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Business
Tuesday, August 20, 2OL9
CHED told: E*plain underutrhzation
of budgetary subsidy for medical studes
BY WET{DELL VIGIUA
DEPUTY Speaker Mufiv Hatamah
'v/ants the Commission on Higher
Education (CHED) to explain why
not a single centavo was disbursed
f+o* its P250 million Student Finan-
cial Assistance Program and Subsidy
for Tuitioo Fees of Medical Students
in state universities and colleges
(SUCS) in 2018.
Jhe former governor of the Au-
tonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(ARMI\Q said the fund could have been
us-6d to help the newly-establisted
Bangsamofo Autonomous Region in
Muspa Mindanao (BARMIQ, which
is in dire need of more doctors and
medical professionals.
"The municipalities, cities and prov-
inces that make up BARMM are some
of the poorest areas in orr country to-
day, Andbecause of this, we also have
Insght ,
some of the lowest doctor-to-patient
ratios. That's why it's hard to swallow
the truth that while there are funds for
those who want to become doctors,
there wasn't a single scholar in 2018,"
Hataman said in a statement.
In a recent audit report, the Commis-
sion on Audit (COA) flagged CHED
for the underutilization of its budget
on vital educational projqcts, lgc.hrding
the subsidy for medical students.
In 2078, of the P250 million allot-
ment for the program, only P55.87
million was obligated, but no actual
disbutsement was made, according to
the COA.
The COA report said students did
not pursue the subsidy under the
program and opted for the DOH's
comprehensive medical scholarship
program "wherein deserving medi-
cal students will receive full tuition
subsidy and a five-year scholarship
u\ P/\q€-grztt
package which includes allowances,
miscellaneous and laboratory fees, and
PhilHealth premiurns."
If this is the case, Hataman said the
CHED "should adapt to the changes
and be more responsive to the needs
of students."
"It's too expensive to ptrsue medi-
cine. Tuition is already high and there
are also other fees that are cosd,v. If free
tuition isnt enough, it can be changed,"
he said. "If
legislative action is needed,
then tell us. If executive intervention
is needed, then go through the proper
channel but let's not waste funds. The
P250 million budget could have helped
a lot of people in 2018, including the
BARMM."
Hataman said the delivery of health-
care services to the people in the
BARMM can only be improved by
increasing the number of doctors in
the region.