MANILA, Philippines – Tuluyan nang inaprubahan ng Senado ang apat na panukalang batas mula sa Mababang Kapulungan na naglalayong magtayo ng state universities and colleges (SUCs) sa apat na lalawigan.
Sa plenaryo nitong Martes, puspusang isinulong ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano ang pagtatayo ng SUC sa Dinagat Island, Sarangani, Camarines Sur at Aurora na hanggang ngayon walang unibersidad ng pamahalaan.
Walang tumutol sa pag-aapruba ng panukala matapos itong ipagtanggol ni Cayetano sa plenaryo nitong Martes.
Kabilang sa inaprubahan ng Mataas na Kapulungan ang pagsasabatas ng mga sumusunod:
1. House Bill No. 10405 or an act establishing a state college in the lone district of the province of Dinagat Islands;
2. House Bill No. 10622 or an act establishing a state college in the municipality of Alabel, province of Sarangani;
3. House Bill No. 9314 or an act converting the Baao Community College in the municipality of Baao, province of Camarines Sur into a state college; and
4. House Bill No. 9642 or an act converting the Aurora State College of Technology in the municipality of Baler, province of Aurora into a state university.
Lubhang ipinagtaka ni Cayetano na mayroon pa palang lalawigan na walang state university kaya hindi nakakakuha ng scholarship program ang kabataan sa naturang lalawigan dahil limitado ang programa sa SUCs.
“The experience of going to this type of university wherein the academic standard is as important as the climate or the environment of going to this school. So, there are things that can be learned in the four walls of the classroom but there are much more that can be learned in the campuses of the state university,” ayon kay Cayetano,
“So, it is very important that we continue to build existing state universities, improve and give them the right funding, but it is also important that we have a sufficient number of state universities in each province, in each region around the country,” dagdag ng senador.
Kaugnay nito, lubhang ikinalugod naman ni Senador Lito Lapid ang inaprubahang Senate Bill No. 2974 o ang Expanded Philippine Science High School (PSHS) System Act.
Layon ng panukalang ito na dagdagan ang pondo, pahusayin ang pamamahala, at palawakin ang saklaw ng Philippine Science High School (PSHS) system sa buong bansa upang mahubog ang mga estudyanteng Pilipino bilang mga innovator at critical thinkers na handang tumugon sa mga hamon ng makabagong panahon. Ernie Reyes
