320,000 TESDA scholars to lose scholarships due to slashed budget – Andaya

At least 320,000 Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) scholars, including rebel returnees, out-of-school youths, and rehabilitating drug dependents are expected to lose their scholarship this year due to slashed budget, the chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations has disclosed.

Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando “Nonoy” Andaya, Jr., chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, said TESDA scholars enrolled under the Universal Access to Tertiary Education will be deprived of scholarships after the Senate

slashed their 13-billion budget in the 2019 13.757-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB).

He lamented that among the items "taken out of the 2019 GAB by the Senate" include the 13 billion for scholarship of rebel returnees, out-of-school youths, and rehabilitating drug dependents enrolled under the Universal Access to Tertiary Education.

"As a result, at least 320,000 students enrolled under the program will lose their scholarship this year," he said.

Andaya had noted that the other items that the Senate unilaterally took out of the 2019 national budget are the following: Department of Transportation (DOTr) - 15-billion for right-of-way projects; Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) - 111.033-billion for right-of-way projects; Foreign Assisted Projects (FAP) under DPWH, 12.5 billion; and Department of Environment and Natural Resources - 12.254 billion for National Greening Program.

He said it was the Senate which supposedly crippled the President's Build, Build, Build Program and other priority projects.

"We are confident that the Office of the President would consider these items in their review and find ways on how to restore them in the President's veto message," he said.

He asked the Senate leadership to explain the budget cuts and identify the senators who sought the realignments.

“All he (Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III) has to do is explain to the public why the Senate slashed the budget not only of Build, Build, Build projects. Now is also the time for him to reveal the names of all senators who made budget cuts and show the items where these were realigned,” Andaya said.

He noted that the details of these budget cuts were not fully discussed in the bicameral conference committee.

"The senators unilaterally decided on the budget cuts and realigned them to other items based on the request of individual proponents. Up to now, the Senate has yet to make public a detailed report on the proponents who recommended the individual realignments," Andaya said.

Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had earlier said President Duterte is expected to sign the national budget "very soon."

"Every year, the President does lineitem vetoes. So they’re just working now I think on what will be the line item vetoes. But there’s already a date for us to go to Malacañang,” she said.