By Juliane Judilla
The national government trimmed by P14 billion the 2025 budget for State Universities and Colleges (SUCs).
The cuts are reflected in the proposed P6.352-trillion 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP) submitted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to the House of Representatives on Monday, July 29.
The 2025 SUCs budget is P113.75 billion, a 12 percent decrease compared to the P128.23 billion allocated this year.
Of the total, P65.17 billion will go to personnel services, P39.04 billion to maintenance and other operating expenses, and P9.54 billion to capital outlays or infrastructure.
The University of the Philippines system saw a P2.4 billion cut, receiving only P22.3 billion from its proposed P39 billion budget for 2025.
Meanwhile, the West Visayas State University system is set to receive a budget increase of P97.02 million, bringing its total to P2.1 billion from last year’s P2.013 billion.
DBM Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said the cuts were made due to amendments by the Senate and Congress.
Significant budget increases include P107 billion for the Department of Transportation, P31 billion for the Department of Education, P15.8 billion for the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and P15.7 billion for the Department of National Defense.
Other increases include P14.7 billion for the Department of Agriculture, P5.6 billion for the Department of Finance, and P2.5 billion each for the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Agrarian Reform.
While the proposed NEP budget cuts and increases are still subject to change, they will guide Congress in reviewing and deliberating over legislation on the yearly appropriations for the upcoming fiscal year.
