PHILIPPINES

HE commission chief appeals against pending budget cut

The Commission on Higher Education has reiterated its appeal to lawmakers to restore the PHP2 billion (US$40 million) slashed from its budget for next year so it can fulfil its role to make the Philippine higher education system locally responsive and globally competitive, writes Merlina Hernando-Malipot for Manila Bulletin.

Commission Chairperson Patricia Licuanan said in an official statement that she hoped the original proposed budget of the Commission on Higher Education or CHED would be adopted by the bicameral conference committee on budget when it meets.

During the third and final reading of the PHP3.35 trillion Duterte administration budget last October, the House trimmed the CHED’s proposed allocation of PHP13.37 billion to PHP11.37 billion. PHP1 billion was lopped off from the K to 12 Transition Programme and PHP1 billion from the Philippine-California Advanced Research Institutes Project. Licuanan said the allocations were “intended for faculty development and research”.
Full report on the Manila Bulletin site