Gatchalian flags more than P7B of SHS Voucher Program funds spent on non-poor beneficiaries

The government spent more than P7 billion on non-poor beneficiaries of the senior high school voucher program (SHS-VP), Senator Win Gatchalian flagged.

The SHS-VP is a program of financial assistance, where qualified SHS learners from participating private and non-Department of Education (DepEd) schools receive subsidies in the form of vouchers.

The Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education shared this observation during a hearing on the implementation of Republic Act No. 8545 or the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (E-GASTPE) Act. Citing estimates from his office, Gatchalian pointed out that for School Year (SY) 2021-2022, P7.21 billion or 53% of the P13.69 billion allocation for the SHS-VP went to non-poor learners. For School Year 2019-2020, P7.30 billion or 39% of the P18.76 billion allocation for the SHS-VP went to non-poor learners.

Citing data from the Annual Poverty Indicators Survey 2020 and 2022, Gatchalian also pointed out that for SY 2021-2022, 70% of SHS-VP beneficiaries were from non-poor households. For SY 2019-2020, 64% of SHS-VP beneficiaries were from non-poor households, Gatchalian added.

"For me, it's wastage and leakage. We need to correct this immediately and I plan to raise this during our budget hearing because we have to make sure that every centavo allocated to the government goes to our poor learners and efficient projects and programs. For me, based on the data that we have seen, it shows that we're not being efficient," said Gatchalian.

In a previous hearing, Gatchalian observed a similar trend in the implementation of the Educational Service Contracting (ESC) program, which is a component of GASTPE. For School Year 2020-2021, 68% of ESC recipients were from non-poor households. This caused a leakage of up to P8.6 billion based on estimates from the senator's office.

A 2018 Performance Audit Report by the Commission on Audit (COA) already raised that DepEd grants subsidies even to students from poor families. In the same report, state auditors also recommended that DepEd prioritize underprivileged learners.

Atty. Tara Rama, Director III of the DepEd's Government Assistance and Subsidies Office, assured the basic education panel that GASTPE's guidelines will be revised to address issues, including the non-prioritization of underprivileged learners.

Gatchalian: Higit P7 bilyon sa SHS Voucher program ginasta para sa 'non-poor beneficiaries'

Gumasta ang pamahalaan ng mahigit P7 bilyon para sa mga benepisyaryo ng senior high school voucher program (SHS-VP) na hindi naman nangangailangan o 'yung tinatawag na non-poor beneficiaries. Ito ang isa sa mga pinuna ni Senador Win Gatchalian sa isang pagdinig ng Senado hinggil sa pagpapatupad ng Republic Act No. 8545 o Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (E-GASTPE) Act.

Sa ilalim ng SHS-VP, nakakatanggap ng tulong pinansyal sa pamamagitan ng voucher ang mga kwalipikadong mag-aaral ng SHS mula sa mga kalahok na pribadong paaralan at mga non-Department of Education (DepEd) schools.

Batay sa pagsusuri ng tanggapan ni Gatchalian, lumalabas na noong school year 2021-2022, P7.21 bilyon o 53% ng P13.69 bilyong pondong nakalaan sa SHS-VP ang napunta sa mga non-poor learners. Para sa school year 2019-2020 naman, P7.30 bilyon o 39% ng P18.76 bilyong pondong nakalaan sa SHS-VP ang napunta sa mga non-poor learners.

Gamit ang datos ng Annual Poverty Indicators Survey 2020 at 2022, binigyang diin ni Gatchalian na noong school year 2021-2022, 70% ng mga benepisyaryo ng SHS-VP ang nagmula sa mga non-poor households. Noong school year 2019-2020 naman, 64% ng mga benepisyaryo ng SHS-VP ang nagmula sa mga non-poor households.

"Para sa akin, nasayang 'yung pondo. Mahalagang itama natin ito agad at suriin natin ito nang maigi sa budget hearing. Kailangang tiyakin nating napupunta ang bawat sentimo sa mga nangangailangang mag-aaral at sa maayos na pagpapatakbo ng mga programa at proyekto. Pero batay sa datos na nakikita natin, hindi maayos ang pagpapatakbo ng programa," ani Gatchalian.

Pinuna na rin ng senador ang parehong suliranin sa pagpapatupad ng Educational Service Contracting (ESC) program, na bahagi rin ng GASTPE. Para sa school year 2020-2021, 68% ng mga benepisyaryo ng ESC ang nagmula sa mga non-poor households. Dahil dito, umabot sa P8.6 bilyon ang pondong nasayang batay sa pagsusuri ng tanggapan ng senador.

Matatandaang pinuna ng Commission on Audit (COA) sa 2018 Performance Audit Report nito na nagbibigay ang DepEd ng ayuda kahit sa mga non-poor families. Inirekomenda rin ng naturang report ang pagbibigay ng prayoridad sa mga mag-aaral na mula sa mahirap na pamilya.

Samantala, sinabi naman ni Atty. Tara Rama, Director III ng Government Assistance and Subsidies Office ng DepEd, na tutugunan ng rebisyon ng guidelines ng GASTPE ang mga natuklasang mga isyu, kabilang ang pagbibigay prayoridad sa mga mas nangangailangang mag-aaral.