We welcome Alfredo Pascual's appointment as the new UP President

We welcome the appointment of international banker and finance expert Alfredo Pascual as the University of the Philippines’ new president. We believe that Pascual’s background in the business sector will serve the state university well in addressing its financial problems.

Pascual himself promised to address the financial needs of UP in light of the budget cuts for 2011. I have expressed my reservations on this matter, and having a financial expert as UP president will certainly help matters.

Education is an extremely important pillar of the country’s goal of becoming a developed nation. With Pascual and his extensive economic background, there is a chance that the financial woes of UP will be addressed and remedied.

SUC budget cuts will deprive our youth a chance to fulfill their dreams

I have reservations on the P1.1 billion budget cut for the operations of 97 state universities and colleges nationwide, plus the zero allotment for capital outlay for SUCs and the slashed funds for scholarships within the Commission on Higher Education.

For most of our countrymen, state universities and colleges are their only hope of getting affordable, quality education. Slashing their budget will deprive our youth a chance to fulfill their dreams of getting a diploma and becoming productive members of society.

I am a product of a great educational system of an SUC, I was chairman of the student council at UP, so I am aware of and can certainly sympathize with the issues confronting students of SUCs that will be affected by these budget cuts.

The University of the Philippines, arguably the country’s premiere state university, will see its budget slashed by P1.39 billion in 2011 from its budget in 2010—thus making it one of the universities around the country that is set to suffer the biggest budget cuts next year.

Education is an extremely important pillar of the country’s goal of reaching first world status. We should not deprive the future of our nation their basic right to have quality education. Let us not be hesitant to invest in our country’s future.