Senator Bam Aquino has urged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and state universities and colleges (SUCs) to synchronize funding plans with enrollment projections to prevent a looming shortfall in the 2026 national budget.
During a budget hearing for SUCs, Aquino highlighted a report from the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) showing that current enrollment stands at 1.97 million students but is expected to rise by 300,000 next year, bringing the total to around 2.27 million.
However, Aquino pointed out that DBM’s allocation figures fall short of this projection, leaving a funding gap estimated at ₱3.29 billion.
“For the 2026 budget, we have to agree. Iyong projection at iyong budget na ibibigay dapat tumutugma siya,” Aquino said, stressing that projections and allocations must align.
The senator, who authored the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (RA 10931) or the Free College Law, added: “Moving forward, iyong projections per SUC at iyong kaakibat na FHE [free higher education] funding should match para walang sisihan. Huwag tayong pumayag na bababa iyong enrollment. Dapat pataas iyong enrollment because that’s really where we want to go.”
Aquino said the funding gap must be “closed” and assured SUCs that the Senate committee on basic education would push to reinstate the ₱12.3-billion deficit, covering capital outlay, maintenance and operating expenses, and personal services in the 2026 budget.
