SENATOR Pia Cayetano received praise from Senator Joel Villanueva on Tuesday for her crucial role in increasing the budget for state universities and colleges (SUCs) since 2019.
During the October 1, 2024 Senate hearing on the proposed 2025 budget for the higher education sector, Villanueva thanked Cayetano for doing a “fantastic job” as Senior Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance.
“In the past ten years, we have more than tripled the budget of our state colleges and universities because of you, Madam Chair, so congratulations,” Villanueva said, drawing applause from other officials present.
The actual expenditure program for SUCs for the current year is P132.9 billion, which is 3.4 times higher than the P38.6 billion allotted to them in 2014.
In 2018, the SUCs’ budget was P64.9 billion. Since Cayetano assumed office in 2019, their budget has grown annually by at least P2 billion, with a maximum increase of P27 billion.
“The Bible says, ‘Give honor to whom honor is due’,” Villanueva said. “That is why the chairperson of EDCOM 2 and this representation is here to support our chairperson.”
Over the past six years, Cayetano has been known for advocating for increased funding for SUCs and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in order to achieve a more inclusive, equitable, and universal quality education in the country.
Her brother, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, who chairs the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education, has also been active in pushing for a higher SUC budget, with a focus on modernizing facilities to produce highly employable graduates.
Senator Pia has said the investment in the country’s SUCs is “an investment in our nation’s future, empowering the next generation of leaders and innovators.”
She said for the SUCs’ budget next year, her goal is to increase the proposed budget to at least match that of the current year
About the Author
