E. Visayas schools get PHP600-M for poor college students

TACLOBAN CITY, May 30 -- The national government is releasing PHP600 million for the free tuition program of 10 state universities and colleges (SUCs) in Eastern Visayas this academic year, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) regional office here reported on Tuesday.

CHED records show that the University of Eastern Philippines in Catarman, Northern Samar has the highest budget ceiling at PHP116,814 million followed by the Eastern Visayas State University in Tacloban City with PHP93.8 million.

Other state-run schools with higher allocations are the Samar State University in Catbalogan City, Samar (PHP74.02 million); Eastern Samar State University in Borongan City, Eastern Samar (PHP73.77 million); Naval State University in Naval, Biliran (PHP62.13 million); and Visayas State University in Baybay City, Leyte (PHP51.74 million).

Higher learning institutions with lower budget ceiling are the Leyte Normal University in Tacloban City (PHP43.7 million); Southern Leyte State University in Sogod, Southern Leyte (PHP30.71 million); Palompon Polytechnic State University in Palompon, Leyte (PHP30 million); and Northwest Samar State University (PHP23.6 million).

The budget allocation for each SUC is based on the estimated tuition income they submitted for the 2017 budget of expenditures and sources of financing, according to CHED Eastern Visayas Regional Director Maura Consolacion Cristobal.

According to the joint memorandum by the CHED and the Department of Budget and Management, the free tuition program will cover “all Filipino students enrolling in undergraduate course programs in SUCs for the school year 2017-2018.” 

Priorities for study grant are graduating college students regardless of household per capita income and non-graduating students from poor families. 

Those household not listed in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and poor list by the Department of Social Welfare and Development should submit proof of indigence. 

“SUCs will not collect tuition from students and will instead charge this against the Higher Education Support Fund (HESF) through billing statements for CHED. However, miscellaneous and other fees are not covered by the program, and thus may still be collected from the students,” Cristobal said in a statement.

Beneficiaries of government student financial assistance programs (StuFAPs) will be given priority by their respective SUCs. 

The tuitions of those receiving more than PHP15,000 in benefits will still be charged against their StuFAP allocations, while those student beneficiaries getting PHP15,000 or less will be charged from the SUCs’ free tuition allocation.

In the case of Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), one of the biggest schools in the region with five campuses in Leyte province, the program will benefit about 15,000 students this year.

“We will prioritize graduating students. If there are still remaining budget, we will accommodate lower years,” said Lydia Morante, head of EVSU media affairs.

The school has been collecting an average of PHP3,150 every semester from tuition of students. 

Morante urged incoming senior students to enroll this week for them to find out how much budget was left for first year to third year students. 

The central government pushed for the free tuition program in response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to support college education of financially disadvantaged students. (Sarwell Q. Meniano/PNA)