Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Legarda Leviste is pushing for a bold shift in budget priorities—proposing that road project savings from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) be redirected to guarantee educational assistance for all qualified college students in his district by 2026.
During the budget hearing of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Leviste made a motion to expand the Tulong Dunong Program, which currently offers limited scholarships due to funding constraints. He pointed out that many deserving students are left out because of the selective nature of the program.
“This is a very good program, but at the moment, because of budgetary constraints, pinipili lang po natin ang mga beneficiaries,” Leviste said, addressing CHED Chairperson Dr. J. Prospero “Popoy” de Vera III’s successor, Shirley Agrupis.
Agrupis agreed in principle, saying, “If there is budget, who would not want to help those students in need?”
Leviste outlined a practical funding mechanism for the proposal: cut the unit cost of DPWH road projects by 15%—not the number of kilometers built—and channel the resulting savings into full coverage of college scholarships. He explained that in the 1st District of Batangas, reducing road costs could generate enough savings to fund Tulong Dunong slots for every eligible student without compromising infrastructure plans.
He emphasized, “Merely by reducing the cost per kilometer by 15%, we can give every college student in my district a slot under the Tulong Dunong Program if they qualify for this program.”
Leviste formally motioned the Committee on Appropriations to amend the DPWH’s budget structure for his district, ensuring that savings would be redirected to education. As the panel’s vice chair, he has consistently championed smarter budget allocation to end generational poverty through education.
The committee took note of Leviste’s motion, acknowledging its potential impact on equitable access to college education.
This isn’t Leviste’s first initiative in education reform. On his first day in office last year, he filed House Bill No. 27, which proposes a monthly P1,000 allowance for every Filipino student—from kindergarten to college, across public and private institutions. Although the bill is still pending, he remains optimistic that the government can pilot the program using budget efficiencies like those he presented.
