The University of the Philippines (UP), the country's national university, will ask lawmakers to restore its P29.5-billion budget from last year as it faces a looming P2.95-billion cut under the proposed 2027 national budget, with the restored funds earmarked for completing buildings under construction and strengthening its research capacity, the university's top official said on Friday.

"There is a budget hearing next week. We are seeking more amendments to be able to catch up with at least the level of last year," UP President Angelo A. Jimenez told reporters during the Korea-ASEAN Community of Policy Exchange (KACPE) in Pasay City.

Mr. Jimenez said the university will prioritize finishing ongoing construction projects across its campuses, including libraries. It will also work to build up research capacity as UP shifts its identity toward becoming a university focused on research, graduate education, and innovation.

"So, now we are actually talking about focusing on the discovery of new knowledge and innovation of this knowledge so that it can actually solve problems for the Filipino people," Mr. Jimenez said.

UP will seek an increase over the P26.53-billion allocation proposed under the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP), prepared by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). The NEP is the executive branch's proposed spending program, which Congress reviews and can amend before the annual appropriations law that sets government funding for state universities and colleges is enacted. The appeal will be raised during the upcoming budget briefing for state universities and colleges before the Senate Committee on Finance on Sept. 25.

The announcement came on the same day that students from various UP campuses and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) staged a coordinated walkout to condemn widespread corruption in the government and budget cuts to state universities and colleges, according to posts from their respective offices of student regents on Facebook.

PUP student regents said their university is also facing a P1.83-million budget cut, which they said could further worsen its already difficult condition.

The walkout was held at UP campuses in Quezon City, the Visayas, and Mindanao, as well as PUP campuses in Manila, Quezon City, Taguig, Sta. Rosa, and Sto. Tomas. The mobilization at UP Visayas and UP Manila is expected to continue until Sept. 21 to commemorate the 54th anniversary of the 1972 declaration of martial law.

Source: BusinessWorld — Edg Adrian A. Eva — Original article