budget cut on SUCs

SUCs (State Universities and Colleges) - institutions conceived to serve the POOR yet the brightest and most talented.

I found the definition above from an article in Cebu Daily News yesterday (I forgot the name of the author. Sorry about that). The issue about the budget cuts of SUCs is spreading like wildfire. Last Friday, a walkout was held in our school as a sign of protest to the billion peso budget cut.

Honestly, I am not as concerned as anyone else, until last week. Well, I'm already graduating and wouldn't be burdened about the thought of schools, tuition fees and etc. But then, I realized that I should be concerned about it not because I still have a sister who will be affected if ever this cut is pushed through, but rather, I realized that as a student, I have to care.

State Universities and Colleges are called like that because they are financially dependent on the state. The plan of President Aquino's government is to cut or reduce the funding of the SUCs to be able to augment the budget for basic education. According to a cabinet member, "We are gradually reducing the subsidy to SUCs to push them toward becoming self-sufficient and financially independent, given their ability to raise their income and to utilize it for their programs and projects." Haven't they realized that cutting the subsidy to SUCs will possibly mean an increase in tuition fee? And may I remind you, most students in SUCs came from poor families. Now, where would they get that money?

Really, our government should consider first the implications of their actions. The most used statement by Dr. Jose Rizal, "The youth is the hope of our country." seems to have been forgotten. Let us help them not further burden them.

After all that's been said, I am really against the budget cut!