At the National Tripartite Conference organized by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) today, the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) strongly supported the call of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) to restore their capital outlay budget.
The call was made amid moves by Congress to slash the said budget next year. FFW joined SUCs and students in urging the Senate to return the P6 billion it removed from the Education budget.
The FFW suggested that the Senate can source the P6 billion from the confidential and intelligence funds, adding that “the Marcos administration should make education a priority and the return of the P6 billion is key to ensuring that every Filipino child can partake of quality and affordable education.”
The labor group stressed that reinstating these funds is critical for the preparation of human resources poised for the modernization of agriculture and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, encompassing digitalization, artificial intelligence, and robotics.
“This move aligns with President Marcos’s commitment to learning recovery and quality education as cornerstones of a strong nation, ensuring that every Filipino child is well-equipped for future challenges,” the FFW said, adding that, “ensuring that SUCs get the budget they deserve also ensures that teachers, who mold the minds of our youth, are well-compensated and enjoy the benefits they deserve. It’s a deterrent to the unabated mass resignation of Filipino teachers in favor of work abroad.”
