ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES, PARTNERS IN EDUCATION AND NATION-BUILDING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, GOOD MORNING.
NANDITO TAYO NGAYON KAHIT SABADO DAHIL LAHAT TAYO RITO CONCERNED SA KINABUKASAN NG KABATAANG PILIPINO.
ANG SEKTOR NG HIGHER EDUCATION AY HALIGI NG PAMBANSANG KAUNLARAN AT SALAMIN NG PINAKAMALALALIM NA DI-PAGKAPANTAY-PANTAY O INEQUITIES NG ATING LIPUNAN.
HINAIN NA NG KALALABAS O KAILAN LANG LUMABAS ANG EDCOM II REPORT ANG MGA KAGYAT NA HAMON NA ATING HINAHARAP.
FOR ONE, PARTICIPATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION REMAINS AT 34.8 PERCENT — MAS MABABA SA ASEAN AVERAGE NA 41.1 PERCENT. SA ILANG REHIYON TULAD NG BARMM, ANG PARTICIPATION AY 18 PERCENT LANG.
THE NUMBERS ON ATTRITION ARE EVEN MORE TROUBLING. NEARLY FOUR OUT OF TEN STUDENTS NATIONWIDE DROP OUT BEFORE FINISHING THEIR COURSES.
SA BARMM ULIT, MAS MATINDI, 93.4 PERCENT AY HINDI TUMUTULOY SA PAG-AARAL SA KOLEHIYO.
ANG IBIG SABIHIN: MERON TAYONG HENERASYON NG KABATAAN NA PINUTOL ANG MGA PANGARAP. NAWALAN TAYO NG MGA POTENSYAL NA GURO, INHINYERO, TEACHER, ABOGADO, (AT) HEALTH WORKERS NA KAILANGAN NG ATING BANSA.
MALINAW ANG MGA HADLANG SA ATING PANGARAP PARA SA KABATAANG PILIPINO NA NASA KOLEHIYO: KAILANGANG MAGTRABAHO, NAWAWALAN NG INTERES SA PAG-AARAL, AT WALANG PERANG PANGTUSTOS.
HABANG PINALAWAK NG REPUBLIC ACT 10931, O (NG) UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO QUALITY TERTIARY EDUCATION ACT, ANG MGA OPORTUNIDAD, MERON DING ILANG MGA BUTAS NA KINAKAILANGAN PA RIN AYUSIN.
MANY STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES HAVE REACHED THEIR CARRYING CAPACITY. WHILE, LOCAL UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES TEND TO OFFER ONLY A NARROW BAND OF PROGRAMS — MOSTLY EDUCATION AND BUSINESS. NILILIMITA ANG MGA MAAARING PAGPILIANG KURSO NG ATING MGA ESTUDYANTE.
EQUALLY CONCERNING ARE THE SO-CALLED REFORMS IN THE TERTIARY EDUCATION SUBSIDY. WHILE THE SHARE OF THE POOREST GRANTEES HAS RISEN TO 27 PERCENT, THE SUBSIDY AMOUNTS HAS BEEN REDUCED FROM 60,000 PESOS TO 10,000 PESOS. FOR THE 683,000 STUDENTS FROM THE 4P’S HOUSEHOLDS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR COLLEGE, KULANG NA KULANG ANG SAMPUNG LIBONG PISO KADA ISANG TAON PARA SA MATRIKULA, LIVING EXPENSES, TRANSPORTATION, BOOKS, BILANG ISKOLAR SA KOLEHIYO.
THE EDCOM II REPORT IS CLEAR IN ITS RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THE QUESTION BEFORE US IS: DOES THE PROPOSED 2026 BUDGET ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS EFFECTIVELY?
TODAY, THE PHILIPPINES COUNTS ONLY 172 RESEARCHERS PER ONE MILLION PEOPLE, COMPARED TO 322 IN OTHER MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES. HALOS KALAHATI. WITHOUT STRATEGIC INVESTMENT, OUR UNIVERSITIES WILL REMAIN PRIMARILY UNDERGRADUATE FACTORIES WHILE OUR NEIGHBORS SURGE AHEAD IN INNOVATION.
ALAM NATING LAHAT NA NANDITO NGAYON: NA HINDI LANG ISANG LINE ITEM ANG 2026 BUDGET PARA SA HIGHER EDUCATION. SAGOT NATIN ITO SA MGA KABATAANG PILIPINO NA NAGNANAIS NG MAS MAGANDANG KINABUKASAN. I’M READY TO HEAR THE PRESENTATIONS AND READY TO SUPPORT INTERVENTIONS THAT WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR OUR STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. MAGANDANG UMAGA PO (AT) MARAMING
SALAMAT PO. ##