Aquino seeks ghost flood funds for SUCs

By Mariela Angella Oladive

Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV is pushing to divert billions of pesos lost to “ghost” flood control projects to plug the looming budget shortfall of state universities and colleges, including 11 institutions in Western Visayas.

Aquino raised the proposal after a Senate finance hearing on Sept. 27 revealed a PHP 3.29 billion gap in the 2026 budget for SUCs, threatening the sustainability of the Free College Law, which he authored.

“Kung tatanggalin natin ang flood control, dapat mapunta sa edukasyon,” Aquino said, assuring that both basic and higher education will be supported.

The Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges projects SUC enrollment to rise from 1.97 million to 2.27 million students in 2026.

Aquino noted that the Department of Budget and Management’s proposal does not adequately account for this surge.

He also pressed for the restoration of PHP 12.3 billion in SUC funds that were not released from 2022 to 2025.

The senator cited Department of Finance findings that the country lost between PHP 42.3 billion and PHP 118.5 billion from 2023 to 2025 due to flood control projects that were funded but never built.

“Napakarami pong nakabantay sa edukasyon sa Senado,” Aquino said.

“The first time na nabring up natin na yung flood control ilipat sa education, wala pong tumutol,” he added.

According to the Commission on Higher Education, Western Visayas, including Negros Occidental, has 11 SUCs: Aklan State University, Capiz State University, Carlos Hilado Memorial State University, Guimaras State University, Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology, Iloilo Science and Technology University, Central Philippines State University, Northern Iloilo State University, Northern Negros State College of Science and Technology, University of Antique, and West Visayas State University.

Currently, PHP 26.147 billion—about 20 percent of the National Expenditure Program—is allocated for the Free College Law in 2026.

Aquino wants this funding expanded by tapping billions wasted on corruption to ensure SUCs, including those in Western Visayas, can keep pace with rising student populations.

Enacted in 2017, the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act provides free tuition and other fee exemptions in SUCs and local universities and colleges, with programs implemented through CHED and UniFAST.