Republic of the Philippines

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Legal and Legislative Service (LLS)

MEMORANDUM

FOR : THE OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN AND COMMISSIONERS

THE OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

FROM : ATTY. FREDERICK MIKHAIL “SPOCKY” I. FAROLAN

Director IV, LLS

SUBJECT : HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BRIEFING OF THE SENATE SUB-

COMMITTEE ON FINANCE ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET OF
CHED AND STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES (SUCS)
FOR FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2022

DATE : 22 OCTOBER 2021

This has reference to the highlights of the briefing of the Senate Sub-
Committee on Finance held on 21 October 2021 on the proposed budget of CHED
and SUCs for FY 2022 including the issues raised by the various legislators and the
corresponding information/data requested on the same subject.

In view thereof, may we transmit the below matrix for your information and
reference.

CHED & UNIFAST ISSUES AND CONCERNS Agreements/Commitments

from Lawmakers Discussion Points

 Sen. Cayetano - gave the budget profile The Chair responded that he will not
of the CHED & SUCs for the FY 2022 offer excuses for the observations
budget proposals. She pointed out that made by Senator Cayetano.
there is no budget for the 4 BARMM
SUCs and no capital outlay for the UP-
PGH.
 She also lamented the late submission
of the CHED’s budget presentation and
other documents submitted to her office.

Sen. Villanueva:
 Doktor Para Sa Bayan (DPSB) update
on seed money for medical schools -
FLRs; P791M sought for medical
schools
Guidelines done re: grant to new
medical programs of schools like
UNP, DMMSU, CSU etc.
As for new schools - grants from
  Merging of CHED medical scholarships
and DOH medical scholarships
 Cost of support to private HEI medical
schools
 Asked data regarding update on
applications for new medical schools.
 Budget support sought for medical
schools opening for Cavite State
University - P30M, SMSU - P150M
 SMART Campuses Update: SMART
Campus development - P3B, will cover
only 93 of the 114 SUCs involved. SUCs
may not use the budget within the
remaining months of the year
 DBM finally agreed with the CHED
position re SMART Campus funding
Sen. Cayetano:
How close are the 5 medical schools in
complying with the requirements of CHED
approval? The Committee would like to be
informed so that it can be included in the FY
2022 budget.
 What is the time frame for the approval
of CHED re applications?
Sen. Drilon:
 The purpose of Bayanihan 2 is to stop
National Government Agencies (NGAs)
from transferring funds to procuring
agencies such as the PS-DBM. In
TESDA, the transfer of fund from Central
Offices to regional offices was viewed as
a disbursement/obligation.
 CHED moved funds to PITC amounting
to P1.58B; and PS-DBM amounting to
P1.1B; 800M for PCARI
 Submit an update report of the PCARI
project and complete report regarding
disbursements.
 Confirmed the report that a lot of money
is being returned to the DBM by NGAs.
Sen. Villanueva:
How many laptops would be distributed to Dr. Ronquillo gave an update on the
SUCS? budget relative to NBC 461
DPSB of P250M and grants from
CHED for CNU, WMSU, UWP, MSU-
Gensan
Merging of the CHED and DOH
medical scholarships will be done
next year.
There will be more money for
incoming medical scholars
There is a big difference between
private medical schools from medical
schools in SUCs, that is why not all of
the cost will be covered by the DPSB
by the CHED. ED Jaro gave update
on the cost vis-à-vis private HEIs and
SUCs.
As for the Smart Campus, there are
only 89 SUCs involved and the
problem lies with the DBM regional
offices’ interpretation that the budget
of smart campuses is an inter-
governmental transfer, that is why it
was difficult to implement.
WVSU Pres. Dr. Jose Villaruz and
CHED Technical Panel on medicine -
we have been assisting 2 SUCs for
the opening of medical school
programs. Batangas State University
is ready for a virtual visit within 2
weeks.
Money was put in PITC for the PCARI
Project in 2012. In the PS-DBM,
funds were transferred for the
purchase of computers for SUCs.
The CHED returned the money this
January 2021 because it was not
feasible to be utilized anymore for the
PCARI project.
  PASUC - NBC 461: What is the status of
the guidelines regarding promotions of 2016- 4.4B
faculty? Current- 5.1B
 How much budget is needed for its Total: 9.5B
complete implementation?
Chair JPDV: Guidelines were crafted
with the assistance of the presidents
of SUCS, so rest assured that this will
be beneficial to the SUC faculty.

Sen. Tolentino:
 Update on the Bayanihan 2 (B2) funds
 COA audit findings - underspending of
CHED; unobligated, undisbursed funds
from Bayanihan 1
 Requested the CHED’s report on the
COA findings
 Inadequate capacity of the CHED to
implement programs coming from the
legislature
 Mandatory vaccination of students - it
cannot be done without a law, what does
Chairman De Vera mean by mandatory
vaccination of students?
 Make the guidelines comprehensive
regarding CMO on distribution of TES
benefits
 Students are required to submit
hardcopies of their requirements, relax
guidelines of TES during the COVID-19
pandemic
 Online transactions in getting TES
benefits; but give consideration to NCR
students
 Come up with a strategy and catch-up
action plan for maximum utilization of
funds per COA recommendation; catch-
up plan for the entire higher education
system; how do we recover from the last
19 months of the pandemic?
 SUCs to come up with solid waste
management program
 Regional Development Council Region
X- capital outlay of SUCs in the region
should be restored in support of Rep.
Acosta’s appeal.
No new funding
COA - made the report on the end of
the year 2020. The B2 funds’ use was
extended by Congress and the smart
campus budget was fully disbursed.
DBM concluded that the CHED
effectively utilized its budget from the
Bayanihan 2 funds. Start of second
semester is on January.
COA’s basis of its evaluation on the
use of the budget by the CHED is FY
and NOT academic year.
Chairman JPDV manifested that he
did not push for mandatory
vaccination required for students.
The mandatory vaccination of school
athletes did not come from Chair De
Vera, but from the schools
themselves.
The CHED encourages students and
faculty to be vaccinated. The
technical experts are still crafting the
guidelines on the matter.
Slowly migrating the savings
accounts of TES students through
LBP, but not yet in NCR due to big
volume of student-grantees.
Each HEI are doing catch-up plans,
connectivity, limited F2F, etc.

Internationalization subsidy is very

low for research facilities and
laboratories. In terms of funding, we
pale in comparison to other ASEAN
countries in terms of
internationalization. We don’t have
the resources at the moment. There
are 14 HEIs that are in the top-
 ranking universities; we are doing
well despite limited funding.

Sen. Cayetano:
Make a policy regarding guidelines pertaining to CHED does not require mandatory
vaccinated and unvaccinated students in order vaccination for students and faculty, it
to be ready for face-to-face (F2F) classes. is the decision of HEIs not CHED.

Sen. Zubiri:
Satellite campuses of Bukidnon State University Chairman JPDV gave his
(BukSU); incoming new freshmen students will commitment to meet with Sen.
not be admitted in the coming school year. Zubiri regarding the issue on the
 Request for meeting on Monday or extension campuses of the BukSU.
Tuesday next week with Chair JPDV

Sen. Binay:
Manifested for the restoration of the budget of
the more or less 30 SUCs which lost their
budget for capital outlay for FY 2022
 Budget of UP-PGH- wish-list of Dr. Gap
Legaspi for UP-PGH;
 Need to continue the restoration of the
nursing home of UP- PGH
 Re F2F classes- what is the timeline for
the F2F classes but not necessarily the
way before the pandemic?
 Does CHED have a communications
plan for F2F classes?
 CHED needs to come up with a
guidebook on COVID-19 for higher
education institutions to follow
 Who is monitoring the schools?
 Did CHED write the IATF to request
approval for opening of F2F classes?
Sen. Pia:
It’s a significant part of a child’s life to
experience going physically to school; some
HEIs are already retrofitting their facilities; but
presently, students go to mall, go to movies
etc.; why is it that the UAAP was able to open?
It is the failure of government not to be able to
bring back our students to schools; NCR is back
to normal - why not in school? How can the
students go to work later on if they have not
even gone physically to school? CHED and
PASUC should find out which areas have a
50% vaccination rate, then open up classes in
these areas.
Sen. Binay:
Make a COMPLAN for the advocacy of opening
up of classes CHED was the first to open up
schools F2F, but we need more
Sen Pia: students vaccinated beyond 27% so
Open F2F classes for students who are already that we can start to open classes up.
UP-PGH Dr. Gap Legaspi: There is a
need of capital outlay for
infrastructure of P90M; renovation of
nursing home part 2 - P190M;
coordinating with the Historical
Commission on the restoration on
architectural design of the nursing
home because of its historical
heritage.
We have to adjust; make campus
COVID-19 resilient; retrofitting of
campuses - combination of face to
face and online; only 1/3 will be
physically present in school and while
the other 2/3 are online and on a
rotation basis.
There is a 24-page CHED-DOH
Guidelines on doing the F2F.
Joint team of CHED, IATF AND DOH,
LGU does the monitoring of school.
Sometimes Chair JPDV joins them in
monitoring; target of F2F opening for
most schools is January 2022.
About thirty (30) degree programs
were already allowed to do F2F.
Re: allowing more schools to open
-CHED approach is 2 modes: per
program and by geographical area;
some LGUs are reluctant to allow
opening F2F.
vaccinated.
CHED is anchoring its decision on
DOH Usec. Myrna Cabotaje: expressed the scientific basis for F2F classes.
support of DOH on the opening of classes,
divide class between vaccinated and
unvaccinated.

Dr. Ronquillo: UP Pres. Danny Concepcion:

SUCs are moving swiftly on their vaccination Answered questions of Sen.
efforts; classrooms are being retrofitted; Cayetano and Sen. Binay
opening by second semester by January 2022;
some parents are hesitant to have their children Chair JPDV:
go to school because they are not vaccinated. In SUCs where some of its facilities
are used as COVID quarantine areas,
Sen. Binay: when the students are allowed to
Convergence of CHED with DOTR for come back to school, the quarantine
transporting of students to schools facilities need to close down to pave
the way for the students.
Sen. Pia:
How does CHED convince the parents to have
their children go to school? She cannot fathom
the hesitation of schools from opening up face
to face classes; SUCs to consider opening up
their public spaces- like ovals, parks?

Sen. Cayetano:
Will CHED commit to monitor and send the Re SMART Campuses, the money is
documents I need over the weekend? already with the SUCs.

 Take time to update all the status of Pres. Agrupis explained about the
programs that are within CHED’s requirement and experience needed
supervision. on guidance counselling.
 The FY 2021 funds will be wasted if the
funds revert back to the national treasury
 IRR DPSB - why did CHED not report
on what initiatives it did for the
DPSB?
 Guidance counselling - who can give
me update on this?

Sen. Cayetano:
Update regarding FY 2022 Budget of BARMM
SUCs:
 DBM ‘s interpretation of the law
effectively affects the charters of the
concerned SUCs
 K-12 should effectively reduce the
number of years in college; why is it that
other schools still offer 21-24 units per
semester? Is there a move to lessen the
load of college units?
Chair JPDV gave a report on what
CHED has done on the issue of the
BARMM SUCs.
The BARMM maintained its position
that the budget of SUCS in the
BARMM should still be funded by the
national government in accordance
with their respective charters. CHED
concurs with the said position and
will request for a legal opinion
from the Department of Justice on
the matter.

Chair JPDV talked with Speaker


 Timeline to be submitted on the roadmap Engineering program is shortened to
re: shortening of the curriculum
 The approval of the CHED budget was
deferred pending submission of
documents as required by Senator
Cayetano including the requests of
Senators Revilla and Zubiri for a
meeting with Chairman De Vera.
 Adjourned at 6:41 pm
Copy Furnished:
THE CENTRAL OFFICE DIRECTORS
THE REGIONAL OFFICE DIRECTORS
Velasco for proper action on the
funding of the 4 BARMM SUCS.
Likewise, Chair JPDV intimated that
Sec. Galvez promised to take the
matter to the President within next
week.
CHED worries that if the funding for
the 4 SUCs is considered FLR, then
the SUCs will not be able to operate
next January 2022.
(four) 4 years. Chair JPDV explained
that when he came in as Chair of
CHED, the new curriculum
guidelines were already approved.
Roadmap for demand and supply of
programs – need to reduce more
curriculum and allow schools to
choose what subjects to offer instead.
The newly constituted Technical
Panels are now starting to create a
roadmap to shorten the curriculum.
But the problem is that 3- year
college course is not possible due to
the international requirements of the
length of stay in college.