Koko seeks inquiry on "non-release of rehab funds" for
typhoon-damaged SUCs

Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III wants an inquiry on the "non-release of funds" earmarked for the reconstruction of state universities and colleges (SUCs) that were damaged last year by typhoon Yolanda and earlier calamities.

Pimentel has filed a resolution directing the Senate committees on education, arts and culture and on finance to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on why no funds for reconstruction have been released.

The government has allotted supplemental funding of P14.6 billion in 2013 and Rehabilitation Fund of P20 billion in 2014 to "help distraught communities and institutions, among them SUCs," in the rehabilitation and reconstruction effort, the resolution said.

A total of 36 SUCs in eight regions, including the University of the Philippines in Tacloban City and in Palo, Leyte, have been affected, said Pimentel.

Most of the damaged SUCs in regions 6, 7 and 8 opened classes last January, said Pimentel, "without undertaking the needed repairs of their structures to the detriment of the safety, health, and proper learning conditions of their students, faculty and staff."

In his resolution, Pimentel deplored the response of the concerned agencies, which he described as "too slow."

He said appropriate legislative measures may be undertaken to "facilitate the release of the needed funds for the rehabilitation and reconstruction works" to normalize the operations of the SUCs.

The affected SUCs submitted damage estimates as required by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in November last year. The idea was to get assistance "immediately given to them to normalize their operations and allow students to continue their studies," said Pimentel.

It has been six months since the CHED submitted the list to the Department of Public Works and Highways and other concerned government agencies for validation, Pimentel said.

"No funds have been released for this purpose and there is no visible reconstruction efforts in the state colleges and universities devastated by typhoon Yolanda and the calamities prior to it," said Pimentel.

He said, "there appears to be no guidelines to facilitate the release to the SUCs of the rehabilitation funds provided in the 2013 and 2014 General Appropriations Act."