SUCs may cap student admissions amid budget veto – CHED

Thousands of incoming college students may find fewer slots available in state universities and colleges (SUCs) next school year after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vetoed ₱43.245 billion in personnel funding, leading to possible issues in expanding enrollment due to staffing constraints.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said that the veto could directly affect the students who seek admission to SUCs as the uncertainty of hiring additional teaching and non-teaching staff limits how many enrollees they can cater.

“The effect of this is that we may have limitations in increasing our number of enrollees,” CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis said, warning that without clear guidelines on new hires, SUCs can only admit students “to a certain extent.”

Marcos signed the ₱6.79-trillion 2026 national budget on Monday but vetoed the personnel services allocation under unprogrammed appropriations, or standby funds that can only be released if government revenues exceed projections.

The vetoed amount covered ₱10.77 billion intended for salary upgrades and new government hires and ₱32.47 billion for retirement and terminal leave benefits, including those of education workers.

ACT Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio said the veto affects over 259,000 job orders and contracts of service workers across the government, including more than 41,000 professors, instructors, and administrative staff in SUCs.

“The cut means they cannot be hired as regular government employees and will have to endure yet another year as underpaid yet overworked contract workers,” Tinio said, adding that staffing instability ultimately reduces the capacity of public universities to serve more students.

CHED acknowledged that instruction will still be continued, the support services could be strained.

They said it is awaiting approval of Revised Organization and Staffing Standards (ROSS) II issued last year, which would allow the conversion of contract and casual employees into permanent positions to address the long-term staffing gaps of the institution.