Congress to add P12.3 billion to SUCs budget for 2026

Congress has committed to allocating an additional P12.3 billion for state universities and colleges (SUCs) in the 2026 budget to cover the implementation of the Free Higher Education Act.

This additional funding aims to address a budget deficit of P12.3 billion from Fiscal Year 2022 to 2025, which was not allocated to SUCs due to faulty computations.

The budget allotment failed to consider the latest student population and the rising personnel and operating expenses of SUCs.

House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Mika Suansing confirmed that the budget deficit will be fully addressed.

Senate Committee on Finance Chairperson Sherwin Gatchalian and Senate Higher Education Committee Chairperson Loren Legarda have expressed their support for the budget increase.

The commitment was made during a pre-plenary budget hearing where SUC officials urged Congress to fund the free college education mandate.

The University of the Philippines (UP) system's proposed budget for 2026 will gain a P1 billion increment following the House Appropriation Committee's realignment of the government's P255-billion flood control fund.

The UP system's budget proposal has now risen to P26.8 billion, with P1.8 billion allocated to research programs and the operation of the Philippine General Hospital.