CHED eyes P13B boost for 2026 funds

To continue supporting low-income students, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is seeking an additional P13 billion for its 2026 budget. In a budget hearing held on Monday, CHED representative Shirley Agrupis said almost 300,000 college students may lose access to the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) and the Tulong Dunong Program (TDP) if the increase is not approved. The Tertiary Education Subsidy covers full or partial education costs for students enrolled in state universities and colleges. Eligible students receive P20,000 annually to help with school expenses. Almost 700,000 students benefit from the program, with recipients identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). However, the proposed budget of P20.01 billion for next year was reduced to P15.56 billion, which may affect 164,630 beneficiaries, based on Agrupis’ presentation. According to a fourth-year student from a city college, the cut will affect their studies as they prepare for On-the-Job Training (OJT) and graduation expenses. “This will significantly impact many students, particularly those in need. If the reason for the reduction in grants is corruption, I’m disappointed because it’s not the students’ fault, yet they’re the ones affected,” the student said. Meanwhile, the Tulong Dunong Program, which helps students whose family income is less than P400,000, provides P7,500 per semester. The budget for this program was reduced to P5.1 billion, which may cause 135,792 beneficiaries to lose their grants. Furthermore, the CHED chairperson criticized the TDP allocation by Congress as unsustainable, citing that it overlaps with the Tertiary Education Subsidy and creates a “chaotic” distribution of funds intended for 4Ps and DSWD Listahanan beneficiaries.