Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, citing unutilized funds in its annual budget, on Thursday gave the Commission on Higher Education an “incomplete grade.”
“I will not be harsh and give CHED a failing grade of 5 in Fund Utilization 101,” Sen. Recto said, but warned that “I would give it an Incomplete, with a last chance stern warning that it implements remedial measures this year.”
The Senate President Pro Tempore admitted he found it “so ironic that an institution that accredits Finance and Management schools in the country is the one failing miserably in these two disciplines.”
Recto rued that if the poor fund utilization was due to the birth pains associated with the new Free College Law, then the one year grace period is enough for it to learn the lessons from this fiasco.”
“If the decision-making by CHED is hampered by the absenteeism of Cabinet members in its board, then their alternates must be granted the authority to vote on their behalf,” the senator suggested, adding: “Kungyung January-June report card nila sa pag-gasta ay mababa pa rin, singko na ang grado nila.”
In a statement, Recto recommended that the CHED also submit a list of colleges and universities which had failed to liquidate funds, so they can be made to explain when they appear during the Senate budget hearings.
“This must be fixed, because in this case, funding delayed is education denied to our youth,” he added.
