Gatchalian flags delays in free higher education tuition process

Senator Win Gatchalian urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to fast-track the automation of reimbursing tuition and miscellaneous fees under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (Republic Act 10931), better known as the Free College Education Law.

Although CHED reported that 80 percent of the 215 public higher education institutions (HEIs) for the second semester of this year are fully paid, Gatchalian took note of the 2019 discussion paper by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) emphasizing that failure to reimburse these fees would result in the schools' absorption of deficiencies and the passing of costs to students in the years ahead. Fees form part of schools' incomes and are used for operations.

There are 1.3 million beneficiaries of the Free College Education Law and 500,000 beneficiaries of the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES). The TES provides additional funding for education-related costs such as books, transportation, board and lodging, and allowances for disability-related expenses among others.

The senator explained that State Colleges and Universities (SUCs) and Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) have to submit their billing and other documentary requirements to CHED before they are reimbursed for tuition and miscellaneous fees. To date, there are 12 SUCs and LUCs that still have compliance issues. According to CHED, these SUCs and LUCs cannot reimburse even if the funds are downloaded by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Gatchalian pointed out that lawmakers already raised this concern during the deliberations on the 2020 budget. He also emphasized that without addressing this issue, the proposal to give the funds directly to SUCs and LUCs becomes an attractive idea. Gatchalian, however, pointed out that this proposal needs to be studied more carefully to protect public funds.

"We really need to finalize and fix this because it cannot be a recurring problem every year. The funds are badly needed by the SUCs and LUCs as we all know," said Gatchalian.

"It can be done, I believe that technology can solve this problem but we have to act fast," he added.

CHED Chairman J. Prospero de Vera III explained that while the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) already has an existing database of students, the Commission is seeking the help of Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT-U) to improve the current system and allow direct communication with beneficiaries.

Gatchalian is co-author and co-sponsor of the free higher education law and has called for its improved implementation. He also filed Senate Bill No. 1793 or the 'Full Digital Transformation Act of 2020,' which seeks to provide full, integrated E-Government (eGov) services to the public by the end of 2022.

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Gatchalian pinuna ang mga aberya sa pagpapatupad ng libreng kolehiyo

Hinimok ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang Commission on Higher Education o CHED na bigyang prayoridad ang automation sa pag-reimburse ng matrikula at iba pang mga bayarin ng mga pambublikong kolehiyo at pamantasan.

Ito ay upang maging mas maayos ang pagpapaptupad ng Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (Republic Act 10931) na kilala rin bilang Free College Education Law. Sa ilalim kasi ng mga pamantayan ng CHED at ng Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education o UniFAST, dapat munang magsumite ang mga kolehiyo at mga pamantasan ng kanilang mga billing at iba pang dokumento bago sila mabayaran.

Bagama't iniulat ng CHED na walumpung (80) porsyento na ng State at Local Universities at Colleges (SUCs) ang nabayaran para sa ikalawang semestre ngayong taon, may labindalawa (12) pa rin sa mga paaralang ito ang hindi pa nababayaran. Ayon kasi sa CHED, hindi pa naisusumite ng mga paaralang ito ang mga kinakailangang dokumento para makumpleto ang bayad sa kanila.

Sabi ni Gatchalian, maaapektuhan ang operasyon ng mga SUCs at LUCs kung patuloy na maaantala ang reimbursement ng tuition at miscellaneous fees, bagay na mareresolba sana kung automated ang pagproseso sa mga naturang dokumento. Lumabas din sa isang pag-aaral ng Philippine Institute for Development Studies o PIDS na kung hindi agad maibigay sa mga SUCs at LUCs ang kanilang mga reimbursement, maaaring maipasa sa mga estudyante ang mga gastusin ng mga paaralan.

May mahigit isang (1.3) milyong estudyante ang kasalukuyang nakikinabang sa libreng kolehiyo. Kalahating milyon (500,000) naman ang tumatanggap ng Tertiary Education Subsidy o TES. Ang TES ay tulong pinansyal para sa mga gastusing may kinalaman sa pag-aaral tulad ng transportasyon, tirahan, mga libro, at iba pa.

Kung magpapatuloy ang suliraning ito, maaaring i-konsidera ang panukalang i-diretso na lamang sa mga SUCs at LUCs ang pondo, ayon kay Gatchalian. Ngunit dapat muna aniyang pag-aralan ng mabuti ang panukalang ito upang mabigyang ng proteksyon ang buwis ng mga mamamayan.

"Dapat nating ayusin ito dahil hindi maaaring ganito na lang ang problema taon-taon. Alam naman nating kailangang kailangan ng mga SUCs at LUCs ang pondo," ani Gatchalian.

"Kaya natin itong solusyonan gamit ang teknolohiya, ngunit kailangan din natin ang agarang pagkilos," dagdag ng senador.

Ayon naman kay CHED Chairman J. Prospero de Vera III, meron nang database ng mga mag-aaral ang UniFAST ngunit inisaayos pa ito upang mapadali ang pakikipag-ugnayan ng Komisyon sa mga mag-aaral.

Si Gatchalian ang isa sa mga may akda ng Free College Education Law. Inihain din niya ang Senate Bill No. 1793 o ang 'Full Digital Transformation Act of 2020' upang paigtingin ang modernisasyon ng mga serbisyo ng pamahalaan.