEDF was established through RA 7722, which also created CHEd, in 1994.

CHEd Chairman Prospero de Vera III admitted that there was a problem that hinders the proportionate allocation of the HEDF.

“Mayroon po kasing practical problem sa private schools – 1,700 po kasi ang private schools. Kung sino ‘yung uunahin, at kung bakit. ‘Pag nagkonsulta po kami sa Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations at ang kaniyang member organizations, mahirap pong magkasundo, kung saan mapupunta ang pondo – may practical problem,” he said.

“Inuna po natin ‘yung SUCs because ‘yung assistance na binibigay natin sa SUCs ay for program compliance,” De Vera said.

“On behalf of the Commission, let me commit that we will start supporting private schools starting 2024,” he added.