{"id":6197,"date":"2023-08-26T15:34:47","date_gmt":"2023-08-26T07:34:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/csspsinag.wordpress.com\/?p=6197"},"modified":"2023-08-26T15:34:47","modified_gmt":"2023-08-26T07:34:47","slug":"the-state-of-our-universities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2023\/08\/26\/the-state-of-our-universities\/","title":{"rendered":"The state of “our” universities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When Pres. Ferdinand \u201cBongbong\u201d Marcos, Jr. delivered his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 24, he bragged about how \u201cmore and more of our universities improved on international rankings,\u201d among other sworn accomplishments of the administration after almost a year in office. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what does the president mean by \u201cour universities,\u201d and does the state of our universities really reflect the administration\u2019s success? <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By Ron Imperial<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Pres. Ferdinand \u201cBongbong\u201d Marcos, Jr. delivered his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 24, he bragged about how \u201cmore and more of our universities improved on international rankings,\u201d among other sworn accomplishments of the administration after almost a year in office. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what does the president mean by \u201cour universities,\u201d and does the state of our universities really reflect the administration\u2019s success? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rising ranks and budget cuts anew<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Marcos wants to talk about \u201cour\u201d universities, an easy way is to start with the country\u2019s titular institution \u2013 the University of the Philippines, which moved up in this year\u2019s Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) University rankings. If Marcos is to be believed that this success can be credited to the administration taking education seriously, then it would be reasonable to expect a bigger budget for the University that actually has \u201cthe Philippines\u201d in its name. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


But as the Department of Budget and Management\u2019s budget priorities have shown, this is not the case. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparing the the actual budget that agencies received this year \u2013 and the DBM\u2019s newly released National Expenditure Program (NEP) 2024 \u2013 the DBM\u2019s proposals for next year \u2013 the UP System would lose \u20b12.97 billion, a 13.96% decrease, much bigger than the 0.53% decrease from fiscal year 2022 and this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Both Marcos\u2019s first and second budget proposals \u2013 for 2023 and 2024 respectively \u2013 suggested budget cuts north of P2 billion for the UP system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, the proposed \u20b121.29 billion budget is only a little more than half of the \u20b140.8 billion that the University asked for. This is \u20b119.5 billion budget deficit from UP\u2019s proposed budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the NEP, there is a 20.01% \u20b11.62 billion slash on maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE). This part of the budget funds training and scholarship; utility; repair and maintenance; survey, research, exploration, and development; and financial assistance\/subsidy; among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notably, under MOOE, there is a 35.56% decrease or worth \u20b1294.45-million slash from the operational \u20b1828.27 million to DBM\u2019s proposed \u20b1533.82 million allocation on the provision of medical assistance for indigent patients of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) under UP Manila.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise, there is even a \u20b11.66 billion cut on capital outlays (CO) which fund infrastructures and equipment acquisitions. This means that numerous, numerous proposed infrastructure projects, both building constructions and renovations and rehabilitations, might be suspended should Congress make no amendments to the budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These include the construction of the \u20b1700-million College of Human Kinetics in UP Mindanao; the \u20b1513-million Information Technology Center and Student Affairs Building in UP Cebu; the \u20b1443-million Big Data Analytics, Computational and Data Center of the UP System; and renovations of several key buildings such as Benitez Hall, Gonzales Hall, and the University Health Service Building. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These cuts also come despite countless long-standing problems in the University remaining unsolved. Until now, for example, students fought tooth-and-nail for units because of a shortage of classrooms and professors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

READ: https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2022\/08\/22\/mala-lotto-na-mito-ng-swerte-ng-crs\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Marcos wants to find evidence that his support for education has made our universities rise in international rankings, he needs to look elsewhere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

State of Philippine universities<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But where is there left to look?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2024<\/a>, published this year, ranked five Philippine universities among the top global higher education institutions, namely, (#404) University of the Philippines, (#563) Ateneo de Manila University, (#681\u2013690) De La Salle University, (#801\u2013850) University of Santo Tomas, and (#1201\u20131400) University of San Carlos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another internationally renowned ranking, Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings (WUR) 2023<\/a>, published last year, ranked four Philippine universities, namely, (#351\u2013400) Ateneo de Manila University, (#801\u20131000) University of the Philippines, (#1201\u20131500) De La Salle University, and (#1501+) Map\u00faa University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evidently, UP is the only state university and college (SUC) or local college and university (LUC) from the Philippines ranked among the \u201cbests.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of \u201cmore and more of \u2018our\u2019 universities improved on international rankings\u201d are privately owned. So what can the government claim to be its \u201cours\u201d? And to its own, what has it done and will do? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking at the NEP, we can see that there are proposed cuts across the board. The Marcos administration wants to cut funding from 30 SUCs, an almost P6.2 billion slash from the previous year. CHED as a whole, meanwhile, is set for a P742.5 million budget cut. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marcos supporters may argue that, just like last year, these proposals are still subject to change, and these universities will be given the opportunity to prove that they are worth more. So instead of looking at the NEP, let us look at the General Appropriations Act of 2023, or the actual budget that these institutions received this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While UP managed to stave off the initially-proposed P2.5 billion budget cut, it still received a slash of more than P128 million. The allocation was also little more than half of the University\u2019s initially proposed \u20b144.149 billion \u2013 a budget deficit of more than P20 billion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the biggest in a decade-long trend of budget deficits, even before the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine conflict, of the country\u2019s national university.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can observe a similar trend in other universities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), the largest Philippine university by student population, experiences a \u20b1168 million-budget slash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three SUCs suffered over 50% budget decrease. Marikina Polytechnic College has the largest budget cut worth \u20b1926.1 million or an 80.48% decrease. Marinduque State College follows with a 79.52% budget decrease worth \u20b11.112 billion. Romblon State University\u2019s budget decreased by 62.93% or \u20b1736.058 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In total, 51 SUCs saw their budgets slashed \u2013 this, despite the President saying that his administration is committed to strengthening the country\u2019s education system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although one may quickly dismiss the budget slashes\u2014given that 66 SUCs still receive some increase in their budgets while \u201conly\u201d the budgets of 51 SUCs were slashed (meaning 43.59% of SUCs receive decreased funding, which is still notable) \u2013 these budget cuts come despite continued billions of pesos going towards confidential funds and militarization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In both this year\u2019s GAA and next year\u2019s NEP, the administration has shown that these intelligence and confidential funds (more than P10 billion proposed for next year ) and the defense sector (a 21.6% increase) are its real priorities, much more than education. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is clear, then, that given chronic underfunding and relentless budget cuts, the state of our state universities is far from sound. While Marcos may brag about rising international rankings and helping out learners, the numbers tell us a whole different story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Marcos really wants to brag about improving our universities, he should put his money where his mouth is. Instead of stealing credit from private universities and letting public universities go unfunded, he should make sure that his budget team allocates enough funds to back up his promises to the Filipino learners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The featured image is courtesy of Philippine Star<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When Pres. Ferdinand \u201cBongbong\u201d Marcos, Jr. delivered his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 24, he bragged about how \u201cmore and more of our universities improved on international rankings,\u201d among other sworn accomplishments of the administration after almost a year in office.  But what does the president mean by \u201cour universities,\u201d and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":6198,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[122],"class_list":["post-6197","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/up2021-01-2322-22-072021-06-0215-50-56_2022-09-29_22-41-37-1.jpeg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1960,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2021\/09\/04\/universities-in-other-countries-reopen-while-education-in-ph-remains-low-priority\/","url_meta":{"origin":6197,"position":0},"title":"Universities in other countries reopen while education in PH remains low-priority","author":"Staff","date":"4 September 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"While other countries continually emerge from the detrimental effects of the pandemic and gradually kickstart physical classes, the condition of the Philippine education system remains bleak. Commercial establishments have been permitted to operate by the government, whereas schools are yet to reopen. Face-to-face classes have started in international universities and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Features"","block_context":{"text":"Features","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/features\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sinag-web-banner-2-4.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sinag-web-banner-2-4.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sinag-web-banner-2-4.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sinag-web-banner-2-4.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sinag-web-banner-2-4.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sinag-web-banner-2-4.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5327,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2022\/09\/28\/20-suc-presidents-ibalik-ang-kinaltas-sa-badyet-dagdagan-pa-para-sa-balik-eskwela\/","url_meta":{"origin":6197,"position":1},"title":"20 SUC presidents: Ibalik ang kinaltas sa badyet, dagdagan pa para sa balik-eskwela","author":"Staff","date":"28 September 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Kabilang na si UP President Danilo Concepcion, ipinanawagan ng nasa dalawampung administrador ng mga state and local universities and colleges (SLUCs) ang pagbabalik sa mga nakaambang kaltas sa badyet ng mga SUCs at pagdaragdag ng pondo na ilalaan nila para sa ligtas na balik-eskwela para sa 2023. Kabilang na si\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/sinag-web-banner-8-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/sinag-web-banner-8-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/sinag-web-banner-8-1.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/sinag-web-banner-8-1.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/sinag-web-banner-8-1.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/sinag-web-banner-8-1.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3573,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2022\/01\/27\/message-of-the-chancellor-to-the-upd-community-blackout-version\/","url_meta":{"origin":6197,"position":2},"title":"Message of the Chancellor to the UPD Community (Blackout Version)","author":"Staff","date":"27 January 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"CSSP SC Philosophy Department Representative TJ Laranang writes a black-out poetry from Chancellor Nemenzo's letter to the community on the proposed break. Laranang highlights the need for a genuine health and recovery break and moving the second semester while criticizing the university's reluctance to declare it. MESSAGE OF THE CHANCELLOR\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Literary"","block_context":{"text":"Literary","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/literary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/272738986_660296338445305_1641938369169603148_n-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/272738986_660296338445305_1641938369169603148_n-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/272738986_660296338445305_1641938369169603148_n-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/272738986_660296338445305_1641938369169603148_n-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/272738986_660296338445305_1641938369169603148_n-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3294,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2021\/12\/08\/up-constituency-heighten-clamors-to-institutionalize-up-dnd-accord-amid-public-hearing\/","url_meta":{"origin":6197,"position":3},"title":"UP constituency heighten clamors to institutionalize UP DND accord amid public hearing","author":"Staff","date":"8 December 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The House Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education (CHTVE) discussed Senate Bills 2002, 2014, 2035 and House Bill (HB) 10171, seeking to institutionalize the UP-DND Accord during the Joint Public Hearing in the Senate on December 7, Tuesday.\u00a0 As a substitute for the accord that was unilaterally terminated by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/philippinecollegian_2021-01-19_12-52-49-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/philippinecollegian_2021-01-19_12-52-49-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/philippinecollegian_2021-01-19_12-52-49-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/philippinecollegian_2021-01-19_12-52-49-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/philippinecollegian_2021-01-19_12-52-49-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/philippinecollegian_2021-01-19_12-52-49-1.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3220,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2021\/12\/02\/hindi-literal-na-balik-eskwela-kundi-ligtas-na-balik-eskwela\/","url_meta":{"origin":6197,"position":4},"title":"Hindi Literal na Balik-Eskwela, Kundi Ligtas na Balik-Eskwela","author":"Staff","date":"2 December 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The Philippines is officially the last country to open the schools, as the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) finally approved the beginning of limited face-to-face classes in the first quarter of 2022.\u00a0 However, despite initial excitement, some students worried about the distance of their universities from their homes, unsure about whether\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Features"","block_context":{"text":"Features","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/features\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/sinag-web-banner-12.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/sinag-web-banner-12.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/sinag-web-banner-12.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/sinag-web-banner-12.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/sinag-web-banner-12.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/sinag-web-banner-12.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3203,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2021\/11\/30\/the-n-in-lnbe-is-now\/","url_meta":{"origin":6197,"position":5},"title":"The \u201cN\u201d in LNBE is \u201cNOW\u201d!\ufffc","author":"Staff","date":"30 November 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"You were relieved when classes were suspended for two weeks. It was a break from all the stress you were facing back then. You shared a laugh with your classmates, unknowing and unaware that it was going to be the last time in the classroom and campus. You got home,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Features"","block_context":{"text":"Features","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/features\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sinag-web-banner-2-2-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sinag-web-banner-2-2-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sinag-web-banner-2-2-1.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sinag-web-banner-2-2-1.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sinag-web-banner-2-2-1.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sinag-web-banner-2-2-1.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":122,"user_id":9,"is_guest":0,"slug":"csspsinag","display_name":"Staff","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/194807626fee183640d3de57e788ba7c8c0d40bd86bfc1237bed56bcd3832c1b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6197","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6197"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6197\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6198"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6197"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6197"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6197"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=6197"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}