Palace explains PUP bill veto

MANILA, Philippines — The “low” performance of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in the 2016 state universities and colleges leveling exercise prompted President Marcos to veto the bill seeking to elevate its status, Malacañang said yesterday.

The consolidated version of Senate Bill 2669 and House Bill 11341 seeks to strengthen PUP as the National Polytechnic University and to repeal Presidential Decree No. 1341.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro announced last Friday that Marcos had vetoed the measure, which would have given PUP greater financial and institutional autonomy.

A summary provided by Castro said PUP only received a level II rating in the 2016 leveling exercise conducted by the Commission on Higher Education and the budget department compared to other state universities and colleges that achieved level III and IV ratings.

“The veto noted that the former president suggested conducting a reassessment of PUP to evaluate its suitability for national university status, but this has not been done,” the summary read.

The summary also cited concerns, including the establishment of 14 PUP campuses through the Board of Regents resolutions, bypassing the legislative process and leading to expectations for national government support.

Granting institutional autonomy to PUP may also weaken the commission’s regulatory oversight over state universities and colleges, the summary said.

“To qualify (for national university status), PUP must demonstrate exceptional quality in faculty, programs and maintain high academic standards in instruction, research and public service” the summary said.