MikeLigalig.com

By Gerry Baldo
Tribune

Over 100 lawmakers crossed party-lines and signed a manifesto calling for an increase in the subsidy for the state universities and colleges (SUC), San Juan Rep. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said yesterday.

Ejercito, who initiated the move, also urged President Aquino to re-evaluate the government’s policy on the SUC which, lawmakers said, has been drastically reduced.

Citing the 1987 Constitution’s provision that the State shall assign the highest budgetary priority to education, the lawmakers said in the manifesto that “… education is a fundamental right of every citizen and recognize the vital role of the youth in nation building.”

They added “it is disturbing that the proposed National Government Budget for FY 2011 has little care to public higher education and that the government is seemingly abandoning its duty for a quality and accessible education to the Filipino youth.”

“We therefore manifest our strong objection to the budgetary cuts imposed on the 112 state universities and colleges nationwide as they constitute a paramount betrayal to every poor man’s dream to tertiary education,” the manifesto stated.

Ejercito, the principal proponent of the joint manifesto, called on Malacañang to follow the Unesco recommendation of allotting six percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) to the education sector.

“Right now, we only allotted 2.3 percent of GDP to education. If we cannot give the 6 percent of GDP now, at the very least we must exert effort to give 3 percent,” Ejercito said.

The 100 representatives finally said “the State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all.”

Among the signatories to the manifesto are Representatives Monique Lagdameo (1st District, Makati); Jesus Crispin Remulla (7th District, Cavite); Fatima Aliah Dimapore (2nd District, Lanao del Norte); Abigail Faye Ferriol (party-list Kalinga); Pryde Hebry Teves (3rd District, Negros Oriental); Rafael Mariano (PL- Anakpawis); Diosdado M. Arroyo (2nd District , Cam. Sur); Carlos M. Padilla (Nueva Viscaya); Ben Evardone (Eastern Samar); Susana Yap (2nd District, Tarlac); Kimi Cojuangco (5th District, Pangasinan); Tomas Apacible (1st District, Batangas); Bernadette Herrera (PL-Bagong Henerasyon); Angelo Palmones (PL-Agham); Dan Fernandez (1st District, Laguna); Arnel Ty (PL-LPGMA); Rodolfo Farinas ( 1st District, Ilocos Norte); Romero Quimbo (2nd Dist. Marikina); Mar-Len Abigail Binay (2nd Dist. Makati); Rufus Rodriguez ( 2nd Dist. Cagayan de Oro); Tobias Tiangco (Lone Dist. Navotas); Maximo B. Rodriguez (PL-Abante Mindanao); Emmanuel D. Pacquiao (Lone Dist. Sarangani); Fernando Gonzales (3rd District, Albay), and Edwin Olivarez (1st District, Parañaque).

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